Wairarapa Train Service

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 199, 20 May 1936, Page 5

Wairarapa Train Service

Sir, —It is very interesting to see that at last the leading citizens of Masterton are taking some interest in the antiquated rail service to the Wairarapa. One bears a lot about railway returns, and what the Railways Deiiartment is doing, but how can record passenger returns be expected with the time-table as it is? Compare the Wairarapa line with the Manawatu line. On the latter the trains are off from the stations and up to speed in a very- short time, but it is just the opposite on the Wairarapa lino. There seems to be plenty of time, and the jogging along, which has. been the same for years, still goes on, and as much time as possible wasted at stations. One hears something about railcars, which, by the way, arc supposed to be running on the track now, according.to estimates last year, but the steam trains could do the work much faster if they were allowed to. The Rimulaka incline is by no means the cause of all the delay. From Masterton to 'Wellington is about 68 miles, and it takes three, hours 50 minutes to do the trip, an average of just over 17 miles per hour. Not very fast, travelling in these modern times.. There are sections where the speed limit is 20 miles per hour, but there is no reason why the speeds could not be increased to anything, up to 50 miles per hour quite safely. The trains always have to wait for time at certain stations, anything up to 10 minutes, because they are running ahead of the time-table. The same applies to the service from Masterton to Palmerston. On this section, the Wairarapa express, as it is called, leaves Masterton at 11.22 a.m. It eventually arrives at Woodville, where usually a long line of trucks is shunted to the front of the train. After a long wait, it gets under way again and arrives at Palmerston at 2.52 p.m. There is no connection with any other train. One has to wait until 6 p.m. or 10.7 p.m. for the Main Trunk expresses. Travelling to Masterton, the first exjn-ess from north arrives at 4.45 a.m., and the second arrives nt 6.45 a.m. Then one . has to wait until 11.30 a.m. before a train leaves for the 'Wairarapa. Not much of a service. If. only the service were speeded up and more comfortable cars were used, the business would come without all the advertising. On the evening of Easter Monday, a special train went from Masterton to Wellington. It commenced its journey at 6 p.m.. and arrived at the capital at, 11 p.m. A five-hour trip this time. 1 urthermore. one car did not even have lights, there being no gas in the cylinders. One can imagine the feeling of the passengers. What enterprise! And people are expected to travel by rail. I do not wish to take any more ot your space, although a lot more could be written about the very poor and an liquated service as it is at present, but it is to be hoped that a general speeding up at least will eventuate now that the Mayor of Masterton has started the ball rolling.—l am, etc., DISGUSTED TRAVELLER. Masterton, Maj’ 7. [Mr. G. H. Maekley, General Manager of Railways, made tbc following comment when the above letter was referred to hhn: “J observe that your correspondent nas gone to some trouble to work out ny. details of disadvantages which J’ave a ’ ways applied to transport on tho Wairarapa line. The special circumstances associated with railway passenger transport over the Rimutakas under present conditions are. however, so well both to the public and the department that, a detailed reply to the general statements made is not called for. I note, however that ‘Disgusted Traveller’ has ff ivcn . department no credit for what has been done to compensate to some extent ior these disadvantages by the Institution ot a very low scale of fares on the sectnn between Masterton and Wellington, has he made reference to the improvements about to be made by the introduction of rail-cars of the most modern type which will work between Wellington, Masterton and Palmerston North, and tnrougn the use of which all the disadvantages enumerated by him are expected to ue overcome. The schedules arranged 101 these rail-cars will increase the passeng<*r train mileage given In the Wairarapa d>strict by 261,000 miles a year. Beside giving what it is hoped will be the nlgheMt degree of passenger comfort, the rail-cars will provide more frequent services ano more convenient connections with other districts, and they will reduce the time from Masterton to Wellington by oue hour and a half and fror: Masterton to Palmerston North by one hour and fl quarter. The specific complaint made ny your correspondent regarding the train by which lie travelled ou Easter Monday night hag been under inquiry, and I wish to express regret that a car not properly gassed was used on that occasion, although there was sufficient accommodation in the other cars on the train for the 200 passengers who travelled by this service. One of the Fell engines (of which there are six used on the Rlmutaka Incline) developed a defect which could not be repaired in time for dealing with the heavy traffic on the Wairarapa trains °D Easter Monday, with the result that the reduced power available to deal with the above service expeditiously caused some inconvenience, and the train was consequently delayed in reaching Wellington. I have had flic matter under close Investigation to discover whether the best possible was done vn that occasion.”]