PETONE LOCO SHOPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 405, 14 January 1909, Page 6

PETONE LOCO SHOPS.

THE NEW ROLLING STOCK.

SLEEPING CARS AND BIG ENGINES, The railway , workshops at Petone arebusily ■ engaged at . present in tho .construction -of sleeping cars, . carriages, •• and ■- big engines for • ,* • the; Main: Trunk line, and a . description of • the .latest <jngine' and . the sloping''cars hero given. > . ' A Monster. :.: Rapid 'strides, are being; made in improvtjirients .ill'locomotives,' and''it is contended., thatthe latest specimen of engineering, No. ; : : : 439, whichTis now ready to leave the Petone '- ■ workshops Mid commence its career on the Main Trunk'line/is up-to-date in' every, particiilar,; andis the' largest:- engine,' in r :the \.f. country. ; : " • ■'?/'.« A Dominion representative paid a visit to • the workshops yesterday, and found much of interest ,in the big engine. The first impression made ,is that of enormous '.size. . but it will be noted that, the engine is. ia.. .toe..proportipn^ , '.Gl'e;'locb'motive ; 'is..'NeV'.Zea^'.V'' :; . land' built, 'four cylinder balance compound, Class X, _for. heavy traffic,on the Main Trunk. The particulars areEighV wheeled coupled," : 4ft. 6in. in' diameter,cylmders : 'l2 'and" Win.,,: stroke 22, .boiler pressure '2501b.''to.the square'',: inch, and the total weight: in-working trim is about 93 tons. An idea of tho magnitude of the latest ■ production of the Department may be gained , from-:'fch'e.: fact that ith'e top '. of the., ;Bm;' 'ffpmHthev:]C ground,- but t-hose ol • v. only: .about*. 3ft?' *: Tho running board, or is. 6ft. in height,'at • least double; the usual. ' The boiler portion is,, correspondingly;!- high,. but?, the' Chimney, ) ■.sand;\bbs;.;'ahd ! steSin I ''dom¥ ! '■haver fiad ' to'' : be kept down in proportion on account of the ' tunnelsj sheds,: bridges, etc., and the -■" extreme height does not exceed lift. 6ia." Among the-, numerous improvements.' and labour-saving : appliances' may: be 1 ' mentioned the :automatic speed recorders, .which hot.only with pointers- the speed' attained, but register it on a chart. There' is also tho . hot-water heating apparatus for the cars! and a tap has merely : to be turned to bring .i it in operation* There are special-' conveniencef forVdistribnting.'sand on. the-rails where' " ' necessary, ,the difficult working of' levers be-•' ' ing: dispensed with. Tha engine, is fitted y - } \ with a .double set of safety valves, and 'a ' powerful acetylene headlight. The tankß hold 2200 gallons of water, but so much is con- '■ sumed that (with a big load) a stop is necessary about every twenty miles for a further supply.. - The engines- are built at Addington,' and the tenders are put on at Petone, . where '•' painting, varnishing, modern fittings, arid the' finishing touches 'generally ' are- added. ' There will be eight of: these monsters: in all. This ,is the first, and others aro expected to arrive any day. • ■ No. 439 was put out' for trial yesterday, and; she:ran: very ; satisfactorily. .The.engine will be • dispatched to the Main Trunk lice at an early date. ' V:;'; The Sleeping Cars. > "Comfortable, cosy and luxurious" sum- , 1 ' marises 'the. virtues of 'the .sleeping-cars;.at^ : rA'. J ': present under construction at .the Petone workshops for use on the Main Trunk line. , Two of these travelling palaces have just been sent out, and - others' will follow in - some weeks. Eighty, in all,- are under construction and will bo available, for use .when the. through: service begins. ■ The width of the cars is 9 .feet 3 inches overall and-the '' length is "50 feet. .' Each car contains'. Bleep-, ing accommodation for twenty but; during the day,'thero is seating capacity : . : for thirty.- When-a; passenger secures his ; ticket for a berth, he will be shown' to' his ; particular; compartment arid-' bunk-:by' an ■ attendant (each car .will have a malo attendant throughout the. journey), and' as ■ each is' numbered, .he -will be. in; no' danger. of losing , his,"seat. ; The-passenger will bo.' ' in that car all tho way. so no transfer • will be needed when he wisnes to; retire. Ho v: will , only have to shift whenithe. seats •aro ' being converted into bunks: and vice versa. The change; will probably bo' made "at some convenient stopping place;-- ■ .. • ...." There are six compartments in each car, ' four of. which hold four passengers each and two haye two bunks , each. In" tho ' smaller, divisions, tho seats:: have merely, to 6e covered with .tho ted clothes, ■ which are ■ . kept :underneath, and! the; bunks'are ready .; for occupation. - In the others, however,- two : ■ ■ seats remain, but the leaning back cushions form the upper, bunk,;'and they are sup- : ported by wooden, slides, which are affixed to the sides and which aro kept under tho ' seats. during the day time.'._ Each -compart- ' j/: ment: is provided witli looking glasses on either side,', embedded in the dividing' walls. The observation windows are of double size, being 2 ' feet'B'> inches-an' -width 'by' 2 feet 6 inches in height. They will have covering; curtains liv addition to the ordinary blinds. Heating will be provided by stcanu pipes from- the engirie,'. arid can be regulated by the occupants of the compart mont to suit: . themselves. Thc> rooms will be well - ven-, . • tilated, and there should be none of tho objectionable stuffiness usually encountered in the cabins of. steamers. " The ' usual hat; and parcel racks .aro .piovided. and .lockers will be found under the seats. 'Hie . lampsare hooded and. aro adjustable hy- the pas- . sengers at will'/ . The . dimensions of the ' ' larger compartments are 6 feet'!) inches by , 6 feet 3 inches arid- those of the smaller " are 4 feet 2 inches by fi: foot 3 inches.- Tho - / attendant ; will be always at; call, elnctiic. bells being fitted up in each compartment for that: purpose; :■ • . ; ' A corridor runs the full length of tho ■ carriage, l the floor being covered with lino- ■ leums and carpets. Lavatories aro provided at - either ejid. , It is intended to carry two sle<>ping-cara with every ■ train, thus providing. accom-.» wodation: for forty persons. \