OUR RAILWAYS

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14712, 29 July 1921, Page 2

OUR RAILWAYS

AN EXPERT'S "VIEWS. STEAM, OIL AND ELECTRICITY. THE GAUGE QUESTION. Before the Technological Section of the Wellington Philosophical Society Mr S. 11. Jenkinson delivered a lecture on "The Development of New Zealand I t-comotives." At the conclusion several present not only thanked Mi" Jenkinson, but described his lecture iis of very great value.

Referring to the question of gauge, Mr Jenkinson said a 3ft Sin gauge wis capable of carrying as heavy locomotives and big carriages as the -i ft Slin gauge. Tlie broad and the narrow gauge were equal as lo safety and speed, and the speed restrictions here were due to permanent way curves, grades, etc.; they were not inherent in the gauge. The cost of a line was practically independent of the gauge. It depended on the size and the weight of the locomotives and the carriages that- ran over it. Neither was comfort affected by a wide or a narrow gauge. What determined the whole oesign of rolling stock was "the hold in the hill," and the width of the tunnel, etc. Tliere was less swaying on a 3ft 6in gauge than on a 4ft SAin g&uge because the cylinders were closer together. There was no advantage whatever in going in for a gauge wider than 3ft Gin. Oil a Dear Fuel.

If we could not get an advantage from the gauge, the next thing to do was to sec if we could get any advantage from a change of power. The first thing that came to one's mind was the oil engine. The fact that oil was suitable for motor-cars and flying n.achines suggested that it would DC rearer always than coal. It was no use considering oil, especially as electricity was able to offer all the advantages' of oil and. at a cheaper rale. However, the steam locomotive was r. uch more economical and efficient than was generally supposed. There was nothing at all that could compare with it for cost. From observations he had made lie had no doubt 120 U h.p. could be developed by the boilers. They had carried out a test between Christchurch and Timaru extendiag over a week, and found the result to be 31b of Weslfield coal per brake horsepower. That was all right between Christchurch and Timaru, but the trouble about railway working was that the conditions varied very greatly. Between Wellington and Taihapc entirely different conditions existed. Naturally on lhat line tlie engine was not so efficient. They found that the efficiency of the boiler alone droppedetout 15 per cent. Tlie cylinders ran about 5 per cent worse. The net result was a brake horsepower to about 41b of coal. On the Rimutaka incline the engines were giving their brake horsepower for 81b of coat. Those results were better than anyone imagined when they talked of tin locomotive engine. The amazing tiling about it was the efficiency of the boiler.

Cleanliness of Electricity. Electricity had various advantages for wqrking railways, and among these advantages were absence of smoke and absence of spaiks, which were likely to set fire to things along the countryside. The smoke and dirt frcm the steam engine were great worries to locomotive engineers. As to the cost of the electrification of lines he thought it safe to put it down at £3OOO per mile. He -showed tables of comparison between steam rnd electricity for the line between Wellington and Lower Hutt. Thirty trains per day ran over the line each way, and to work these seven steam locomotives were needed. At £ooo''. each the cost was £42,000. On the other hand he set down for this lins six electrical engines at £BOOO each, .one steam engine to carry the train on to Upper Hutt £6OOO, and 1S miles track (9 each way) at £4500. The total of thevelectrical side was £135.000. Working expenses he set out thus: Interest and depreciation, steam £3780, electricity £.11,340: repairs, f 3150 and £1000; fuel, £7 l-'tO and £3570. He thought it a fallacy that electricity was suitable for heavy grades. By a certain system of pulverisation of coal cheaper running could be effected.