MAIN TRUNK LINE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 68, 13 December 1939, Page 10

MAIN TRUNK LINE

Recent Improvements

To Service NEW CROSSING LOOP IN KING COUNTRY Train Running Expedited Recent improvements introduced on the North Island Alain Trunk railway line were referred to by the Minister of Railways in a statement yesterday. He said that with the coming into operation last Saturday of the crossing loop at Waiteti, approximately halfway between Te Kuiti and Puketutu, a long-standing handicap to operation of trains in the King Country had been removed. The new crossing place would favourably affect all the trains, including the Main Trunk expresses, operating over this section.

Mr. Sullivan said the distance from Te Kuiti to Puketutu was almost nine miles, and as seven miles of this was ou an upward grade of one in to from To Kuiti it could be readily understood how delays to other trains would occur while this exceptionally long aud difficult stretch of single line was being worked. “Very desirable but not immediately essential” was the comment of the chief traffic manager of railways 25 years ago regarding the proposal to provide a crossing place between Te Kuiti and Puketutu. Since then the traffic carried by the Main Trunk line had greatly increased, and when the proposal was revived in 1926 funds for doing [he job were reported to be available. Nothing was done, however, till with the augmentation of traffic under the present Government a facility of the kind became absolutely necessary if reasonable schedules wore to be maintained over this stretch of track. Work on the crossing now opened for traffic was accordingly authorized and taken in baud last year. Automatic Signalling. “Under the new arrangement,” said the Minister, “automatic signalling is also extended from Te Kuiti to Puketutu. and the new crossing loop at Waiteti is automatically controlled, both as to points movements and signals, under the now centralized traffic control system, from To Kuiti—about, four miles away. The Waiteti crossing loop, which has standing accommodation for 100 four-wheeled wagons and a backshunt to hold 15 wagons, will greatly facilitate the working of goods and passenger trains by eliminating delays and congestion occasioned previously by the unbroken run of nearly nine miles between Te Kuiti and Puketutu.

“This is just, one of I he many works of improvement, in hand or recently completed for facilitating the movement. of traffic on the Main Trunk line. Another is the opening of a further section of duplicated line on the run between Auckland and Frankton Junction.

‘■When the Government decided in 1936 to duplicate the railway line between Horotiu and Papakura, a distance of 58 miles, it was recognized that the work was one of considerable magnitude, and would take some years to complete. Progress has been satisfactory, and last weekend a ninc-mile stretch from Papakura-to Paerata was brought into operation. , Duplication of Line.

“The position now is that the department lias double tracks from Auckland to Paerata (28 miles), and front Ohiuewai to Frankton Junction (25 miles). The portion between Paerata and’ Ohiuewai (32 miles) still remains to be duplicated, and work on this is being pressed on witli.” As further evidence of the Railway Department’s efforts to improve its services on the busiest portions of the main trunk route, Mr. Sullivan mentioned that recently an automatic telephone exchange with a capacity of SO automatic lines and 20 district lines was installed at Frankton Junction. “This improved system of communication,” he said, “gives a highly efficient telephone service at Frankton Junction to and from all North Island railway slations.”