FRACTURED WHEEL

Evening Star, Issue 19127, 19 December 1925, Page 11

FRACTURED WHEEL

MISHAP TO LIMITED STATEMENT DY MINISTER [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, December 18. In a statement to tbe Press, tne Prime Minister (the Hon. .1. G. Coates), La his capacity as Munster ot Railways, when commenting on the delay which occurred last Monday to the up night Limited near Levin through a fractured tyro on the wheel of the guard’s van, drew attention to a fact which does not appear to be generally known —namely, that in the reorganisation of the iime-tabic recently undertaken, the extreme margin" of safety provided for railway operations and rolling stock has not boon reduced or altered in any way, either for wheel tyros or speeds on tne Main Trunk trains. The same speed maxima over various portions of .the lino between Wellington and Auckland apply to the Limited trains as to the ordinary expresses. There has even been a reduction under the November time-faille in tho number of vehicles on tho Limited, the total now being eight, and this also facilitates a bettor distribution of time by allowing improved running on the up grades. Regarding tho wheel tyres standard, the practice followed is to fit all new tyres to Main Trunk passenger rolling stork, and to main lino passenger cars. From these they are removed as they wear down, being placed under less important vehicles until, having reached a certain minimum thickness, the worn tyres are totally discarded. The van in question had been in service less than a month, and tho thickness of the wheel tyre was considerably in excess of what, was required by the standard of safety margin. The manufacturers, a reputable English firm, will, of course, he communicated with, and’ any other necessary action will he taken to provide to the utmost against tho possibility of a similar accident. Besides regular examinations of the Main Trunk rolling stock at the terminal stations, a constant vigilance is exorcised at intermediate slopping places bv train examiners to detect any Haws, and tho express services are further protected by a special typo of coupling link, which is made ot extremely strong metal, and tends, in case of mishap, to keep the. vehicles on the rail. . Ju this case the guard noticed an unevenness immediately the tyre slipped, and applied the Westingliouso brake from tho van, an action which, besides drawing the driver's attent'on and setting thejirako in motion, tended to minimise the possibility of any harm arising from tho mishap. Tho train was running on time, and travelling at the ordinary rate. From reports received it also appears that the passengers accepted the resulting delay in the best possible spirit, and were very helpful during the emergency.