CAR AND TRAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22469, 13 July 1936, Page 8

CAR AND TRAIN

PLIGHT OF MOTORISTS I STALLED ON VIADUCT I ENGINE-DRIVER'S RESOURCE NERVE-RACKING EXPERIENCE [BY TELEGRAPH —OWX CORRESPONDENT] NAPIER, Sunday Only the throwing of a locomotive into reverse gear while it was negotinting a clown grade on the East Coast railway prevented it from colliding with a stalled motor-rar on a viaduct over which the train was about to cross, and the incident provided a severe fright for the five occupants of the car, who included two women. Owing to the absence of a bridge across the stream at Wallace's CrosT ing, motorists have been in the habit of using the railway viaduct during the period in which work ori the East Coast line has been suspended. The danger of this course with the resumption of work has been stressed, but the practice has to a certain extent continued. Instead of crossing the river-bed the driver of the car chose to take the vehicle on to the viaduct, which is 70ft. or 80ft. above the level of the ground below, and when in the centre the car either stalled or rah out of petrol. A Public Works locomotive, drawing three heaviljvladen trucks of spoil, and driven by Mr. 11. Dunbar, had good way on when negotiating the down grade just before the viaduct is reached from the northern side, but immediately he saw the plight of the motor-car Mr. Dunbar commenced a desperate effort to bring the train to a stop. He threw the engine into reverse gear, and, using the engine's steam as a brake, succeeded in stopping it with only a few feet to spare. The experience of the party in the car, watching helplessly while the train bore down on them, was a nerveracking one, and the women in particular received a severe shock. It ij understood that in future the Public Works Department intends to prevent all motor traffic from crossing the viaduct.