A RAILWAY IN THE MAKING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 5 March 1909, Page 2

A RAILWAY IN THE MAKING.

HOW THE WORK >IS DONSSA LOOK HOUND MANQ. Durability is frriUeti deeply on i-ailway line. There are lio weak place*, »nd everything stands tjuite firtfi. Itlikes to run level and permits of no obstacles. Before the railway b?gifle nowadays the Ministers are besieged by deputations and tha "careful consideration of the Government" is promised; What this generally means Nelson yn plo only too well know, but lately the (>bvernmen thas smiled a little on (He province. As soon as a route has beed decided on the whole matter goes before Parliament, and generally has a stqrny passage, and has narrow escapes from shipwreck through the actions of those from other districts who also want a line. But in the New Zealand Parliament of late years the Government has mostly held the whole matter in its hands, and if earnestness is shown the Bill is generally passed. It then becomes an Act, and the work is undertaken when the authorisation is complete. THE SURVEY FIRST. Surveyors scan every nook and cranny of the place, and plan the line as economically as possible, but Strength and durability arc not sacrificed for money. A careful survey is made, the track marked out in complete detail, and then the workmen under an experienced overseer undertake the work of constructing the line. The culverts receive attention first, and theso take some doing. Generally they are in places difficult of access, and much time and expense accompanies this work. But everything is firm. A culvert will last many a year if properly made. It is not merely made on top and on the sides, but it is carefully filled in on the bottom also. And the bed of the stream generally is concreted for some distance at both ends. This to prevent the water from changing its course, and to allow it to flow freely through the culvert. Some of the culverts on the railway extension line between Kiwi and Manu are Bffc in diameter, and this means money and trouble. Som3 hundreds of pounds of cement are used, but it makes 3 good job of it. It is stated that a bridge is not very much cheaper, and then in addition it is always in need of repairs. THE CUTTING. Whilst the culverts are being made men ara busy with the cutting in certain places. On the Nelson extension line, aild in fact on all Government lines, they work on the co-operative system, and from appearances it looked a good thing. Everybody seemed busy, and the Government stroke could not bee seen. Ivir Foster, tLe genial general overseer, explained to an "Evening Mail" representative that the average earnings of the men was 9s a day. Of course, in places where bush exists the bushfallers have to pass along first, but then the work is simple — when it is done. The survey party has left pegs all along the line, and each is a certain height. The workmen know exactly how much to cut away and how much to bank up. They simply go along doing this, and then the ballasting begins. This is done as it is gone along, and a "goods" train is in attendance to do the necessary "transports" connected with the works. The sleepers are placed in positions, and the rails are screwed, or rather, nailed or bolted to them. All this happens before the ballasting begins in earnest. The cutting of course is made a little deeper than the actual level of the rail, for the ballasting forms no mean part. Before the sleepers are put down grooves are cut out of them for the rail to lie in, and this gives accurately the exact width th? rails are to be placed apart. The plate-layers, as the men who lay the line are called, have to work carefully, for their work is carefully inspected, and it must not be found wrong. The lins is laid bodily, and when the ballast comes along, the whole line, sleepers and all, is lifted up, and the ballast put und»neath until it is the required height. The sleepers lie close together, about two or three feet apart, if that, and they cost about 5s each, to for sleepers «louu a miio or two of railway requires a good deal of money. The rails are fastened to the sleepers by heavy square iron nails, but if the line curves at all, heavy bolts are used. When the platelayers have passed along, another inspection is made, and small details receive attention. The line is accurately tested and adjusted. Now the curves are attended to. It is well-known that the outside rail is raised on going round a curve to keep th 3 engine on the line. If this wore not done no speed could be attained with safety. The sharpest curves are not raised more than three inches though, but this looks a" Rood deal more when the actual place is viewed. Railways do not like curves, especially on a hill, and much trouble is gone to, to avoid one. A good example of a curve is given on Jenkins s Hill. The engines are on in front tugging at the train, and if there are a large number of trucks or carriages there is a big loop in the train, and this means that the engines have not a straight pull, and the hill is made all the harder. As soon as th.3 whole work has been inspected and thoroughly tested ,the line is handed over to the Railway Department to run, and the Public Works Department moves along for more worlds to con'lU6r ' PRANGING THE WORK. As has been stated the men work under the co-operative system. This means, of course, that the men are divided into gangs, and they do certain work for a certain sum. The contract is on a fair average, and if the men work hard they can earn good money, but if they take it easy they have to go short at the end of the week. But the loafer is not liked here. If he is in a gang ho reduces the pay of the whole of the men, and he is soon got rid of. Th? men ballot to shift him, and the overseer sees that this is done. Some days, of course, very good money is made, whilst on others not very much success is met with. As has been stated the wages avenge t*s or 9s a day, so tho men do not do :o badly. And they like working i"i the Nelson line. They lose very littie tiriw through wet weather. One of the iii'U who had been on the works for : he last seven months, said that he hni hot lost more than about one lay a :nou'ii. Of course it had rained a great dfal more than that, but they did not^aie much notice of passing showers. 'Ihey liked the weather too, and the climate was grand. It was hot in summer, and snow lay on the ground in winter, tut that could be put up with all i ; ght. HOW THE MEN LIVE. "We are very happy and comfort Ojlo up here," said one of the men t'-e other day. "We have our work, and wj have our time off too. We can save money here. Can't spend it. It does not cost much to livee. For 12s a week a felli w can live as good as ever he could v/inj. There are two stores within a nri'e of our tent, and carts call at the 'back door.' Of course you know, t" ings aren't quite so lively as they are in town, but we would rather stay here. After a fellow stops here for a while he can travel, but in town you don't get a chance to do that." Another man said he had deserted a ship some time ago, and had come on to the works to make some money. He was saving up to buy a section, he said. Farming was what ho wanted to go in for. All sorts of men find work at Kiwi for awhile. Sometimes the professions are represented there, and advanced education is quite common. Many get stranded, go to the works for a month or two, g-st a little money in their pockets, and set off again in quest of occupation in their respective spheres. The married men on the works all live on a flat terraoo just last Manu. The families abide in tents and seem quite happy and comfortable. A glance in one of the doors showed a fair extent of ordinary furniture about the place. Photographs were about the walls, and most of the ordinary requisites were there. The afternoon sunis found to be a bother, for the' tents become like ovens. It looks a healthy life. With a few exceptions the men live in largo happy families. It is their to work and save some money.