RAILWAYS AND MOTORS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20902, 18 June 1931, Page 14

RAILWAYS AND MOTORS.

Sir, —A letter under this heading and bearing the signature "Boz," published in the Herald of June 6, states: "The fact that railways in tho United States are being pulled up to make way for motors," etc. I think that " Bok" has not g«it the facts, for, according to an article recently published in a reliable American magazine, the reverse appears to be tho case. Tho article states that a round billion dollars were spent on railway improvements in 1930, and that the various companies plan to spend more in-tho future. Competition usually brings good results in its train, and so the American' public is benefiting—more comfortable carriages, better attention from railway officials, faster and more reliable train schedules. Electrification seems to bo considered the best means of competing with opposition services, and millions of pounds, not dollars, are to be . spent in improving the existing means of railway transport. On the Pennsylvania lino between New York and Washington a cool £20,000,000 will be spent. At present the limited expresses cover the distance, 220 miles, in 270 minutes, but when the track is completely electrified it is expected that the time will be reduced to 180 minutes, a speed of over 70 miles per hour. This speed is already maintained by the Canadian National Railway. Another railroad is spending £4,000,000 on 110 miles of track. The New York Central plans to electrify the 500 miles between New York and Buffalo, at an estimated figure of £15,000,000. The salient railroad improvement of 1930 was tho electrification of the Lackawanna line, in New Jersey. Several correspondents have advocated scrapping our railways, when they should have suggested modernising the system. Imagine Auckland with an electrified station and the smoke nuisance gone for ever. Ilow everyone would rejoice, particularly those boat-owners who were complaining recently. No country appears to have made the railwjiy -passenger syiltem pay its way. Yet they are not usually prehistoric enough to suggest, scrapping everything. So why should wo ? Wah Lee.