TEMUKA RAILWAY YARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23278, 14 August 1945, Page 3

TEMUKA RAILWAY YARD

Present Layout Extensive Improvements Started Work has started on improvements to the facilities at the Temuka Railway Station, including the provision of an extra loopline to expedite loading and discharge of waggons. Tile present, layout of the yard has been considered inadequate for the amount of goods handled, and both the Temuka Borough Council and the Temuka Progress League have been agitating for the last 15 years for improvements to be carried but. The main work will be the construction of an extra loop leading from south of the cattle yards around the back of the goods shed and joining up with the present lines north of the grain store at the Denmark Street Crossing. Considerable inconvenience has been caused in the past to the shunting staff through the present crossing loop being long enough to take only 60 waggons. This will be extended to accommodate trains up to 80 waggons in length. Under the old system, business firms loading and unloading trucks have to wait until shunting operations are finished. The new layout will enable waggons to be shunted round the loop-line, where loading operations can be carried on undisturbed.

A loading shelter will be installed on the new loop opposite the station buildings. This will enable clients to load and discharge waggons without the contents getting wet during rainy weather.

As far as motor pedistrian traffic through the railways yards is concerned, there will be little change beyond an extra line to cross. Both the entrance from Wood Street and the crossing at Denmark Street will be kept as clear of standing waggons as possible. Quick turnover of waggons is what counts in the efficient working of any railway yard and the effect of the new layout will be to facilitate shunting operations and to decrease the time waggons are standing under load in the yard.