RAIL TRANSPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 142, 20 June 1927, Page 8

RAIL TRANSPORT

WHAT PUBLIC WANTS

SAFETY: COMFORT: SPEED

ADEQUATE TDIMABLES

During the last year welL over 26,000,000 separate rail- journey, were made. These journeys were for all distances, and not a single fatality occurred, amongst all these millions of passengers. -' This^ig a hundred per cent efficiency record in one field of which any transport concern might well be proud.—Mr James Mason, Railways Board-

- Speaking at the Palmerston North' Winter Show on Thursday, Mr, Jarses Mason, member -of theßailways Board, dealt with several important phases of railway operating. He made it clea* that one of the chief desires of the administration of our national railway system is that tho needs of the community should be fully met at all times on the transportation side. At the annual social of the Railway Officers Institute on Saturday night ha impressed upon members of the service the importance of fully equipping themselves in the matter of' railway working in order that they should be thproughly efficient and; thereby en-. able the Department to function in such a manner as to adequately and creditably meet the requirements of railway users throughout the Dominion.

To a "Post" representative to-day, speaking in regard to subject matterß touched on in his' addresses, Mr. Mason made an. interesting statement in -which he dealt with other aspects of our railway system.

"While the variety of purposes to which rail transport may be put are infinite," Baid Mr. Mason, ''the desires of the public and the possibilities, for improvement in the service rendered fall under four main headings, -which may be stated as follows:

■ 1. Bapid transport for passengers and goods. 2. Comfortable vjiieles in which to travel, and a sufficiently varied rolling stock to suit the various classes of commodities which the rapidly developing . production and trade of the country demands., . 3. The provision of an. adequate time-table, with trains so timed that the times of departure and arrival at the chief centres fit in "with' the general requirements of railway users, whether for production, commercial, or pleasure travelling; pur--poses. ;' ■ ;■■■/'■ >■"•; ■ - • ' : 4. Such arrangements as ■will ensure a ■ maximum of safety in the . transport of passengers, and security in the transit of goods. .;."' ' "Dealing with the last consideration first—for safety must invariably be the primary objective of every properly trained railway man—the State railways of New Zealand, have a. remarkably fine record in this respect. Not only has the Department never failed to adopt the most progressive of safety devices in its train working, such as -' tablet working, electric lock and block, automatic signalling, and Westinghouse air: brake, but the staff has exhibited an. admirable appreciation of its duty to the public by. adhering resolutely to regulations framed to ensure that safety. During the last financial year.well over 26,000,000 separate rail journeys were- made. These journeys were. for all distances varying from a mile or-two in the^suburban areas to through trips from, Opua '(Russell) or Okaihau to the Bluff—aud not a single fatality occurred amongst all these millions of I passengers. This is 100 per cent, efficiency record in one field of which i any transport concern might -well be ' proud, and I therefore have pleasure in publicly announcing the fact, and, acknowledging the excellent work that has been done by our staff, whose co-operation in providing a track, roU ling-stock, and operating efficiency of such a high standard has enabled this fine record to be established^"

Mr. Mason then alluded to the recent accident on the South Island main line. In that case inquiry proved, that the derailment was the result of criminal interference by some trespasser on the line placing obstructions on the rails. The high standard of efficiency shown by the staff in dealing irith the emergency, and the speedy resumptioa of traffic had been generally 'admitted. SPEED OF TRAINS. "Our express trains in the North and South Islands are all running at speeds which, under the present conditions, should give a maximum of satisfaction, to our passengers. It is improbable that these speeds could be exceeded much under the present system of applying stcain power to train handling. The average speed, without making any. deduction on account of stops at intermediate stations, etc., is over thirty miles per hour on the principal express trains. ?' The principal improvements in this respect that have been effected during the last year or too were stated. Taking account of fourteen important train services, it was estimated that improved timing had; saved to passenger* the equivalent of 400 working days daily. . ■":■■-.■■

In goods trains, the through time of long distance runs had been reduced to a minimum. This had been accomplished by smartening up the running and re(Jueiug the amount of intermediate shunting. Under this policy, through, goods' trains travelling at comparatively high speeds had been instituted in both islands to considerably expedite the through conveyance of goods between, the principal centres. For instance, a, consignment of goods is nowconveyed the 369 miles from Christchurch to Invercargill in the same time as was previously required to. carry them the 230 miles from Christchurch to Dunedin. Between Auckland and- Wellington, as a result of rearranged timing, only one ■working day is now occupied on the run, the balance of the travelling being done during the night hours.

Other transport arrangements made recently required the running of special kinds of rolling-stock. of the .railcar type in selected localities. This development had considerable possibilities for extension, and. might ultimately help to-solve the problem of meeting the requirements of intermediate stations on routes where limited express services were found necessary. Developnients of mechanical engineering gave promise of further improvements. There was a possibility of saving gome further time in long runs, but the public might rest assured that at no time would the desire for speed be allowed to interfere with the margin of safety, which the railways of New Zealand have consistently maintained from the earliest days.