RAILWAY ENGINE TRIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 11700, 4 October 1902, Page 6

RAILWAY ENGINE TRIALS.

WELLINGTON, October 4. A report of trials of the American, Glasgow, and New Zealand manufactured locomotives between Invercargill and Gore, made with the object of ascertaining the eoal consumption of each type, shows that the engine of class Q, built in the United States, gave the most efficient results. This is a type of locomotive concerning which there was a good deal of adverse criticism in the House last year. The official report says that the tests would have been more exhaustive if made on a continuous ascending gradient, where the engines would have been working at nearly their maximum tractive power. Such length of line not being available, trials had to be run over a comparatively easy road. Two series of tests were made, one with Brunner coal and the other with Nightcaps lignite. The''tests were conducted under similar conditions, - and every endeavor was made to ensure absolute fairness. Ono noticeable feature was the very small quantity of ashes drawn through the tubes into the smoke box of the class Q locomotive, the tendency to throw sparks being thereby reduced.