THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26692, 11 February 1948, Page 2

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Sir, —In recent years much ink has been spilled by yourself by way of leading articles and reports, and by many correspondents to your paper, in a vain endeavour to have something done to improve the railway service. After a short silence we have the Mosgiel and West Harbour Councils again raising the matter of improving the service by means of steam heating in winter. The reply has been made that the present cars are not suitable for steam heating. Let us examine this question among others. If the carriages are unsuitable for heating, why do they have steam hoses fitted and valves inside marked 11 heat? ” There are four cars used for all trains, except one, between Dunedin and Mosgiel between 6.15 p.m. and 12.15 a.m., and throughout last winter three of them had steam hoses and heating pipes fitted. The exception was a car-van, which was on the north end of each train. Thus steam heating could have been used on outward trains, which would have been of real assistance. At present we can hardly expect enough suitable cars to have the . long trains heated, but- at least the 9.20 p.m. and 11 p.m. trains heated would be a worthy improvement. I am sure just a little thought and action is all that is necessary. To illustrate this, there have been complaints in the past about poor lighting. The reason, we are told, is a shortage of gas mantles. One Friday evening, whilst I was waiting at Mosgiel Station, the 5.15 p.m. train from Dunedin came in. A shunter was told to take off five cars. Off came the first five, the majority electrically lit, while' three of those remaining on the train lacked lighting—anything but efficiency and consideration. Now, Sir, a large number of people will want to come in to see the fireworks on February 28 next, but there will not be nearly enough accommodation for them to stay over-night. Will the Railways Department be of help to take them home that night? It seems not, since I understand, they have turned down a request from Central Otago. Surely some arrangement could be made for this special occasion by re-arranging ordinary services, thereby not using extra coal. Would it not be possible for the miners to work an extra period to provide coal so that they can come too, as was done for picnic trains on the West Coast? Could not the 4.45 p.m. train from Balclutha run a little earlier from there and a little faster and get southern folk to town by 730 p.m.? Could not the 4.40 p.m. Saturday, or 5.20 p.m. Sunday, trains leave instead at about 11 p.m. Saturday for the south, giving people time to walk from Hancock Park to Caversham, considering the tram situation, and the crowds expected? , , , If the Railways Department cannot do the job. it is time it retired and let private enterprise have a fair go. It appears to have changed Green Island's troubles at the expense of railways income.—l am, e t c Wheel-tapper.