N. Z. RAILWAYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 October 1926, Page 8

N. Z. RAILWAYS

USING THE MOTOR BUS.

(Special to “Star.”) WELLINGTON, October 21? Recently the Railway Department decided, to purchase certain bus concerns competing with the railway service in various parts of New Zealand. The question has now arisen what provision is made by the Department to prevent future competition after the' purchase of the present competing enterprises. The inquiries to-day show that the Department has not overlooked the problem’. A prominent officer of the Department stated that in several cases the ’bus proprietors had already felt the effect of the measures taken by the Department to recover- the lost business. Once their enterprises taken over it is not expected that any fresh concern will be anxious to come along to compete with the ’ous services which the Department would maintain After buying out private enterprises, the Government (it was explained) by the financial resources it could command, was in a position to be able to combat competition in the most vigorous manner if need be, but did not wish to cause hardship and financial loss to ’bus competitors at present operating. It was, therefore, ready to negotiate in a' reasonable manner for the acquisition of the opposing businesses. If it became necessary to do so, a precedent in the motor omnibus traffic act in regard to the protection of the tramway services could be followed but for the present at any rate, it was not anticipated that Parliament would have to be asked to pass a similar legislation in respect to safeguarding the railways from the effects of the bus competition in acquiring the plant of the competing bus interests. It was recognised by the department that it would have to maintain equally efficient services as the private concerns had done if requirements of the travelling public are to be reasonably and satisfactorily' catered for. Motor transport was a modern development being faster than rail in certain circumstances while cheaper to to run. The department realised it had to meet what the public demand. The Railway Department was out to give a quick and efficient service whether train or motor. Referring to experiments with rail motors, it is stated that the machine running on the Kurow line is continuing to do good work. The trials of the sentinel engine between Thames and Frankton had exceeded expectations. The results of the sentinel had not been a success when running between Wellington and Hutt because the demands placed upon it. by the traffic requirements of that line were very' exacting, but between Frankton and Thames it had done very well so far,

anct it was a means oi eiiauuug Thames people, by connecting with the night limited at Frankton to get to Auckland and back in one day. Rail motors might do very well in some districts, but were no use in other places where circumstances were totally different. The experiments would continue to be made with rail motors, and the results and tests in other countries noted and applied where desirable, so that the Department might be in a position to fulfil adequately the demands of the public for speedy and reliable service. EMERGENCY BRAKES. New Zealanders who have visited England express surprise that the Dominion railway carriages have not been equipped with emergency brakes, after the manner of British trains, so that a train could be pulled up immediately in the event of anything untoward occurring. Some months ago, it was announced that a decision had been reached to fit New Zealand carriages with emergency brakes. In a day or two, a start will be made to instal the device on express coaches, and afterwards on the suburban branch lines. The cars will be fitted with an emergency brake cock, enclosed in a box with a thin glass front, which may be easily broken by a passenger. Turning the cock applies the Westinghouse brake The cocks are connected with the train brake pipes, which extend from the engine to the last vehicle of the train. When the emergency cock lever is pulled down, the compressed air in the train brake pipe escapes, and causes the Westinghouse brake to apply instantaneously with full force on the whole train. It is intended also to introduce a form of communication cord into sleeping cars of the transverse compartment type. ROYAL TOUR. When the Duke and Duchess of York visit the Dominion next year, everything possible will be done to ensure their comfort; especially on railway journeys. With this idea in view, special sleeping carriages are being prepared for their use. One of the new sleepers, under construction at the Petone Workshops, is being temporarily altered for the purpose by direction of the Chief Mechanical Engineer (Mr G‘. S. Lynde) to provide special accommodation for the Royal visitors and their suite. Owing to lack of facilities for shipping the carriage to Lyttelton, it will not be used on the South Island, but the Ministerial car will be prepared for- Southern journeys. The new sleeper de luxe will subsequently be converted into the latest standard sleeping car, similar to those now in use on the Limited