MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY.
WN GOAL CONSUMPTION. AIMED AT BY DEPARTMENT. Exhaustive, tests over the hilly country in Taranaki, with the object of ascertaining which -class of New Zealand coal is most suitable for use on the railways, are at present being carried out by the Railway Departmen t An engine lias been fitted with -special aoeomini.odati.on for -the departmental officials who. are conducting the -testa, while a fireman with much experience in the use of native c-oal has been brought from the West Coast of -the South Island.
The route chosen is between New Plymouth and Haiwera., and the teat train, which travels between these two places . once a day, leaving New Plymouth at 10.10 a,m. and arriving at .Haiwera at 1 p.im, made its first trip yesterday. A different type of mixture of coal is used for each trip and the results! are ascertained upon the return to> New Plymouth. Tire ispeeial -engine referred to is one of the orchn;ary.class used on this section, but with special appliances for measuring the amounts of,opal and .water used. A, standard'. load consisting of trucks of covered shingle weighing 268 tons l-.4o\vt is taken on each Trip. It is expected that the tests will occupy ; about eight -weeks, for after each grade and type of coal lias been used they will be mixed until the. most favourable kind of fuel is determined.
The- reference toytlie country between New Plymouth and Haw-era being hi 1 l.v maybe misleading-, to those who do no l know the height above seal level which is reached on -the route between tjie two -towns. New Plymouth is 17 feet above sea level, and by -the.time Bell Block, which, is only five miles away, is reached, the height, lias increased to 128 feet. iWaiongona, but another seven miles distant,= is at an elevation of 367 feet. Ta.riki, 23 miles from New .Plymouth, is 918 feet, and at Waipuku, the highest point or the line, the height has increased to 1125 feet From there on to TTawera a gradual descent is-nia.de,-the elevation here being 343 feet. f
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Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 21 May 1925, Page 9
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347MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY. Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 21 May 1925, Page 9
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