WHEN THE LINE IS THROUGH.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 279, 3 December 1907, Page 5

WHEN THE LINE IS THROUGH.

WELLINGTON TO AUCKLAND

BY KAIL.

PASSENGERS TO GO THROUGH

IN NOVEMBER.

Speaking to the editor of this journal at the Palmerston station yesterday, tbe Premier discussed the question of the Main Trunk line. It had been undertsood that ho was to go through by it, but wishing to save the day he was going via New Plymouth. He had, however, this to say, that while hitherto he has confidently stated that the line will be open right througii "not later than Christmas 1908," he now firmly beileves that passengers will be carried through by rail in the j early part of November, so well is the work progressing. This establishment of through traffic will be apart from the formal handing over and opening of the line. MANY QUESTIONS. Meantime there are many questions not touched on by Sir Joseph yesterday wherein there is evidence of ' what is being done in the way of preparation. Before the Manawatu line is taken over and the Railway Department is in full possession of that and the Main Trunk line, and all trains are running on an unbroken ribbon of rail from Wellington to Auckland, a vast number of details have to be attended to. Some of these are now being attended to. MOVING THE LOCO. MEN. For instance the items that we have published as to the movements of railway officers indicate the concentration of tried men, especially engine drivers, on the Main Trunk. Picked men are gradually being drafted to what will for a time be a section requiring good skill. Slips are always a possibility on a new line in hill country, and the engine drivers are di posed to think that the 22 miles which it is expeoted to average over the new section may be nearer 20, the time being made up on the other sections. THE THROUGH EXPRESS. The point upon which the public is much interested is what will be the effect of the opening of the line, and the absorption of the Manawatu, on the timetable? What will be the express train, and when and where will it stop? These are questions already occupying the close attention of the traffic department, and they have naturally not yet reached any stage of finality, atlhough officers have been called upon to report upon them and offer suggestions, and this has been done. Still it is possible to indicate the general trend of expert opinion.

THE AVERAGE SPEED RATE. Taking first the most important, in a popular sense, question of the through express. The departmental concern with this at the present stage is as to the period of endurance of the new engines which are. being specially built for the service. How far can they run without stopping for water? This may be put down at from 1& to 1# hours m time, and about 24 miles in distance. The saggested time-tableß now under construction take this factor as a basis. Later it will be for the Minister and the department to decide for this and other reasons, on the towns stopped at. But it is certain that the through express must drop a very great many of the present stopping places. In other oountries expresses make leaps of hundreds of miles without stopping otherwise than for water. In many places they take water "flying." A TENTATIVE TIME-TABLE. Supposing that the express left Wellington in the forenoon the run to Palmerston would be about V/i hours, Marton bsing left (including stop) in five hours, Taihape two hoiirs later, Taumaranui (allowing for slow travelling of about 18 miles average on the 95 miles new stretch) fM hours from Taihape; to Franklin Junction would be %% hours longer ; Auckland being reached in a fwther three hours, a total of between 19 and 20 hours. Thus a .train leaving Wellington at 11 a.m. to-day would reach Auckland about 6.30 a.m. tomorrow. Something of this kind is likely at the outset, but the ideal the department sets itself is to reduce this by an hour to an hour and a halt, so soon as matters settle down. The train-boat journey now takes from 2Y io 28 hours. From the various sectional termini intermediate mixed, and local passenger trains will fit in with the expresses, those on the central section it is expected, will be simply goods trains with passenger carriage attached, while the express wiU be fully equip ped with sleeping and dining cars, it has been generally understood that the express would leave Wellintgon early in the morning to fit m with the Southern ferry service. The difficulty to be overcome in that case is the arrival at the Auckland end in the middle of the night. The other arrangement sketched would leave the through passengers part of the forenoon in Wellington. Reversing the estimate, the Auck-land-Wellington journey works out about half an hour shorter than that from South to North. The departure from Auckland would be at before 8 D m.. and arrival in Wellington before 3 p.m. next day. An exprass woald connect here for Napier and the Wairarapa and vice versa. The distance is 488 miles. The return excursion fare, Wimereton to Auckland, second class, would be Jβ! 8s Bd.