PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 55

PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

MELBOURNE SUBURBAN ELECTRIFICATION. Now and then, as the spirit moves, I mtend to work in a Chat upon what I have seen or heard of in Australia, confining myself to Melbourne, Sydney, Ballarat and Bendigo. One of the first things to strike the eye, js to see engineless trains careering along railway tracks. The first time I saw one of these trains, I looked on with wonderment, comparing their puny whistles with those of the steam locomotives. But their speed! Electric trains travel up to 31 miles and more an hour. I was told bv a Melbourne chauffeur that the trains raced him between stations, and that though the speed is limited by Parliament to 25 miles an hour, the speed I have given, of 31 miles, is often exceeded. Think out what this means. An electric train gets over more ground and one of the results it. less congestion in densely populated areas; and this, in turn means, judged by time and distance, that a city population can get further afield. To view Melbourne properly, means wandering through its cities—Melbourne is a congerv of cities—and when one does this, one is astonished at its size, and still more so at wondering how such a series of cities makes a living out of the back country. This is one of the problems of modern tendencies, the flocking to cities and the lore to the country. —What Electrification Will Mean. — A folder has been prepared and put into circulation by the. Railway Commissioners. This states —and the folder gives details showing that "no other city in the world of the same eize," when the conservative estimates are given—“will then have such an efficient rapid transit surburban service as the City of Melbourne.” One of the advantages of electrification will be the higher speed evolved. From Melbourne to Sandringham a saving of 11 minutes can be made ; between Melbourne and Ecsendon 7 minutes: Melbourne and Williametown, 8 minutes; between Melbourne and Coburg, 7 minutes : Melbourne and St Hilda, 3 minutes; Melbourne and Port Melbourne, 2 minutes. —Lines Electrified.— The following i~- a list of the lines electrified and the route miles and dates- of commencement. 1 have not space to put in intermediate stations. Sandringham— Flemington, 18|milcs, 29.5.19; Melbourne —St Kilda, miles, 1.9.19: Melbourne and Piers, 5 miles, 26.10.19; Melbourne— Williamstown, 11 miles, 29.8.20 : Melbourne - —Fawkner, 81 miles, 5.12.20. These make a total of 44 $ miles electrified. But there are ten move lines to be changed commencing with' Melbourne— Royal Park, llmiles, to be opened this month; and there are nine other routes to be opened by February, 1923. These extend from Si,- miles to 15; the whole covering 98| miles. When these are in operation there will he nearly 140 miles in electrification. When all are operating there will be a capacity- of 100,000 horse power. "Electrification has made it commercially practicable durin slack hours to provide a more frequent service than with steam trains. This additional service can be provided cheaply, ae the Power House is working in any case, and no additional carriages are necessary to make up the trains.” The London “Tubes” will be rivalled, and even the electrification outward's from Cologne which may ha looked upon rc the Continental centre of the new system. -—The Saving.—The financial saving on the electrification already amounts Vo £191,000, and when the system is completed the saving will be such that it will be wondered what stopped the introduction of the new system. —Financial Advantages.— Owing to the war and to post-war conditions, it has been impossible to make electrical equipment complete; but the electrification will call a branching out of electiical improvements that will benefit Australia. To operate will require 54,000 tons ot coal costing £70,000 ; but at pres- • t t requires 91,000 tons at a cost of £128.000. The new system will be cheaper; in another way. A steam train requires three men to go with the trains—a driver, a fireman, and a guard : but the new system will require fewer men and it is calculated that there will be 50 locomotives and 25 ears fewer iff general use, and the work will be cleaner. The apparent saving at present—s lines in operation—is about £45,000 (coal); ►taff and ro ling i< k. £50,000; increased revenue due to Letter -service, £95,000, making altogether £191,000 ! —Prospective Expenditure.— “The higher speed of electric trains and their flexibility at terminals enable a much greater volume of traffic to be handled with the same tracks and stations than is | o .able under steam service. In this way electrification lias postponed the necessity i tly dupli itions and extensions. "In 1912 it was estimated that, without e’ecti ifiealion. additional suburban facilitting £2.100.000 would be required befon 1927. In view of subsequent in- • ieasts in mil . there is little doubt that tlie work would a- tually cost more than £3,( 01, Interest on tin's turn has been saved for tin- period bv which electrification enables the work to be deferred. If the period gained were ten years, as seems probable, the accumulated saving in Tnti; c-.-t alone would be approximately £1.501,000.” “The capital cost of the present scheme when completed will he approximately £5,000,000, involving an annual interest bill of about £250.000. “There will also be new working expenses in operation of Power House and Substations, Maintainance of Electrical Equipment, and increased cost of maintaining Tracks, cine to denser traffic, higher speeds and .great*** weight of Electric Trains.

“For the lines now electrified these additional expenses amount to about £90,010 per annum. “The ultimate increased working expenses when the echeme is completed cannot yet be accurately stated, but should not be more than £250,000 per annum. “The total estimated additional interest and working expenses for the whole electrification scheme may therefore bo set down at £500,000 per annum. “There is therefore every reaeon to believe that the suburban electrification, while conferring on the public the great advantages already referred to herein, will offset, by savings in operation, and enhanced revenue, all additional expenses involved in connection therewith, and will prove a marked financial succese.” —Material Locally Made.— To the heart of a true-born protective Australian, the fact that this electrification will develop local production to a large extent, and to one from outside such as myself, will indicate in what way Australian industries develop. Here are three industries mentioned—copper, steel, cement : “Australian-made copper wire to the value of £110,030 is being used in overhead equipment, and arrangements have been made with the Contractors to utilise only Australian copper for cables and other conductors. “The 8.000 tong of structures to be erected along the track will be manufactured locally, and, as far as practicable, from Australian steel. “Australian-made cement, when procurable, is being used for- foundations of the structures, and the substations will be built as far ae practicable from Australianmade materials.’’ I should have made this two Chats but preferred to make it one. I am just, back from a trip to Victoria, and I have incorporated in this Chat a great deal that appeared in a folder spread broad-cast in Melbourne and drawing attention to the new departure. Can we have the Port Chalmers line electrified ? Can it he done by the Waipori Falk; system ? Can the railways of Central Otago be driven electrically? Here’s a chance for some local lad to distinguish his name !