Are Services for Rail-cars Too Frequent ?

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1948, Page 7

Are Services for Rail-cars Too Frequent ?

There are indications that, the railcars in use on the Midland railway and West Coast lines are being overworked, consequent on the Department’s endeavours to comply with public wishes for a maximum number of runs, although there is only a limited number of cars. It would appear as if the Derailment, when expected to keep up so rilhny runs, might be wiser, in its own interest, if it instead reduced the number of .them, especially as any delay or mishap is more apt to be made a subject rather of complaint than of condonation. Last night the rail-car. from Westport had to proceed oh. to Christchurch, whence this morning it returns to Greymouth, and a steam train last evening took to Stillwater the passengers from Westland, to join the car. The reason was. that yesterdoy morning one of > units of the cars was disabled at Arthur’s, Pass, and was towed to Greyniouth, arriving an hour late, part of the delay resulting from waits in Canterbury for trains to pass. There was last night only a single car for the Reef ton run from here, instead- of the usual pair. A car lost 70 gallons of oil on the run to Christchurch from here on Thursday night, when the tank was damaged. With too few cars there is no time for repairs, although abnormal, running genders these the more necessary,, owing to the strain. Complaints that there are too many delays suggest that the Department meantime may judge it prudent largely to curtail rail-car runs. ______ .