Timber Helps Railways In Plan For Smoother Travel

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28284, 23 May 1957, Page 10

Timber Helps Railways In Plan For Smoother Travel

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, May 21. Huge baulks of radiata pine grown in the South Island will be used by the Railways Department in its programme to take much of the rattle out of rail travel. The coaster Mamaku arrived at Wellington from Nelson today to unload a cargo of radiata baulks 18in square and about Bft long. Supplied by a Nelson firm, they will be used by the Railways Department as end supports and stringers for UB trucks, -so that they can carry long welded lengths of rails. The normal length of the UB truck is 39ft, but with the use of the radiata supports two trucks may be used together to carry rail lengths of 100 ft and moreBefore the completion of the Rimutaka tunnel, the department had experimented with welded rails. Since then many single lengths of rail have been replaced by rails welded end to end in threes. This system makes for much smoother running, and has been extended to all main routes. The main difficulty has been to get the welded lengths of rail safely from the workshops to the laying position. Experiments have been carried out with as many as nine rails welded end to end, but

though rails have some flexibility their length has presented transport problems. These are expected to disappear when the radiata baulks are fitted to the UB trucks. Railway Department officials say that this timber, of which almost limitless quantities are available, is perfectly suited to the job.