TARANAKI EAST RAILWAY

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1933, Page 6

TARANAKI EAST RAILWAY

HEAVY TRAFFIC ON LINE. GUARD’S MANY RESPONSIBILITIES. The traffic on the, Stratford-Okahu-kura railway : is very heavy at. present, the sheep fairs in the Ohura and Kohu'ratahi districts having accentuated flOn Tuesday moijring the night goods from' Taumarunui did not arnve at Stratford until riearly 5.30 a.m., just four hours later: than . its scheduled time, though, of cqurse, one does not bxpect goods trains to adhere to schedule. The train, .which was an hour late leaving the Ohura station, was a lengthy one of about 33 trucks, the goods comprising mostly coal and timber, and .was drawn by two engines. At Tahora five trucks of cattle and one of wool were added, and that was supplemented by 20 trucks of sheep for the fair and one of wool at Kohuratahi. < Shuntings entailed delay, but that was nothing to the delay when the train of sixty vehicles and 600 tons arrived at Whangamomona. Here both engines had to take in water, and the guard had to reduce his .load to 460 tons, the limit laid down by the regulations for those two engines to drag up the bank leading to the Whariga Saddle. With a very long train which extended over a river bridge to handle, the guard’s;. task in shunting was formidable enough, especially as the points were of the “goose neck” variety, which have to be held during shunting operations, but with a mist which made visibility of lamp signals difficult and at times , almost impossible, his difficulties were accentuated. However, the guard went uncomplainingly about his work lonehanded, and with the co-operation of the engine crew the difficulties were surmounted. After over' an hour’s unavoidable delay the train proceeded on its journey. The late arrival in Stratford meant that the morning goods train due to leave for Ohura at 5.20 a.m. made a late start, as it had to wait until one of the engines that had just arrived was put into trim by a new crew for the return journey to Haeo. This task could not be done in five minutes. -