N.S.W. RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 36, 11 August 1923, Page 24

N.S.W. RAILWAYS

ELECTRIFICATION IN

PROGRESS

FIRST TRAIN IN 1925

March, 1925, promises to be a red letter month in the railway, as well as in the general history of New South Wales, says the " Sydney Morning Herald," for in that month it is proposed to initiate the first electric train service the section proposed to be opened being that between Central Railway Station and Waterfall.

The completion of this step will enable the alterations to be made at the Central Station to permit of the connection of the Illawarra line through to St. James's square, after which all Illawarra lines will terminate at the latter station, while the remainder of the city railway is being built. It is, however, essential that the position with regard to the suburban electrification should be regarded as a whole, inasmuch as all the suburban traffic cannot, of course, be handled in that fashion from St. James's square. For successful operation it is considered essential by the Commissioners that there shall be no terminal station in the usual meaning of the term, but that the traffic shall pass through, or round, the city in a loop, as originally provided in the general scheme proposed by Mr. Bradfield. The programme as outlined by the Commissioners provides for eight tracks at the Central Station on the eastern side, converging to six tracks passing northward towards the city, and running southward to the whole of the suburban tracks at present terminating at the Central Railway Station in Sydney. In the latter case the city tracks will junction with the suburban system near Cleveland street bridge, where extensive alterations are. being made for their accommodation. . - / TRACK OF THE TRAINS., The six tracks leaving the Central . Station towards the city will divide near Hay street and pass underground, four turning towards the western side of the city and two towards Liverpool street station and St. James's square, passing under Hyde Park. Under this scheme, when completed, trains leaving the Central Station will pass by the four track routes towards an underground station near the Town Hall, thence proceeding to a second station at Wynyard square, where two of the four tracks will pass by a different level to the rail connections to the North Shore' bridge. The other two tracks will lead the traffic round past Circular quay, where there will be a station above the wharf., level, and thence underground again through the tunnel, part of which has already been constructed beneath Government House grounds, finally completing the rail circuit of the city at St. James's square station. Provision has also been made for the junction of the Eastern Suburbs and Western Suburbs loops, and, therefore, the Commissioners consider it imperative that,, in order to make the scheme effective, no time should be lost in completing the western four-track section of the railway.

.In other respects also the scheme of electrification is being treated as a whole> in order that the suburban services may be converted to electric traction; and for i that reason, amongst others, the Commis- j sioners are placing orders for the power plant required, including a number of large turbo-generator units and boilers, and the erection of new buildings. This work will include the excavation of the site to provide for the extension of the present power-house at White Bay, thus practically doubling the present accommodation, and more than doubling the available power. When installed, the generating units will be the largest in the Commonwealth, being, each of 20,000 kilowatts normal rating. They, in addition to meeting the railway and tramway I requirements, will also provide the power required by the City Council, in excess I of the council's power plant output by the year 1925: ADDITIONAL POWER, ■ Radiating from the two power-houses at Ultimo and Whits Bay high tension underground cables will pass to various traction sub-stations at Prince Alfred Park and Wynyard square, and Wardell road and Hurstville, and, by overhead cables, to Sutherland and Waterfall., It is intended to provide accommodation in the sub-stations at Wardell road and Hurstville to enable the' electrical supplies to be furnished for the existing find proposed tram lines in the areas suprounding these districts; including Sans Souci, Bexley, Arncliffe, and other places for which, hitherto, an economical supply haß not been found practicable. The power supply to Sutherland will also fill' a much-needed want.

On the North Shore side, -work in connection with the widening of the track and preparation of the line has also been in progress. The tunnel underneath the harbour from Longnose Point to Greenwich is well under way; in fact, is practically completed, and the general scheme for the distribution of electrical power has been prepared. Tunnelling work will also be shortly started at Lavender Bay and Bay • road railway approaches to the North Sydney bridge. Details of the proposals on the north side of the harbour, however, have not yet been completed, pending funds being made available.

In connection with the conversion to electrical traction, a new type of railway carriage has been designed. These are 10 feet 6 inches wide instead of 9 feet 8 inches, as hitherto. By the new arrangement of seats, five are provided across the new car, with ample width for aisle; as compared with four seats in the older cars. The net result is, therefore, for suburban, passenger trains, an increase of 25 per cent, seating capacity for equal length of train, and" this increase is- again effective at platforms, for 25 per cent, more people will be served than under existing conditions. Up to the present a hundred of these carriages have been built by the local firms, and they have been in use on the North Sydney and Bankstown lines. When fulfilling the purpose far which they were constructed an electric motor will be provided for every two carriages, so that a train and four carriages would have two motors, and another motor for each additional two carriages. When the electrification scheme is complete it may be found necessary to import carriages, but the policy of the Commissioners at present is to support local works wherever possible. While a speed up to fifty or even sixty miles will be provided, for, it is not anticipated that on a line with many stops and tunnels such will be generally attained, but it, is expected that there will pc an increase of from 20 to 30 per cent., including stops, over the present service.