DOUBLE-DECKER TRAINS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19994, 10 November 1927, Page 7

DOUBLE-DECKER TRAINS

SOUTH AFRICAN NOVELTY EXPERIMENTAL CARRIAGE. CAPETOWN, Oct. 20. A double-deck railway coach, the invention of a Capetown railway official, Mr Oscar Hulse, has been carefuly tried on the Cape railways and is now regarded as definitely successful. The South African railways constructed an experimental coach from Mr Hulse’s plans at a cost of £5OOO and the rigid tests to which it was submitted were passed without any important adjustments being necessary. In a short time, it is announced, what is not only a South African novelty, but a novelty for railways throughout the world, will probably be a common sight on South African suburban lines. , The new coach provides adequate accommodation for 124 passengers, as compared with the 90-odd passengers held by the latest imported corridor coaches. The coach is no higher than a single-decker and South Africa’s peculiarly narrow gauge has also been considered by the inventor. His ingenuity has succeeded in getting two decks in a coach 12ft. Bin. above the rails by sinking the lower floor of the coach between the axles and utilising the space under the upper deck seats. In appearance the new coach differs little from the present type, except that there are two rows of window’s, which are smaller than the present windows, but greater in number. It is the length of the ordinary coach and rests on standard bogies at either end, where there is an ordinary door leading to a square carriage. At either end of the decks are sliding doors, more than double the width of the present doors. Here there are wide “landings,” as on a passenger steamer. The impression of passenger steamer arrangements on a small scale is given by the brass rails along the stop leading to the lower deck, with its white domed walls. The seats on either deck are placed longitudinally. Downstairs the seats have their backs to the windows, electric light being provied by the lamps fitted in the walls. Passengers on the upper deck sit back-to-back. Whether the ventiiiarion in the new coaches will be as good as in the ordinary type it is difficult to say. In both saloons, however, ample head-room is availible. The central corridor downstairs is twice as wide as the space between the seats of an ordinary corridor coach.

The arrangement is calculated to ensure a low centre of gravity, which makes for greater safety. It is claimed that the double-decker is far less likely to capsize than the present type.