SPEED OF TRAINS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13649, 17 January 1908, Page 6

SPEED OF TRAINS.

MR. WILFORD'S CRITICISM.

DISTRICT. ENGINEER'S REPLY

The remarks of Mr. T. M. WiifWil, M.P., as to the rate of speed at which trains travel on the Main Trunk line on the descent to Taumarunus, as telegraphed by our Wellington correspondent, 'were yesterday referred to Mr. 1). T. Mcintosh, district engineer, who largely discounted the alarmist note struck by Mr. Wiiford. The line, he declared, was in first-class order on the incline referred to. Far from the track being dangerous, he said, it was good for a speed of 50 miles an hour, let- alone 40 mile?, if they liked to run at that rate. The sleepers were ail perfectly sound. As a matter of fact, the speed limit between Poro-o-tarao and Taumarunuifi on the down grade, was 30 miles an hour. Mr. Mcintosh admitted that this pace was exceeded sometimes. Nevertneless engine-drivers were supposed to run down there at not more than 30 miles. He asserted. however, that there was no danger in a creator rate of travelling up to 50 miles an hour, except at- the curves. Willi regard to the latter most of them were transition curves, as it happened. (This in reply to Mr. ilford's statement that' the line was laid with an entire absence of transition curves). .1 ho sharpest curves on the portion of the line referred to were nine chain--. There were five j.if these, several of 10 chains. 12 and 15. The district engineer knew npthing of the slip of nine acres of land into the river mentioned by Mr. Wiiford. "Discussing the spo«l question generally, Mr. Mcintosh reiterated his statement as to the safety of the track. He pointed out that some ears do not run smoothly, and Mr. Wiiford, lie suggested, may have been in a rough-riding one. Ho denied altogether tlut the engine-drivers took their lives in their hands in going down the incline referred to.