RAIL-CAR DAMAGED

Grey River Argus, 26 September 1941, Page 2

RAIL-CAR DAMAGED

BY BOULDERS ON LINE. Striking several boulders, which had rolled on to the track near Core, Lynn, as ’ a result of heavy rain in the.' Alps on Wednesday night, the Christchurch-Greymouth rail-car yesterday morning sustained damage necessitating the abandonment of the journey to Greymouth. The vehicle safely negotiated the two mishaps which occurred in quick succession. on the Canterbury side of the Alps. While travelling at a fair pace in heavy rain, the > car then struck some\ comparatively small rocks Which had rolled from the loose bank on the right-hand side of the track. The vehicle was quickly halted, and it was found that the fuel system underneath the chassis had been damaged. After removal of other stones from the track, it was decided to proceed, at a reduced pace, but the car had travelled only a few hundred vards before another boulder was encountered, in the middle of the track. With a succession of bumps, the cap passed over it, without leaving the rails, and was pulled up within its own length. The fuel Supply again suffered, oil pouring from one of the tanks, while the braking system was seriously damaged. Minor adjustments were made by the driver and guard, and after about half an hour’s delay ,the driver decided to attempt to reach Arthur’s Pass. Proceeding at greatly reduced speed, the rail-car had an uninterrupted journey to Arthur’s Pass, although the remaining fuel was almost exhausted on arrival there The car. a fifty-seater Vulcan, carried 13 passengers. Following the second mishap, arrangements were made by telephone for the passengers to complete their journey by steam train from Arthur’s Pass On arrival at Otira, they were transferred to the regular ' 6.45 a.m. Otira-Grey-mouth mixed train and arrived at Greymouth at 9.58 a.m., threp and a-quarter hours late. None of the passengers was injured, though after the second series of bumps, several women suffered slightly from shock. The action of the Railways Department m making special arrangements for refreshments, at Otira. shortly after 7 a.m. was appreciated. The damaged rail-car was returned from Arthur’s' Pass to Christchurch, for repairs, and a substitute, dispatched from Christchurch, took over last evening’s service from Greymouth. The Grevmouth-Hokitika service was maintained by steam train yesterday.