A RAILWAY INNOVATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 3438, 20 May 1898, Page 3

A RAILWAY INNOVATION.

1 APPOINTMENT OP AN EXPERT. S With a tiaw to rendering its block system sSLa up to' date aH possible and designing aud a Unifornl Scheme for interlookthe points and signals of the New Zealand iSlines, the Railway Department has seoared services of Mr A. H, Johnson, an export iiof considerable experience, gained both in fettle Old Country and the United States. In to be a signal engineer Mr Johnson is |s|an eleotrioiaii, conloe’tent also to give an on electrical signalling, a separate distinct service. He has entered upon <Pfhis duties, and has been attached to the of the Chief Engineer for Working p| hallways, and his staff will form a branch of £3 that office. It baa become patent of jgllate to et.en non-experts that the presignalling kpflaratns in connection SSWith our railways is not qifite what .it should 3be. The increase in the traffic has bean very gpronounoed, rendering the work of signalling and to an extent risky. It is obvious |||£hat under shell circumstances; as the traffic Ijiicoreasea the danger Of an accident will Batbat tho innovations outlined Will rodtiuo ®auch risks to a minimum. Tho block system glia intended to prevent rear end or face to ||faoe collisions on the ordinary traffic lines, Hand intcrlooMtjg points and signals render IPimpoeriblo oonflictiog movements at junctions Sand yards, mere are only five or six- signal MSoabing in hie at the pifndlp.-il yards in the Scolony at tho pre.- ent time. .Those will be fitted Hap with the most modern apparati, and Elore Soabins erected and similarly furnished from ®time to time. An extensive set of plana are lijat present being prepared, and probably the Hfirststepi towards the installation of the new §xsystem will be made in the Wellington yards.