MACADAMISED TRACKS FOR TRAMWAYS. CHEAP—BUT DEAR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 11, 13 July 1909, Page 7

MACADAMISED TRACKS FOR TRAMWAYS. CHEAP— BUT DEAR.

Light on some recent statements by the Mayor of Karori Borough regarding construction of tramway tracks by contract is supplied in a report by the City Engineer (Mr. W. H. Morton) on the electrical tramways tracks of Wellington City. The text is as follows :— "No extensions were added to the system during the year, and the work carried out in connection with the permanent way has therefore been confined to repairs to the existing tracks. As mentioned in my last annual report, the foundations under the rails have proved to be inadequate for the heavy traffic now carried over the system, and during the year under review considerable portion., of the rail bed, which had previously remained sound, have broken down, especially on the Oriental Bay; Thorndon-quay, and Wallace-street sections, and the extensive repairs which have been necessary have been the chief factor in producing the increase in per-manent-way maintenance. With a few exceptions, very little ttouble has been experienced during the year with track carried out with sleeper construction. The heavy traffic in the city has worn through the chocks of the rails at most of the sharp curves, and it has therefore been necessary to carry out repairs by fitting check rails to the girder rails at these curves. Up to the present very few replacements have been required for the special steel work comprising points and cross-overs, but I anticipate that these will shortly involve a considerable expenditure annually. The tarred macadam in parts of the city where vehicular traffic is heavy has been frequently under repair, and the cost of its upkeep is very considerable as compared with wood-blocking."