Railway Travelling

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 120, 15 February 1932, Page 11

Railway Travelling

Sir, —As one who travelled a considerable distance by rail during January, I wish to call public attention to the discomfort that many travellers are subjected to, with much frequency, despite the advertising of the railways, which makes a special feature of “Comfort for Travellers by Rail.” On January 16 we left Palmerston for Thames. After waiting four days in Palmerston to book seats on the Limited, we found that the seats assigned to us were at the carriage end, the most uncomfortable in the carriage. On the 16th we left Morrinsville for Thames by train No. 121; before boarding the train the writer, with a deputation of seven other passengers, called the stationmaster’s attention to the fact that there were no seats available on the train, though spare carriages were standing in the yard. The stationmaster did not heed our request for seats, but said, “Get on board; time's up. The guard will find you seats.” In order to ascertain the true position, the writer traversed the full length of the train with the guard, and counted nineteen adults and eleven children without seats as far as Te Aroha. It was a wet day and most of the adults were standing on the platforms outside of the carriage doors. The guard informed the writer that this was a frequent occurrence on Saturdays. The writer informed the stationmaster at Morrinsville that this matter would be reported to Wellington, at which he did not appear much concerned. If our railways are to be made popular as a means of travel, the Board of Control will need to see that passengers are not subjected to the unpleasant experiences related herein. A copy of this correspondence is being sent to the chairman of the Railways Board, and the identity of the writer will be disclosed therein.—l am, etc., TRAVELLER BV RAIL.

Wairarapa, February 6. [The Railway Department advisee that there is usually a heavy demand for. accommodation .on the Limited, hence it is advisable for travellers to make their reservations for this train some time before the intended date of travel; particularly is this so in the holiday months, or when a seat in a selected position is desired. As there was no Limited express out of yyellington on January 16 (.Saturday) it is presumed that your correspondent intended to indicate the 15th as the date of leaving Palmerston North for Thames. The Tauranga express of January lb lert Auckland with seven carnages, three ot which were taken off at Frankton Juneton, as the passengers for beyond this point were estimated to be no more than a four car-load. In practice it is found that the number leaving the train at Frankton and Hamilton usually balances the number joining at those stations, and as one more car than the usual quota was leit on the train, no shortage of accommodation was anticipated. At Hamilton, however, there was a heavier influx of passengers than was expected, and the guard reborts that there were twenty passengers in excess of the number of seats on the train. At Morrinsville the tram was running late, and the signal to start had already been given by the when his attention was drawn to the shortage of accommodationr—too late, in ms' opinion, to hold up the train to shunt on another carriage, especially as tne position would likely be eased a few miles further on by passengers leaving the train at Te Aroha. He asked the guard, however, to endeavour to find seats for these passengers as soon as possible. was, of course.,no need for passengers to stand in the rain on carnage platforms, as there was room inside, the cars. This is the intimation to the management of the above complaint, and the mutter is being further whether Morrinsville should have been advised in time to provide additional accommodation. . ... There was no shortage of rolling stock, and it is the department’s endeavour to provide M-atihg accommodation tor an passengers; but in an effort to avoid haulage the make-up of. trams is kept down to the limit of anticipated need, and on this occasion an unexpected addition or “unreserved” passengers rather overtaxed the accommodation provided. In an instance of this kind it is the practice to supply more accommodation at tne nrsi car-supply station. Our records show, however, that on other Saturdays the seating accommodation provided on tnn express has been ample for the number of passengers travelling. That the comfort of passengers in general is well catered for is attested by the Preference for the train shown by experienced travellers, by the almost entire absence of complaints, and by the numerous personal commendations received regarding the courtesy and thoughtful consideration of the staft towards passengers.]