MAIN LINE RAILWAYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21784, 25 October 1932, Page 10

MAIN LINE RAILWAYS

EFFICIENCY OF STEAM DOUBTFUL ADVANTAGE OF ELECTRIFICATION. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, September 9. Sir Josiah Stamp, president of the L. M. S. spoke to the engineering section of the British Association. Were they going to continue to produce machinery, he asked,- which was intended to last 30 or 40 years as present locomotives were, but which, so to speak, would be out of fashion within ten' or 12 years? Speaking of the electrification of railways, he said that a few years ago when they were experimenting with suburban lines in a practical way it seemed that ultimately it would lead to the electrification of the main lines. The demand for smokeless cities made it appear almost a necessity. To-day it was not so easy. During his last two visits to the United States he found that American engineers were turning away from the possibilities of main-line electrification towards the greater possibilities of steam. In a number of directions the efficiency of steam locomotives had now been greatly increased. They were decreasing costs and increasing rapid acceleration.

" It seems that the old steam locomotive is not so down and out as some people imagine. Over the whole range of our system we have leaped into fine speeds not merely on a few crack trains, hut on the whole stock of new trains. We do not know where all this will lead. The speed-up will give rise to economies to offset any increase in the cost of maintaining these speeds." Already many of the basic points of the Weir Keport (which favoured the electrification of railways), were being questioned. On the one hand they were getting maintenance costs diminished, while on the other electrification maintenance costs were largely guesswork and entirely problematical. If they were not right the whole thing would fail. The report had not taken into account the human element—the wage costs. No one knew whether the men would perform the tasks they were called upon to do. Colonel Kitson Clarke, of Leeds, also expressed the opinion that the old steam engine was by no means down and out. He admitted that electricity was cheap and admirable, but made bold to say that it was extremely expensive to get that cheapness. Referring to possible improvements in railway locomotives, he suggested that the engines should he enclosed in a box with streamlines Engines would lose their noble proportions, but there would be a great saving of heat, because at present there was a considerable loss in radiation. Sir H. Fowler recalled that in 1003 lie made the ascent of a hill in a small car. and found it was possible to leave the car, pick 6ome flowers on the roadside, and then run after and regain his place in the car.