NEW RAIL CAR.

Wairarapa Age, 30 May 1936, Page 4

NEW RAIL CAR.

WEEK-END TRIAL RUNS. During the week-end trial runs will be made with the first of the rail-cars constructed by the Railways Department for use on the Wellington-Mas? terton-Palmerston North and Welling-ton-New Plymouth routes. The car, which was finally tuned up yesterday, will leave the Petone workshops at 10.15 this morning and be driven to Upper Hutt. It will return to Wellington at approximately 1 o’clock, and will leave again shortly after 2 o’clock on another trial run to Upper Hutt. The ear is expected back in Wellington again at 3.40 p.m. To-morrow further trials will be carried out on the Manawatu line, when the car will leave for Paekakariki at 7.45 a.m., returning to Wellington at about 10 o’clock. At 10.40 it will leave for Palmerston North, via the Manawatu, arriving there at 1.30. It is expected to arrive back in Wellington at 5.30. The times for these trips will be necessarily slow, as the machine has to be run in; but on the following Sunday an official trial will be made via the Wairarapa to Palmerston North and back to Wellington. On the trials on Sunday it is hoped that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Bailways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) will accompany Mr. G. H. Mackley, general manager of railways, and the Department’s technical officers.

The cars will be electrically lighted, and will have artistic modern fittings. Wireless will be installed, and there will be satisfactory heating arrangements. The whole car is of steel construction, excepting the body panelling, which will be of aluminium. The Department’s standard “midland” red will be the colour scheme, and the roof will be finished in aluminium.