RAIL-CAR ENGINE FAILS IN THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 August 1948, Page 4

RAIL-CAR ENGINE FAILS IN THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Another of the rail-cars in use on the West Coast-Christchurch service is out of conimission for an indefinite period. The rail-car broke down in the Otira tunnel last evening, and the repairing of its defective engine may take some time, it has been reported. , „ The rail-car, which was part of*a double-unit, was not far into the Otira tunnel on its journey _ from Greymouth'last evening, when its engine failed and the other unit was not powerful enough to pull both over th? up-grade in the tunnel. As a result, the rail-car passengers had to spend over two hours in the tunnel, while an electric locomotive was secured to pull the rail-car to Arthur’s Pass. The engine of the other rail-car was powerful enough to pull the doubleunit for the remainder of the downhill journey to Christchurch, which reached shortly before 1.30 a.m., almost three hours late. Another rail-car took over the return journey to the West Coast this morning, and the defective vehicle has been taken out of commission pending repairs to the engine. This rail-car had been recently overhauled and painted. While the damaged rail-car is out of commission, the number on. the West Coast service will be two below normal, as the rail-car which caught fire near Rotomanu last year has not yet been repaired and, it is understood, has been abandoned as a total loss.