THE BIG TUNNEL.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1923, Page 4

THE BIG TUNNEL.

! ELECTRIC LOCOS AT ARTii PR’S PASS. ( Christchurch Press ) . The opening of the Arthur's Pass tunnel. the link between the !.a-t and AA est Coasts, was advanced another stage on Monday, when the elect fie locomotives. which are to haul the trains through the "hole in the bill” were taken up to Arthur’s Pass. In addition to the live electric locomotives there was also a repair car. with a tender attached, the purpose of which is t" repair breakdowns in the over-bead equipment. Public the other vehicles, ii lias -el I-storage capacity, rendering it . iiidi j mlent of the wire-, for power. ! 'I !:-• train, which was hauled by two j j pnwciTul A.B. engines, bad an aggro- | ! gale w eight of about -TiK) toils, the elec- | I trie vehicles alone weighing some fTRR | i ions between them, and the -team lo- ; j t ive.s al; ml 99 ton- each. i Departure was taken from the Ad- j • diugleii Railway AA'ofk-hop., at \ a large number ol employees watching ! j j 0,.;. A.- none <d' the elec-, lie rolling stock bad I "'ll in "si> bci foie, am! :: - breakdown- were undesirable. it was necessary to travel at a moderate speed. Doing over the viaducts which span the spaces between ; the 'litis on the route ol the railway j the train .-lowed down lo .-in miles an j liuur. It wa- consequently L.'il p.m. | hi fore arrival wa : made at the Arthur - Pass Railway rilalion. Among llie party who travelled with tin* train were: Messrs A. •!. dells. ie- j present ati ve engineer lor the con.ruemi'-. the English Electric Company, |, u l. ; |,. S. Rre.u-hield-. the .sub-enii-riictor in charge of the electrical m -lallalion ; t L li. -Richardson. Di-trict | n, aiiiiii ive Engineer : A. -I- .Met redie. I Di'irict Engineer: Air AA . !\. AlcAlpm, j chairman of Dm Canterbury Progress j | i and ol lHe I'awcra (on lit' ; j (Suoa il. ill wliieh di-tri'-i the mono- j I 1 ions pm tii n of the line m t .inter- , I I Ml". : -ituaied. j .u all the stations at wlm b a stop j ! was made for llie purpose of . 'u>mi"ilig , | I,a stock, an interested crowd I ! ~r laim-s gazed with • tinosiiy at j i tin -11 an '..’-looking vehicles. nidi mo- , 1,., ti-, *.|v |,„ : !.cd lot unlike an armour- , , .1 11", 1 11 . while Dm lender to the sell- j , ~;r -elilbled nothing el "C so j mimir a- a tank. Al Dana Id t! • | school-cl,iidrcii under the .-'in-rt ismi. ,

, „| their teach r-. spent a prolilable ten | niiuiiU'- esamining t ,ie t re no ! r„.. from Addingion to 1 11" nm- j ! month wa- aecompli.-bed without j I ; illv .oily Imi.l-un | - ! being due to Die over h nicg of an | - ! axle-box 00 tin- .-cll-siorago ear. At j , I <i■ I im-iield the ear. w hich had been at ■ ;;|, • real of the Irani m * to the ■ !a a, ~,r . -lit. wc- -billed UP I ■■si'!., the ’ I Tear engine, enabling the aN'-ho'; to I v, any fa,'tie. r signs m ! ||, berallte appaiclll. ’lb". , | >ii*<•■-«•« 1 *ii*f* iiti-i with coin;. I-.t *’ >ui ?<•--. j - j | j„. |, •;,! made a good ic-t ni the Rad- . ! u \ D a i lmeiil'- bridges, wlm b ' .im , j ti,rough' the or-' M well. In addition . to the dead weight of the pull, the "U I 1, : „i u, s uj :,!v ; ,iil!ici"'U power in 1 i ~ 2-1 arum lures :o las-hed to ’ | the (deciriu luco.s. Air dell- sulccr I qa,■ 1111■. tall <1 tie;l in m i "Uindl'liiug a I I joiirnev el >7 mih - w IDI j r e .iealiv no , iiilcb. 'tlm new I'.llieg .to, I; hH sor- . : vived a si-m i e list : in fa. I. be bad ; never -ecu anylbing be;: tin a rrival at Art bur's P: • . t | | train wa- run up to the luniiel month, j 1 | it,, triji through the tunnel b "iug on- I 1 j derlaki'ii this morning. Tile train will j , : 1 , lal . u I liroii!'.b by a AY. I . slim m ; , j 10. o .1. the ‘' mice'' to drive Die el t- : j lo.' I >'.• ,|i. : not vla . a died •. I hr; , !a. |. ~ 11. Do ■•>• ho M-:m. i 1,0 :1. e j 1 mi'-iiicmr of -m.ikc. as would oilier- j , wi.-e b, tile case. 'Tile engine will 1 (111- j irol the AA’est ingimu-c brakes on each ! vehicle -tan, ling I v on v bi-b will be j a man on a Imud-brak •. The run j through, which i- down Dili all the way j 111 I a !;e a Lout i: .If all be,a.:'. Ales-:"-dell’s and Green*liield v, 111 be in ehargS ill :1'.., luun' I. :: emi : darable am nail ! i ,-j werk m Du- coiiiiei iiou slid remains J | in !,c done at Die (Mira md of vim lime. ; j in 1 ludiiig lbe railu a v yard-. !, i-: a'lHi- I j eipal.,l. bow ever. Dim. :hi- W lil b eohl0111v a f. w minor ileiai!*; renminina. lo ! be 'completed. | The men v. bo ala to drive the 1 l"c j trie trains are lo ia- trained for the j work umd '' tim -u;mi vision ol Air d"U's. I l,y they V.1.'1 be required to pa--an examination be',me I'd.ing up- ibeir duties. So I bat lhere '-ball I- no dan ger to pa-.-eiigci's ilimugb inconiia'iem e | !•;!; I| I; j ihe mol ormell Will Itr-t -"I",' 1 j j all,mi till .• we.-k- on go-ads tram;. By j ihi- time they will be entitled to b• ] ! . he--ed a- evp-ricnci ,1 m 11. I D--*y i | will all be- 1 mired IT 1 the ranks : j of the Railway Dep:>l'miickl' ■ 1 nMne- , i drivers. j M,. bo b:.s bad lour: r ell j I luslallai 1011. wa- last employe 1 in c,u- j 1 liectmn with llm iii.-lallatiou ol an ri"'- j 111 ie railway in Die London up; -. 1 *" j j expects to remain at Oi:ra i'U' anolncr | j fotirteeit months, part oi the ! j lad. -ball maintain the hue I'm twelve j month* after it is opened. When the electric train- are running j j will be used in ini.-,i ■' a-e-. o'!" um.■.•<'- j I mail, with an as-t.-iani. in 1 :e bi-.t lo- , I com ,live, w'liiti Will hi all:. 1 •• i to tlm : other opcraiing the tw I.a.b will 1 ; lu'.vf* a capacity ol lot"! wilts direct cur- j I rent, ami will be o! a type which : i -aid to be the (otning thiiqr in the i ! electrical world. The system will tnirj li,;. the most modern.