TRAMWAY BRAKES COMMISSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 81

TRAMWAY BRAKES COMMISSION.

THE REPORT. ■ _ WELLINGTON, June 2. The Royal Commission, consisting of Professor J Scott and Mr A. L. Beattie (Chief Mechanical Engineer of New Zealand Railways), which was appointed ■to report upon the most suitable form of brake for the Auckland electric tramways, and also to consider generally the question of tramway efficieicy and safety, has' e ent its report to the Government. The commission found that, having regard to the grades of the Auckland tramway and the conditioos under which traffic is conducted, the brakes already adopted are not suitable, efficient, nor sufficient. Under-estimation of the weight of the cars has led to their having been equipped with brakes of insufficient power and capacity, and the cans are too heavy, the speeds too high, slid the gradients too severe for hand-power to be a.lone relied on for actuating Ihe brakes. The commission recommends that the Auckland Tramway Company be requested to fit on their cars an type of pneumatic wheelbrake, together with pneumatic sanding gear; also that the company reconstruct the existing track brakes, so •that it may be possible by a strong application to transfer 45 per cent, of the weight of a loaded car to the slipper blocks. • The commission states that it has favoured the pneumatic brake because of its reliability, its independence of traction equipment, smoothness of working, and efficiency at all attainable speeds, and the comparative ease with which such an installation may be made. The magnetic brake was not recommended because of the limit of speed at which it is effective, the unsuitability of the elec- , trical equipment and undergear of the Auckland cars for the application of the magnetic brake, and the estimated excessive cost thereof.

The working of the existing law "was considered by the commission, and the necessity or expediency of any new legislation in regard to tramways. lb found that at Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin a high /standard of upkeep and efficiency is maintained, and that the Auckland standard is below that of the other lines, though the present officials had effected improvements, and appear to be desirous of using all means ot their disposal to make their equipment more satisfactory. " In these circumstances," concludes the report, "the commissioners are of opinion that, if further legislation, necessitating closer inspection, be introduced, it is desirable that any inspector appointed should be an electrical engineer of high qualifications and extended experience of tramway working, whose professional status should be such that his assistance would be welcomed by executive tramway engineers." The commission also considers it to be desirable for the Government to take powers to ba able if necessary _ to insist oh any tramway system being equipped and worked with due regard to the safety and convenience of the public. As a preliminary their testing, all cars were carefully weighed, with somewhat surprising results. At Auckland a car was found to be 52 per ■ cent in excess of its reputed weight, and at Christchurch the excess of actual over reputed Weight was 30 per cent., and at Dunedin per cent, in excess. The tests of the magnetic brake were carried out on

a more extended scale at Dunedin, .so that the commission did not deem it necessary to weigh the Wellington test car.: The" report contains important references to the limitations of the magnetic brake, and these appear under another heading. Finally, the commission expresses appreciation of the readiness with which the tramway authorities of the Do.ninior. gave facilities for investigation and experimental work.