NIGHT TRAINS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 15, 3 October 1929, Page 5

NIGHT TRAINS

NOW BEING CONSIDERED. INQUIRIES BEING MADE FOR SUITABLE RAIL UNIT Mr. H. II Sterling, genera.] manager of railways in his annual report, states that a field of new traffic that might be developed is that of night passenger services. The great advantage to business men of being able to travel long distances in comparative comfort by night, enabling a full measure of business to be done during the day, is one that is being increasingly appreciated by them. At present the points between New Plymouth and Wellington and Napier and Wellington seemed to offer the most attractive prospects. For some time to come, however, it seems certain that the traffic will not be large enough to warrant the running of trains, but it may be possible to develop a railunit to suit the traffic, and, apart from the general question of the use of rail-units, particular inquiries are being prosecuted in regard to the traffic. In the Sonth Island a commencement lias already been made, and the result)® been sufficiently encouraging to warrant the belief that the matter might be pursued with benefit to the Department, both from a financial point of view and from the point of view of service to t.he public. The latter aspect ha,s a bearing which Mr, Sterling regards as important. For instance, although the South Island night passenger trains, have not resulted in a very striking addition to the total number of passengers carried, they are nevertheless giving a degree of service that the reports show to be very much appreciated by the public at large and by the business community in particular. “I am hopeful'’, says Mr. Sterling in conclusion, “that the new traffic which we shall he able to create in the directions I have indicated will do much to counteract the losses wo are suffering in passenger traffic in other directions.’’