RAILWAY ACTIVITIES

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 January 1939, Page 2

RAILWAY ACTIVITIES

GREY.-CH.CH.-I.dNE On Hie OJirisle.hiirch-Gre.ymoiiHi rail way route, various necessary works are in progress. The bridge strengthening and renewal programme is now in its iimil stages; the formation of crossing loop extensions has been completed al Sandy Knolls. Aylesbury, Kirwee. Darlield. Racecourse Dill, Sheffield and Kowai Hush, and will be continued from Avoca to Cora bynn; work has commenced on Hie elimination of the last of Hie heavy grades (on which 27 men are employed I between Stillwater and Jackson, and on Hie easing of sharp curves between Greyinoiilii and Kaiala; and Hie raising of Hie I rack at Hie I eremakaii bridge, half a mile below Jackson station. to enable heavier trains to be rum has been well advanced since Hie work was begun in November last. Al Greymouth station, altera!ions are being carried out to simplify .shunting operations. 'Die east backshunt. which parallels the main road east of the Cobden bridge, is being extended to enable Hie shuntiug of trains to be reduced over the road crossings; and in the passenger .yard the backshunts are. being extended under the footbridge. The latter work involves lengthening the bridge piers and the removal of a house. PAPER BAGS FOR REFUSE. Some railway passengers evidently do not know that they have loss right to throw fruit peelings ami remnants of food on the floors of carriages than on the floors of their own homes. In the carriages, they are expected to have some consideration for other travellers who have paid for a right to a fair, comfortable use of the vehicles, Even Hie placing of metal receptacles for refuse in carriages has not checked Hie bad habits ol careless offenders. Slippery stuff, cast in the aisles, is dangerous for passengers and officials walking through the t rain.

Another attempt is now to be made to cope with the nuisance. As an experiment. the air-conditioned cars on the night. ‘‘Limited” expresses from Wellington ami Auckland will be. supplied with a quantity of paper bags, 1.2 by !)i inches -with small metal eyelets by which they will be hung from hooks on the walls between the seats. 'Die bags will bear this printed request: “Rubbish. Bag—-Kindly place any fruit skins or other refuse in this bag for removal by attendant.” The’ Railways Department confidently asks for the co-operation of passengers in this effort to keep the cars tidy, if this experiment in the “Limited” proves satisfactory, similar bags will be provided for other trains.