STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 63, 16 March 1942, Page 4

STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK

REPAIRING FLOOD DAMAGE. I | Through traffic on the Strallord- ; Okahukura railway, damaged ny slips and washouts on January b, is st... restricted to night running. Express and freight trains are being operated between Taumarunui and Burallorc. from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, but during •daylight hours the I-unokura-Kohuia-i tahi section, a distance of 11 miles, is ' closed to all traffic. During the 6 a.m. I to G p.m. period the line is under lhe control of a maintenance branch. ■ Some weeks are expected to elapse before the line is fully restored to normal, but in the meantime it is carrying a heavy volume of night traffic. The blockage occurred during the I busiest period of the year, and when i traffic between Auckland and I ara- | naki was diverted to Marion, Wani ganui railwaymen handled exceptionI ally heavy trains. j Though good progress is being made with the task- of restoring the line to normal, train running lor ordinarv traffic purposes is restricted to enable work trains to he operated without interruption. On the PohokuraKohuralahi section, where severe damage occurred, debris is still being cleared from the sides of the permanent way, and where necessary the track is being reballasted with metal obtained from the department's pit at Wangaehu. This necessitates a daily work train between Aramoho and Stratford.