SUNDAY TRAINS AGAIN FOR MAIN N.Z. LINES

Grey River Argus, 24 February 1949, Page 6

SUNDAY TRAINS AGAIN FOR MAIN N.Z. LINES

WELLINGTON, Feb -3. Sunday train services are to be restored' as soon as possible and as frequently as possible on the Well-ington-Palmerston North; AucklandHamilton ; Christchurch-Timaru, and Dunedin-Oamaru routes Announcing this to-day, the Minister of Railways, Hon. R. Semple, said it was unlikely that Sunday picnic trains could be run, as this would add further to the burden that the short-handed staff would be carrying. STAFF LIMITS ON SUNDAY TRAINS WELLINGTON, Feb. 23. Hon. R. Semple, referring to the restoration of Sunday trains, said that occasionally, it might be possible to fit in a trip with crews who would be on duty in any event, and there might be instances where certain workers ,such as tramwaymen, could not hold a week day gathering without upsetting the normal transport. In such cases, applicatons for. Sunday picnic trains would be considered on their merits. Mr Semple said there were a number of trains which he and all railwaymen would like to see running, but he had to have regard for the health and welfare of his ..men, who, for a considerable time, had been working longer hours than he cared to see. He, therefore, having regard to the extra strain on locomotive crews that would be involved, could not permit advantage to be taken of the loyalty of the men by running an unreasonable number of additional trains. There also was a shortage of guards, shunters, and signalmen and to-day’s forward survey of the staff situation indicated that it would he some considerable time before a substantial betterment could be expected. N.Z. RAILWAYS ELECTRIFICATION WELLINGTON, Feb 22. 'The Railways Department is now investigating the merits of direct current and alternating current in railway electrificaton schemes, and is unlikely to electrify any further secsion of its long-distance routes until a decision has been made on the type of current to be used The General Manager of Railways (Mr F. W. Aickin) said to-day that to equip one more section with the direct current at present in use would be to tie the department’s hands for future electrification. As much standardisation as possible was necessary because vehicles equipped for one system could not use the overhead gear of the other. . Direct current at 15,000 volts, he said, was in use on the WellingtonJohnsonville, Lyttelton-Christchurch and Otira tunnel lines, and would be used for the proposed Hutt. Valley scheme.

However, there had recently been considerable improvements in alternating current electrification. A good deal of research was still necessary before a decision could be made whether to use direct current as at present; direct current at a higher voltage, or alternating current.