Rail-Car Colours

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28471, 28 December 1957, Page 3

Rail-Car Colours

Sir,—We are having far too many accidents at railway crossings these days. Some could probably be avoided if the Railway Department would note that some other countries are painting their carriages, especially the top half, an off-white colour, which can be picked up much more easily when travelling alongside the railway, by day or by night. You seem to catch the colour out of the corner of your eye. Recently, the writer had a fright or two in the North Island, with the electric cars sneaking along almost silently like a snake in the grass. The colour of these units is very bad—too much like the surrounding growth.—Yours, etc., A. McLAUCHLAN. December 18, 1957. [The Acting-District Traffic Manager of the Railways Department (Mr W. Rathbum) said that the present colour of Midland, Lake Red was adopted in 1940 as the standard colour for railcars, after representations by motor unions. To make railcars even more readily seen by road users a silver band along the sides and extending around the ends was added in 1949. As a further aid to visibility railcar headlights are now kept alight at all times wheh the car is running and this is visible for very long distances.!