NEW RAILWAY CARS
PERFORMANCES ABROAD. OFFICER TO INVESTIGATE. An announcement that he proposed to send a competent officer abroad immediately to inquire into the actual performance of various kinds of rail cars was made by the Minister of Railways (Hon. W. B. Taverner) in his annual Statement to Parliament. xhe Minister said that considerable attention had already been given to investigating the position of the branch a ailway lines so as to determine their value as compared with possible alternative forms of transport. As far as the internal working of the Department was concerned, and assuming that the branch lines still remained consideration of the matter at once raised the question of the more extended use of rail-cars. A committee ’of executive officers of the department, representing very phase of railway operation that might have a bearing on the question, was now undertaking a thorough and systematic exami- ation of the position with a view to the formulation of definite recommendations—firstly, as to the best method of working the traffic; that was whether by rail-cars, road services, or trains; and, secondly, in the event of rail-cars being recommended, what was the most useful typo for the particular service required in each case. “Tn this latter connection,” said the Minister, “the rapid development that has taken place in recent years in connection with various types of rail-cars, particularly Diesel electric and other similar types, renders it very desirable,
more especially m view oi tne very largo issues involved, that we should have first-hand information regarding the most modern types of vehicles and their adaptability to our conditions. .To that end I propose to send abroad immediately a competent officer to inquire on the spot into tlie actual performance of the various kinds of rail-cars on railway systems where they had been adopted. I confidently expect that during the coming year we shall be able to formulate definite proposals.” In regard to the use of the Diesel electric locomotive, the General Manager (Mr. H. H. Sterling) stated in his report that the department was placing itself in touch with the railway authorities in the countries where that type of engine was used with a view to obtaining information regarding the performance and characteristics of this form of traction. The department also was in touch with the local representatives of one of the large engineering concerns in Great Britain which had given particular attetion to locomotives of the type, so that it might obtain all the information that would assist in determining the question of the suitability of the locomotives to local conditions.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19291005.2.109.17
Bibliographic details
Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1929, Page 20 (Supplement)
Word Count
430NEW RAILWAY CARS Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1929, Page 20 (Supplement)
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Taranaki Daily News. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.