ELECTRIC TRAINS

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1946, Page 5

ELECTRIC TRAINS

More for Wellington Hon. R. Semple said to-day .that the. improvements’ being incorporated in’ the new rolling stock for which contracts have been let in Britain will, bring to Wellington and its suburbs a standard of electric train travel equal to anything on the London tubes. Passenger comfort is to be increased by higher doorways, a more help--ful handrail at. the doorways, better? ventilation, and probably flourescent lighting. All windows will be of the half-drop type and all side windows may be opened. Seating will be as on the existing Johnsonville cars, except that there will be four fewer seats to enable the enlargement of the baggage compartment. This will facilitate the carriage of prams, and enable a more comfortable driver’s; compartment to be provided. The units will, as far as possible, prevent, possible interference with household radio reception. Mr Semple said that while the new equipment was intended primarily for service in the Hutt area, it would be suitable also for use between Wellington and Johnsonville and Wellington and Paekakariki. The. seven electric locomotives for the Hutt lines, which will be principally for goods haulage, are of a totally new design, with a weight of 75 tons.' They will be lighter but considerably more powerful than .those now on the Paekakariki and Wellington line. PLANS FOR N.Z. RAILWAYS P.A. WELLINGTON, Aug. 23. . New Zealand is shortly to embark on great extensions in railways electrification, which in Auckland city would be partly underground, said Hon. R. Semple, (Minister of Railways), to-day. when announcing that Mr H. C. Lusty, Chief Engineer of the Railways Department had arrived in Australia on the first stage of an important overseas mission to investigate railways and civil engineering. Mr Lusty will also visit South; America, Britain and North America and will be particularly concerned with investigating types of track and station lay-out most most suitable for electric trains. First-hand knowledge of the latest overseas engineering practice in the field of electrification would be most valuable. South Africa had the same gauge as ours, while other countries mentioned' also offered valuable experience which would assist iv the Dominion’s forthcoming programme.