The New Zealand
Railways
Magazine
Railways
Magazine
Registered for transmission by Post as a Newspaper.
Published by the
New Zealand Government Railways Department
“
For Better Service.”Vol. 1. No. 4.
Wellington,
New Zealand
August24, 1926
The New Zealand Railways Magazine is delivered free to all employees in the service of the Railway Department, to the principal public libraries in the Dominion, and to the leading firms, shippers and traders doing business with the New Zealand Railways.
It is the officially recognised medium for maintaining contact between the Administration, the employees, and the public, and for the dissemination of knowledge bearing on matters of mutual interest and of educative value.
Employees and others interested are invited to forward to the Editor, the New Zealand Railways Magazine, Head Office, Railways, Wellington, articles bearing on Railway affairs, news items of staff interest, suitable short stories, poetry, photographs, pen and ink sketches, etc. The aim of contributors should be to supply interesting topical material tending generally towards the betterment of the Service.
Contributed articles should be signed. If to appear over a nom-de-plume this should be stated.
In all cases where the Administration makes announcements through the medium of this journal the fact will be clearly indicated.
The Department does not identify itself with any opinions which may be expressed in other portions of the publication, whether appearing over the author's name or under a nom-de-plume.
Contents
Editorial
Facing Facts
Facing Facts
The Railway Department in its capacity as guardian of a substantial portion of the public revenues, is called upon to exercise some of the highest qualities of technical skill, of business acumen, and of state-craft. Faced with the challenging competition of motor vehicles on the roads, it might have chosen one of three definite policies. It could have stood pat, and calmly seen its business drift away, sure in the knowledge that what the Railway lost in revenue would be made good out of taxation. It could have cut rates to any extent necessary to defeat competition, thus saving its traffic but sacrificing its revenue. It could have abandoned the rail in the districts threatened and prosecuted a policy of cut-throat road competition. These were clearcut issues, but none of them exactly fitted the situation; for the economic factor varied so greatly between one place and another, that what might be right in the suburbs of Auckland would be wrong on the Canterbury Plains; what would suit for benzine might be of no use for potatoes.
The course followed, therefore, has rather been tentative; a compromise of policies to suit exigencies, pending the time when the relative suitability of rail and road for the different classes of transport work could be worked out on an economic basis.
By close commercial investigation the Railway has stood pat when circumstances appeared to warrant this course, and time after time has been justified by seeing first one competitor and then another wilt away. Again, after full study of the question, rates between special points and for particular commodities have been cut to a point sufficiently low to eliminate competition, but sufficiently high to be self supporting. The third alternative, that of meeting competitors on the roads, although a fullgrown railway policy in other countries, has hardly been touched in New Zealand. Yet, as the business of the Railways is the supply of suitable transport for the people and commodities of this country, and as the motor bus and the motor truck are natural modern extensions of the essential rail service, their functions should be definitely recognised by making them available to supply through services under one control. The fact must be faced that for small consignments over short distances the motor truck is in its proper economic field, and that the conveyance of passengers and luggage to and from the rail comes within the ultimate scope of railway activities.
Bearing in mind the venerable truth that where the treasure is there will the heart be also, and applying this to the fact that 25% of New Zealand's National debt, and over 50% of that portion of it which is directly remunerative, is represented by investments in the Railways, it is not surprising that public interest in the administration of this important Department of State seldom flags. The reorganisation which every branch of the service is now undergoing has therefore been closely followed, and it is seen that under the hammer blows of competition on the one hand, and progressive administration on the other, the Railway is being forged into an economically efficient transportation agency capable ultimately of handling the carrying business of the whole country.
The achievement of this end involves the free use of road motors for purposes
Hoarding Advertisements
Most of the criticism of railway advertising hoardings is quite unwarranted, for the Department has done much to improve the artistic standard of these productions in New Zealand.
In view of occasional adverse comments it is refreshing to come across a report of the proceedings of the Dunedin City Council. In discussing the question of hoardings Councillor C. R. Hayward remarked that they might as well take a broom to sweep back the ocean as pass a motion condemning hoardings. “Methods of modern business,” he said, “have come to stay.” Mr. Tapley (the Mayor) said he hoped Dunedin would not be the first city in New Zealand to turn down the Government in such a request. “We have a good name for enterprise,” he remarked, “and it would be unwise to turn the Government down. All this prejudice against advertising is out of date. If you are going to object to advertisements on decent hoardings, you should be consistent and do away with all advertising. Where would British enterprise be to-day if it were not for advertising?”
We note with pleasure that the Editor of the New Zealand Railway Review has asked for the opinions of his readers regarding our “Magazine.” This indication of friendly interest and desire to co-operate is particularly pleasing, and, as suggestions of a constructive nature have been asked for, the result of the request will be awaited with interest. It is, as indicated by the Editor of the Review, the desire of this “Magazine” to be of the greatest assistance possible to the staff with a view to developing team work through all sections of the Service.
A Locomotive Pioneer
The centenary of the death of
Conditions Of Progress
“If a railroad is efficiently to serve a country,” said President Crowley in closing an address at the recent Centenary celebrations of the New York Central Railroad, “it must not only keep young, but grow stronger year after year. A railroad that is not growing is dying. Obsolescence will strangle it. To carry the great traffic of to-day with the equipment and facilities of only ten years ago would be impossible. And it would be just as impossible to carry the greater traffic of ten years hence with the present facilities and equipment. The greatest factor to-day in the success of a railroad and its hope for the future, lies in co-operation—co-operation between the Management and the employees and co-operation between the railroad and the public it serves.”
Be inspired with the belief that life is a great and noble calling, not a mean and grovelling thing that we are to shuffle through as we can, but an elevated and lofty destiny.
The Prime Minister's Message
A Cheery Au Revoir
By the time this issue of our Magazine reaches most members of the Department, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Prime Minister and Minister of Railways, will be on the high seas en route to the Imperial Conference. The following “Message to the Staff” was kindly given on the eve of his departure in response to a request made by the Editor of this Magazine.
Mr. Coates said that during his absence he would take very opportunity to examine the railway problems overseas in order to enlarge his knowledge of the business to which so much of his time and thought had been devoted during the last three years.
“I feel sure” continued Mr. Coates, “that the loyalty and progressive spirit exhibited by all ranks during the time that I have been associated with you will be continued under my temporary successor, and that on my return home a record of progress will have been achieved that will redound to your credit and to that of the whole Dominion.
“As a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire we have a part to play in Imperial affairs which precedes in importance all domestic matters; but as your representative in the councils of Empire, nothing will give me greater confidence than the knowledge that all is well with the Department with which I have been so closely identified during recent years, and in which your constant endeavours in the direction of teamwork and business enterprise have achieved so marked a success.”
[The following are brief particulars of Mr. Coates' career. When thirty-three years of age he was elected to Parliament; five years later he was fighting in France, where he rose to the rank of major, and gained the Military Cross and Bar. At forty-one he became a Cabinet Minister; at forty-five, Minister of Railways; and at forty-seven, Prime Minister of New Zealand. There is ample evidence that, after three years of successful Railway administration, Mr. Coates carries with him, on his present momentous Imperial mission, the good wishes of the whole Railway staff.—Ed. “N.Z.R.”]
A subject which the Board feels to be one of pressing import to the whole of the staff is that of “Safety”. An examination of accidents amongst employees during the last financial year indicates that there is an opening for intensive efforts in the direction of reducing the percentage of accidents in the service.
“Self preservation is the first law of nature!” Why then do men at times risk their lives and imperil the lives of others through lack of ordinary care? For the safe conduct of certain branches of railway work it is highly essential that all concerned should exercise sound judgment and thoughtfulness, and take all possible care. Sensible men endeavour to avoid unnecessary risks. Others deliberately take risks merely to save time or trouble, whilst some men take them for no apparent reason whatever. Every experienced railway-man knows full well that men do take undue risks, quite regardless of the possible consequences to themselves and others. If a man chooses to be reckless in regard to himself, he certainly has no right to jeopardise the safety of his mate or anyone else.
The man who yields to the temptation to take risks may be fortunate enough to escape serious consequences on one or even a number of occasions, but, emboldened by previous immunity from accident, he is apt to become more venturesome, in which case it is only a matter of time until he reaps the harvest for which he has sown. The case is, of course, bad enough if he alone pays the penalty of his foolhardiness, but, if he is a married man with a family, and he meets with an injury which leaves him partially or wholly incapacitated, or if he be fatally injured, it is a very serious matter for them.
The Board earnestly enjoins members always to have due regard for safety and to cultivate the habit of adopting only sound methods of working in all cases where lives are at stake.
Thoughtlessness and rashness are liable at all times to lead to serious accidents.
If any member sees another taking undue risks he should sound a note of warning—it might avert a calamity.
Indifference to risk is a dangerous habit and, if exhibited by experienced men, is a particularly bad example to juniors and inexperienced hands.
Why take risks when life and limb are at stake? Make it your invariable practice to pursue only safe methods in working. Develop the habit of thinking “Is it safe?”, and do your best to inculcate such thoughts in the minds of your work mates.
Familiarity with any class of work is apt to lead to a more or less mechanical performance of that work. Therein lies a potent source of danger in any class of work where mental alertness is necessary. Eternal vigilance is the price of safety.
If you have been in the habit of taking risks be wise and break the habit without delay.
With a view to concentrating the thoughts of members on the question of “Safety”, the Board has decided to offer prizes, which may be competed for by all members of the staff, for essays on “Safety.”
The prize essays will be published in the Magazine.
Those essays will be adjudged best which are most fruitful in “Safety” suggestions.
Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings.—Socrates.
“Safety”
Members of the staff are invited to enter for the above competition.
Entries close 15th October. 1926.
Not more than 1,000 words.
Manuscript to be enclosed in envelope endorsed “Safety Essay” and addressed to Editor, “N.Z. Railways Magazine.”
The Bush Road, Paradise, Lake Wakatipu (Southern Lakes District)
[E. P. Moir, Photo]
Personal
W. Vinsen, photo
* * *
Railway Arrangements Win Contractor's Praise
About five miles west of Putaruru the Waikato River flows through the Arapuni Gorge. This is the site which has been chosen for the power station which is to serve the Auckland province with electric power. The contractors for the whole scheme are
There is in the Power house about 750 tons of very heavy and bulky machinery. Some of it weights as much as 24 tons. The maximum sizes are:—Rotor rings 12 ft. 5 in. diameter by 10 in., quarter stators 15 ft. 10 in. by 10 ft. 7 in. by 6 ft. 6 in.
Rotor Rings loaded on Trucks
It will be seen that the contractors were faced with a difficult problem in getting the machinery transported from Auckland to the power house site. Three routes offered themselves. The first was to load the machinery direct on to railway wagons at Auckland and rail it to Putaruru transferring it there to a trailer on which it was to be taken to the power station by a traction engine. The second was to load the machinery from the steamers on to scows at Auckland, tow it to Thames, transfer it to railway wagons, rail it to Putaruru and take it to the power house as in the first proposal. The third was to take it direct from the ship at Auckland to the power station site by road. On going into the question of rail transport from Auckland to Putaruru it was found that it was just possible to get the rotor rings (which gave the most trouble) through, by loading them so as to make an angle of about 60° to the vertical. On finding this out the contractors decided to forward the machinery by rail.
After this decision had been arrived at, preparations were made for the alterations to wagons necessary to transport the machinery. Two Ub wagons were fitted with special frames to take the rotor rings, and bodies of four “U” wagons were fitted with special frames to take the quarter stators. The first shipment of the machinery arrived a short time ago and was unloaded by the Auckland
After Passing Mercer Tunnel
It was necessary to make sure that the loads did not foul any of the structures on the route before arrangements were made for forwarding them to Putaruru. An accurate template of the Parnell bridge was made and it was ascertained that no fouling would take place there. It was found that the rings fouled the Mercer tunnel by about one inch, on the low side. This could not be avoided as, if the rings were raised, the top portion of them would foul the portal strut of the Parnell bridge. It was therefore decided to run the loads through as they were loaded and take the necessary material for shifting the track in the Mercer Tunnel.
Owing to the danger to passengers of trains being passed by the wide loads and to the necessity for making a daylight trip, arrangements were made to transport the material with a special train on a Sunday. The speed
The train left at 7 a.m. soon after daylight, and went through the Parnell bridge with a minimum clearance of half an inch at the top and bottom of the rings. No further trouble was met with until the Mercer tunnel was reached. It was found here that the rings fouled the tunnel lining by one inch just inside the northern portal. There were jacks on board the train so two of these were requisitioned to shift the track over. When this was done the train was run through at about two miles per hour and no further fouling occurred in the tunnel.
The only other point where the loads came near fouling was at the Ngaruawahia bridge where a minimum clearance of 5 inches was obtained.
Passing through Ngaruawahia Bridge
It was necessary to run the train through the loop at Morrinsville as the quarter stators fouled the station verandah which is very low.
The train arrived at Putaruru shortly after dark, ahead of schedule time and without any further trouble.
The photographs show the train at various places “en route” and indicate how bulky some of the packages really were.
Although the transportation of this machinery would be a small matter for broader gauge railways where the loading gauge has considerably larger dimensions it is quite a feat for a narrow gauge line.
The representative of
In a recent issue of the “Railway Gazette” mention is made of a very interesting paper entitled “Signalling from a Driver's Point of View,” presented at a meeting of the Institution of Locomotive Engineers by
What is claimed to be the largest railway store-house in the Southern Hemisphere has just been put into service at Spotswood, Melbourne, for the Victorian State Railways. The building is a solid concrete structure and stands on twelve acres of ground near the railway station. An area of ground adjoining has been secured for possible extensions. In this huge store-house, stock of an estimated value of £5,000,000 will be handled during the year.
Two recent retirements on superannuation at Hillside Workshops are those of Mr. A. J. A. Smith and Mr. J. Robertson.
Mr. Smith has completed 40 years' service which, with the exception of 18 months as Foreman Boilermaker at Newmarket, was spent at Hillside Workshops where he served his apprenticeship, and retired as Senior Foreman Boilermaker.
Mr. J. Robertson has completed 30 years service, all of which he served at Hillside. At the time of his retirement he was Leading Machinist in charge of the machines at Hillside.
C. A. Mackersey
The main changeover at Petone Workshops to the Public Works Supply at 11,000 volts from the Khandallah Sub-station, was carried out during last Easter, and the installation of motors to dispense with the old suction gas plant having been practically completed, some description of this installation, which was designed and carried out by the Signal and Electrical Branch, may be of interest.
Before dealing with Petone Shops themselves it is interesting to go back to the source of the power supplied, and trace it step by step until it reaches the various machines in the Shops and does useful work in the form of locomotive, car and wagon building and repairs.
Energy is never lost, but merely transformed from one state to another. Interesting, however, as is the early history of Petone's electrical energy, in the forms of sunheat, rain, brook and river, it must be passed over and taken up at the stage when it is in the form of water flowing apparently idly, though in reality stored with energy, along the bed of the Mangahao River. On reaching the Mangahao Dam this water is diverted from its natural course through approximately a mile of tunnel into the Arapete Dam. From this Dam it again flows through approximately a mile of tunnel into the surge chamber 900 feet above the power house at Mangaore. After its fall of 900 feet and entry into the various Pelton wheels of the power house the water is of no further interest.
Electric Lighting in Locomotive Erecting Shop. Note absence of shadows and glare.
Some of its energy is given up to the revolving Pelton wheels, which in turn transmit it to their respective alternators, thus transforming water energy into electrical energy. This electrical energy is developed at a pressure of 11,000 volts, and by means of step-up transformers the pressure is raised to 110,000 volts, at which it is transmitted over the wooden pole and steel tower transmission lines to Khandallah substation, a distance of 61½ miles. At Khandallah the pressure is again reduced to the original value of 11,000 volts and transmitted by a transmission line along the Hutt Road to the Petone Railway Shops sub-station. The sub-stations measures 43 ft. by 17 ft. and is situated practically at the electrical centre of gravity of the works. It is divided into two, the smaller part being a workshop and store for materials, and the larger section accommodating the transformers and switchgear. The whole of the electrical gear is ironclad and totally enclosed, and the connections between the switchgear and transformers, by means of lead-covered cable, are laid in concrete ducts in the floor. The switchgear is of the most modern type, and this, in conjunction with the design of the sub-station, gives complete protection to the operator against fire, explosions, etc.
The apparatus of the sub-station consists of the High Tension 11,000 volt switch, controlling the supply to the transformers, and the 400 volt switchgear, controlling the supply of power to the various shops. The switchgear is arranged along one side and the transformers
Oil passing through purifier, before being used in 11,000 volt transformer.
Machine Shop panel—800 amps per phase. Car and wagon shop panel, 600 amps per phase.
One spare panel.
Boiler and Blacksmith's shop panel—200 amps per phase.
One panel for the lighting.
From these shop switches, or panels, armoured cables go underground to a series of switches in each shop controlling the various supply circuits to the machines. These switches are again completely ironclad and totally enclosed and arranged so as to switch power on to any sub-circuit as required.
Transformer Core being lowered.
They also confine any shut down to a faulty circuit and the faulty circuit only, as they are provided with the necessary trip gear to operate in event of
Of the machines driven by the A.C. 400 volt supply direct, probably the most interesting are the air compressors, for supplying air for pneumatic tool and many other purposes. There are two of these machines, each driven by a 125 b.h.p. auto-synchronous motor.
Motor Generator Set for 500 volts D.C. supply.
The operation of the compressors is automatic so that, after pumping air in the reservoir up to a pressure of 100 lb. per square inch, they automatically cut out, and, although the motor continues running, no more pumping takes place until the pressure drops to about 80 lbs. per square inch. The cranes, and some of the older machinery at Petone, operate on 550 volt D.C. power. Previous to the changeover they were supplied by a 550 volt dynamo driven by the gas engines. During the changeover the dynamo drive was disconnected, the machine swung round and coupled to an auto-synchronous motor.
The next machine of interest is the rotary converter set. This consists of a three-phase transformer, rotary converter, and starting and control switchgear. The power supplied to the transformer is three-phase at 400 volts. The transformer reduces this to about 140 volts which is supplied to the rotary, emerging as direct current at 220 volts. The direct current power is used for driving the D.C. variable speed motors in the works. For electric welding there are two small motor generator sets—one portable and one fixed. These transform the alternating current at 400 volts to direct current at a sufficiently low pressure for welding operations to be carried out. One extreme advantage of the electric drive over the former gas engine drive, from the production point of view, is the complete check that can be kept on the daily power consumption in each individual shop, thus the allocation of the annual power bill to the various shops ceases to be a matter of conjecture and becomes a matter of absolute certainty. In addition to the installation of electric power in the shops, an extensive scheme of artificial lighting has been carried out and is now nearing completion.
Rotary Converter Set for 220 volts D.C. supply.
The lighting has been arranged to give just the correct luminous intensity required for the particular work which is carried out under it and, in every case, attention has been paid to the question of glare, the light being directed on to the work and away from the workers' eyes. All the reflectors used are so fitted that, while performing his normal duties, the workman's eyes never come into direct vision of the electric globes.
The whole undertaking is of interest both on account of its size and the fact that the most modern appliances, in the way of ironclad apparatus, have been used throughout.
The time of high wages and mass production has definitely come to stay.—
In a recent message to the staff of the London and North Eastern Railway,
“The secret of punctuality is team work and attention to detail. Everyone can help by giving thought, and everyone can hinder by taking things for granted. The Station-master can help by seeing that his staff are on the spot before the arrival of the train, and after its arrival, by counting the seconds until it departs. The station staff can help by getting milk cans, luggage and parcels into position before the train draws up, and when the train is in, by attending first to the unloading and loading of vans. The driver can help by making up lost time whenever possible between stations. The supervisory and time-table staff can help by maintaining a practical and workable schedule of trains. Every detail counts and unless they are looked after time will inevitably be lost… . . I believe every member of the staff feels with me that the reproach of unpunctuality brings more discredit to a railway company than any other which can be levelled against it.”
Unpunctuality is undoubtedly a very serious blemish whether it concerns individuals or train services. In the latter case, of course, due allowance must be made for the vagaries of the elements and other factors incidental to railway operations which cannot be anticipated or controlled. In every other respect, however, the observations of
Statistics of level crossing accidents in America, covering the months of January and February of the present year, have just been published by the Interstate Commerce Commission. They show that the number of persons killed at level crossings increased from 258 to 344, or 33 per cent., as compared with the corresponding months of last year, whilst the number of employees killed at places other than level crossings during the same period, declined from 314 to 261. About 85 per cent, of all the fatal accidents at level crossings in America occur to motorists. In commenting on these facts the “Railway Age” says that what is needed to bring about a diminution of these accidents is “better education of motorists regarding the dangers at highway crossings, and the passage and enforcement of laws compelling them to act with more regard for their own safety and that of others.” As far as New Zealand is concerned such laws have long been in existence, and the education of the road using public in the exercise of caution at level crossings is a conspicuous feature of Railway publicity activities at the present time.
The New York “Times” states that several railroads in Nebraska have refused to experiment with trucks as feeders to their main lines or as a means of meeting the competition of motor transportation companies taking a greater part of less-than-carload freight. One reason they give is that in many cases it would mean a duplication of facilities and would result in the carriers competing with themselves. Another reason is that though trucks are now operated without regard to hours and without any license or payment for use of state-provided highways, railroad operation would be the signal for restrictive regulation, highway license tax, and the organisation of employees, who would demand an eight-hour day and penalty for overtime and an increase in wages. “We are not worrying,” said an official of the Burlington recently, “but are trying to adjust an old machine to new ways. We are closing stations where the agents have little to do since small shipments are no longer handled, and operating branch line territory under a zoning arrangement, with long mileage under a central agent, who handles business over long distance telephones.”
Motor Engineer, N.Z.R.)J. Bruce ,
The steam locomotive is a wonderful piece of mechanism and upon it has been built up our great railway system, but, in these days of high operating costs and keen rivalry from road transport, we cannot remain satisfied with a motive power which returns only £5 to £7 worth of train propulsion for every £100 worth of fuel consumed.
One of the most efficient prime movers to-day is the internal combustion engine, the engine which has made possible nearly all the Railway's rival forms of transport. It is, then, little wonder that so many railway engineers should strive to introduce the internal combustion engine into the field of rail transport.
Diesel Electric Locomotive used on Long Island Railway
The type of engine most favoured for this class of work is the Diesel or Crude Oil Engine which has a money return of £35 for every £100 of fuel expenditure.
The Diesel engine differs very considerably from the familiar petrol engine. It is simpler, stronger, slower running and cheaper in operation than the petrol engine. It uses as fuel, crude or semi-refined petroleum oil, which can be had for quarter the cost of motor spirit. No carburettors, spark plugs, magnetos, or battery ignition devices are required; fuel is simply sprayed into the cylinders and ignited by the heat of compression.
Unlike the petrol engine which draws its fuel into the cylinder ready mixed with air, the Diesel keeps the fuel and air separate until the commencement of the impulse stroke. In the case of the petrol engine the petrol and air mixture is slightly compressed in the cylinder, and at the critical moment in the cycle, is violently exploded by an electric spark admitted to the cylinder. The Diesel compresses the supporting air for combustion to a high pressure, and to a temperature sufficiently high to produce spontaneous combustion when the fuel is sprayed neat into the cylinder.
Fuel injection in the Diesel continues for some considerable portion of the stroke, with the result that the initial pressure of combustion is sustained during the whole period of fuel injection. This produces a piston impulse very similar to that of the steam engine, and enables it to work against a load at slower speeds than the petrol engine.
One characteristic of all internal combustion engines is that they require to be set in motion by some outside force before the cycle of operations can be established. In this respect, and in very slow running, the internal combustion engine is at a disadvantage compared with the steam engine which has its power at all times supplied to the cylinders from an outside source. These two principal obstacles have to be overcome in adapting the internal combustion engine to rail traction, but where necessity arises, resourcefulness generally finds a way.
The starting of the Diesel engine is now effected by any of the following means:—
(a) Compressed air,
(b) Auxiliary petrol engine
(c) Storage battery electric starter.
The difficulty experienced in starting loads and running at slow speeds has been overcome by the introduction of flexible transmissions, which now place the internal combustion engine in a position superior to the steam engine. The transmission most used at present is the electric, although the hydraulic and straight mechanical are likely to command attention in the near future.
With the electric transmission, the Diesel engine applied for heavy rail traction, appears as an electric locomotive independent of a central power station and transmission system. It is directly coupled to an electric generator of somewhat unusual character.
Diesel Electric Locomotive—Internal View
The output from the generator is delivered direct to traction motors geared to the locomotive.
The speed of the locomotive, and power at starting or climbing grades is governed entirely by the speed at which the Diesel engine is run. Unlike the steam locomotive, the engine runs fastest at slow speeds of the locomotive, and slowest at high speeds of the locomotive. The driver controls the power and speed of the locomotive by merely opening or closing the engine throttle.
Successful Diesel electric locomotives have been running on the Continent of Europe since 1924, and are now becoming familiar sights at the New York terminals of all the main trunk railways entering that city. Experience with a dozen or more of these machines has clearly proved that the Diesel locomotive is a motive power to be reckoned with in the future of railways. Already it is having the effect of delaying action where main line electrification or extensions were contemplated. One railway, the New Jersey Central, has for the present shelved its electrification policy in favour of the Diesel electric locomotive, which they can introduce gradually and at little expense compared with straight-out electrification, which must be established with one big initial outlay.
The Diesel electric locomotive, with few exceptions, will fulfil all the functions of the straight electric locomotive, and in addition has qualities which make it superior to the straight electric. A few of the more important advantages of the Diesel electric locomotive over the straight electric locomotive are as follows:—
Elimination of central power stations and sub-stations and overhead or third rail transmission systems.
Freedom from interruption to train services through failure of power supply.
No stray electric currents from ground rails, and no interference with water mains, gas mains, electric power and telephone cables in the neighbourhood of large towns.
Thin train services and occasional specials at awkward hours can be run profitably, and without the need to keep central power stations and transmission systems in operation.
The Diesel electric locomotive is not confined to any particular area for its operation, as is the straight electric locomotive. It can operate wherever there is standard steam track.
Quite apart from the heavy cost of standard electrification, the Diesel electric locomotive returns £21 to £27
Compared with the steam locomotive the Diesel electric locomotive has the following advantages:—
High factors of adhesion and continuous torque (turning effort).
The full horse power of the Diesel motor is always available irrespective of speed of locomotive and can be brought to bear when starting trains or climbing steep grades.
For similar axle loads and horsepower the Diesel electric locomotive can exert, at starting, a tractive effort three times greater than the steam locomotive.
It is smokeless, and operates without noise.
It eliminates the fire hazard in dry weather.
It has no unbalanced revolving parts, and is easier on the permanent way than the steam locomotive.
Two or more locomotives can be coupled together, and operated by one locomotive crew as one locomotive when multiple heading is necessary.
It eliminates coal stations, water stations and turntables.
It can carry fuel for several days continuous working.
It furnishes more hours of service per annum than the steam locomotive.
It costs only half as much for repairs as the steam locomotive, and operates for one-third to one-sixth the cost of the steam locomotive.
In view of the many transport projects at present facing the Railway Administration of this country, the foregoing facts deserve careful consideration.
Class
Bb. 120/120 O. 4 H.M., 84 O.G. Oil Electric Locomotive
Railway Hoardings.
In view of the criticism that has been levelled at the Railway advertising hoardings by a chorus of newspapers, the following complimentary references should prove interesting:
Dear Sir,—
You will doubtless remember that some little time ago we had a visit from one of the head men in the Advertising Department of our Head Office in London.
Together we visited your Studio, and he was impressed with the excellent quality of the work you are turning out. After a general survey later, he remarked to the writer that there was no comparison between the work turned out by you and that of outside concerns. You will be interested to learn that in the report which he later forwarded to London, he stated that the only good signwriting and pictorial designs procurable in New Zealand came from your staff. As you know, we have now turned over practically all of our Outdoor Advertising to your Department, and would like to say that we are more than satisfied with the treatment we have received at your hands, both in the way of service, of design, and of execution.—Yours faithfully,
Lever Bros. (New Zealand) Ltd.,
(sgd.) J. H. Simpson,
Advertising Manager.
* * *
The members of my Executive are very pleased with the hoardings you have erected for the Association and desire me to congratulate your Department on the fine workmanship displayed in connection therewith.
Mr. T. M. Edwards,
Secretary.
Helpful To Passengers.
The Railway Saves You Spending Money.
A convenience which the Railway Department has to offer, and one which is not generally thought of, is the payment at a station of fares on behalf of passengers travelling from or between any other railway stations.
Supposing an employer at Auckland, having interests in the southern centres, desired to send an employee from Dunedin to Christchurch. The fare could be paid at Auckland station and the Booking Clerk would then issue a receipt giving particulars. On presentation of this at Dunedin station the employee could obtain the necessary ticket from Dunedin to Christchurch. The need for transmitting money for the purpose is thus obviated.
This system can be availed of at Christmas time for family gatherings, making the railway ticket a kind of Christmas present. Anyone desirous of paying the fare of anyone else between any two railway stations may do so, simply by depositing with the Stationmaster in his own town a sum sufficient to cover the required fare.
A Wellington resident who wanted his friend to come say from Invercargill to Trentham for the Easter meeting, could send a railway receipt (or coupon) for the ticket with his letter of invitation. That coupon would buy the ticket,—and, probably, ensure the visit.
It is difficult to realise to how great an extent these conveniences may help traffic if properly understood by the public and carefully pushed by the staff.
According to a writer in “Machinery,” it has been found that leaving a pair of wheels standing on sand in tropical parts for a few weeks causes the portion in contact with the earth quickly to corrode, and this portion has caused flats on the tires within as little as a month of service. Removing the flats, by turning, means a loss of wearing surface, and, after turning, it has been found that the metal at the flat portion is spongy, and flats will again occur. It has also been found that tires stored in a damp or dusty shed do not give the same service as tires of the same make fitted direct on the wheel centres by the makers. Tires should not be left in the open or exposed to the salinity and inclement weather found at most shipping ports, and if not directly put into use on arrival should be stored on rails in a dry place.
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Applications for enrolment in the Correspondence and Training School at Wellington are arriving at the rate of a hundred a day. The whole scheme promises to be an unqualified success. Although examination will not be necessary for officers above grade seven, members who are in the higher grade may, if they so desire, brush up their knowledge by taking the courses.
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On the Fort Wayne division of the Pennsylvania Railways during the month of January of this year there were 44 cases of level crossing gates being run into by motorists. The figures for the whole of 1925 reveal 224 such accidents, and for 1924 the figures stand at 249 accidents directly due to this cause.
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The section of our line between Rolleston Junction and Stillwater Junction—a distance of 122 miles—comprises the largest installation of single line automatic signalling equipped with light signals in the British Empire.
From A Satisfied Putaruru Farmer.
The following letter bearing on the “Farmers' Excursion” was received by Mr. H. Welsh, Business Agent for the Auckland district:—
Having taken advantage of the cheap fare afforded by the Farmers' Excursion to Taranaki, I thought I would let you know that I for one appreciated it and consider it a great innovation, deserving much better patronage than it received this year. Should you decide to run another next season, I shall do my best to persuade others to travel by it.—I am, yours faithfully,
An Appreciative Farmer.
Educational Trip to Taranaki Province
The Farmers' Excursion, organised by the Department for the purpose of taking South Auckland and Waikato farmers on an educational trip to Taranaki at the end of last month, was in every respect successful. The Minister of Agriculture (
The Publicity Department took the opportunity, which this unique type of excursion afforded, of filming various phases of the run and the scenic portions of the journey.
The Business Agent for the Auckland District (Mr. H. Welsh) spent a considerable amount of time prior to the running of the excursion travelling round amongst the farming community pointing out the advantages which such a trip would be likely to render, and the Department arranged, in conjunction with the Empire Week Committee of Hawera, for the distribution of a quantity of literature bearing on the subject. Every arrangement was made for the comfort and entertainment of the farmers on the way. On the previous day and early on the morning of the excursion, special trains were run to Frankton as feeder services to the special farmers' excursion train, which left that station at 9.40 a.m. on the 30th June carrying a large body of those interested in land development. Amongst the passengers on the train were five newspaper representatives and the heads of large dairying, freezing and manure companies.
The Department had prepared beforehand a carefully compiled illustrated souvenir booklet, copies of which were distributed to those making the trip. This gave particulars of land values, and methods of cultivation and development adopted in the districts traversed. The Department also provided each car with photostated train diagrams showing the running of all train services between Frankton and Marton and also (in red) the farmers' excursion train, with all the services which it would cross en route, and the stations at which it would cross them. The journey was made still more interesting by competitions in regard to matters that came within the special range of farming activities, while very complete arrangements were made in regard to the supply of meals on the journey, a trip which occupied practically fourteen hours.
The farmers were unanimous in their expression of satisfaction with the splendid treatment they received on the journey and the very full arrangements that were made for their reception at Hawera.
While in Taranaki the Waikato farmers were shown around the district and had all the chief points of interest in regard to dairying, for which the district is noted and in which its methods are very progressive, fully explained to them. After seeing through the Government Experimental Farm, some miles out from Hawera, one farmer remarked that what he had seen there alone made the visit worth while; and Mr. Simson (Manager of the Auckland Freezing Company), after stating that he had been rather dubious about making the trip, remarked that he would make those farmers who had refrained from joining the train, sick with envy when he returned.
The success of the initial event should ensure for future farmers' trains a very substantial patronage. The Department has instituted a very low rate—single fares plus one third—for farmers' excursions, and it is anticipated that the reciprocal feature which has been introduced into the inter-provincial visits scheme, will make the excursions not only very popular, but also extremely useful to the producers in assisting them to gain the fullest knowledge of what is being done in their own particular line in other parts of New Zealand.
Is it not knowledge that doth alone clear the mind of all perturbations?—Bacon.
A Wayside Stop.—Farmers' Excursion Train
Representative Travellers by Farmers' Excursion Train
Mr. F. Lye (Director, Cambridge Dairy e Co.); Mr. Patterson (Field's Division, Agricultural Dept.); Mr. Collins (Veterinary Instructor, Agricultural Dept.); Mr. D. Fulton, (Chairman of Directors, N.Z. Co-op. Dairy Co.); Mr. T. Simson; (General Mngr., Farmers' Freezing Co., Auckland); Mr. R. McKenzie (Director, N.Z. Dairy Co.); Representative of Rotorua Central Dairy Co.
Carpenter, N.Z.R., Hillside)F. C. Evans ,
In building railway carriages, it is necessary, on account of the great expenditure and the large number required, that the greatest economy be observed. Economy, indeed, should be the first consideration of all the departments connected with car building, right from the designers to the painters and trimmers. But if our desire for economy be carried to the extent of adversely affecting the soundness of construction and good-workmanship it ceases to be economy and becomes merely cheapness.
Let us traverse some of the different branches through which a car passes and find out, if possible, where a saving could be effected. These comprise designing, timber drying, milling, finishing, assembling and painting. If only a small saving can be accomplished in each of these departments, the total will amount to something worth while in the cost of the completed car.
It is neither necessary nor advisable to construct the whole of the car of one class of timber, such as kauri for instance. This timber is becoming very costly on account of its growing scarcity. Douglas fir could be used for floor bearers, top and bottom rails and intermediate rails and studs, and besides being cheaper, should be more serviceable than kauri on account of its strength and elasticity. If it is desirable to avoid using imported timber, red pine would be quite suitable for studs, floor, counterfloor, ceiling and roof, and would prove a considerable saving.
Standardisation of parts would be a further aid to economy. Windows and doors might be kept to a standard size and so cheapen construction. A further saving would accrue by keeping spares in stock for repairs.
Doors fitted with loose pin hinges look much superior to, and are more convenient than, those fitted with ordinary steel or brass hinges. The extra cost would be saved many times over by the easy removal of the doors when necessary for painting. The flooring, and, more especially, the side sheathing, if standardised, would save much in time when repairs were necessary.
Facilities for the easy removal of windows, doors, swingover chairs and other inside fittings should be thoroughly studied. As a car is renovated many times, any improvement effected in this direction would mean a considerable amount saved during the life of a car.
Most important of all, perhaps, is the state and quality of the timber used. It is essential that, after being selected for suitability, it should be thoroughly dry. This is of first importance, for without dry timber no wood-constructed vehicle can be built that will stand the strain to which a railway carriage is subjected when in use.
In all modern shops of any size, a drying kiln is installed. The ultimate cost of kiln-dried timber is less than that involved in carrying the large stocks necessary if one is to depend on air-dried material. Opinions may differ as to the merits or demerits of kiln-dried timber compared with air dried, but I do not think it can be shown that timber properly dried in a kiln is in any way inferior, while it is much cheaper and more convenient than that dried in the ordinary way by stick stacking. However, no matter which way we dry our timber it is essential that the timber be dried down to, but not below, the average humility of the atmosphere in the district in which the car is built.
Having assured ourselves that the timber is in a suitable condition to be worked, it is passed into the sawmill. There the real work begins. A competent supervisor should be in charge of the mill, as the opportunities for waste, both of timber and time, are very great indeed. The mill foreman should be an expert car builder and well acquainted with the capabilities of the machinery. His duty would be to see that the requirements of the finishers and builders were fully and promptly met, and accuracy in size and finish of parts strictly adhered to, thus saving a great deal of time when the various parts came to be assembled. A filer, or leading mill hand, has quite enough to do in keeping his saws in proper order and his machines tuned up to run smoothly, without having to pay attention to all the details that would be required of him if he had to look after the milling of all the various parts of a car.
Time should not be skimped in the mill. Pillars, styles, rails, etc., should be finished as nearly complete as possible, for time judiciously spent at a machine is saved many times over both at the benches and when
In regard to accuracy the steel gauge should be used in preference to the rule when running T & G (tongued and grooved) lining, floors, checks in pillars, etc. This is the surest way of getting each successive running exactly like its predecessor.
The utilisation of small pieces, especially of the more expensive timbers should be studied. This can be done satisfactorily only when the draftsman has allowed for it in his plans, and also when the mill has suitable machinery, for unless the small pieces are put through the machines rapidly and little or no hand work is required upon them, the extra cost of handling becomes too expensive and costs more than the price of the timber saved.
Where doors, windows, and partitions are assembled, every facility should be given for handling and glueing the various parts. As much work as possible should be done at the finishing benches, where it is made easier on account of having every convenience, thus saving time and building.
It is self-evident that when we come to the actual building of a car the work should be the very best that we can put into it. All tenons should be of such a tightness that the framing hammer, or cramp, would have to be used to put them in position. No tenon should be allowed to be put in hand slack, for it is in the framing that we want strength and rigidity. These two features are essential to a railway car on account of the many movements and shocks it has to withstand. It is here that one sees the necessity of dry timber. A frame built with half dry timber, be it ever so well fitted and braced, soon becomes loose through shrinkage, a fault which cannot be rectified afterwards.
While assembling the car it is necessary to keep a strict watch on the cost. But, as already said, cheapness should not be sought at the expense of good work. If soundness of construction is sacrificed, our cheapness, in the last analysis, will not be in the interests of economy.
When side sheathing, it is a good practice to glue the joints. This process is certainly more expensive, but given dry timber, with good fitting T & G, the outside sheathing becomes as one board, acting as a brace to the car. It adds lasting qualities and gives a better foundation for the painter to work upon.
The same argument used in regard to labour may be applied to material. When covering the roof with canvas, white lead putty should be used, and the canvas stretched just enough to take out the creases. Too much stretching weakens the canvas. No substitute, such as whiting and oil, can take the place of white lead. If this is done you will find that as soon as the oil has perished the whiting will powder between the fingers. The consequences are a rotting canvas and a leaky roof, and more repairs that would have been avoided by the use of the better material.
When we come to the interior finish of the car, our motto should be “Rich, not gaudy.” A neat, plain finish, such as a thumb moulding with a high polish, which can be readily kept clean, is preferable to a more elaborate finish with many quirks and corners that are always more or less dirty. The plain finish is the more desirable from both a sanitary and an economic point of view.
The salient points in our search for economy in car construction are:—
Dry timber. As much machine work as we can possibly put upon our wood work. Facilities for glueing and finishing. Good work in construction, always with an idea of building to last. Interior fittings, designed for easy fitting up and removal.
If these points are borne in mind from the start until the finish, we will then have a car that will be economical right throughout its life, and even although it has cost a few more pounds to construct, its cost card will show that it is both cheaper and more economic in the end.
The big express locomotive A600 which was involved in the Opapa accident was returned to service on 23th June—79 days after being shopped at Napier for extensive repairs. This reflects great credit on the staff at the railway workshops. A600 has an interesting and honoured history. Built in 1914 by Price Bros. at their Thames works, she had, up to the time of the Opapa accident, run 363,855 miles in the Wellington and Napier districts. She was the engine selected to draw the Royal train during the visit of the Prince of Wales, and it will be remembered that, on the occasion referred to, the Prince (under the supervision of the enginedriver, the late
Another Outlet To The Sea
The above branch which has been about nine years in the building, and has cost approximately £400,000, was taken over by the Railway Department on 12th July. The line branches off from the main Wellington-New Plymouth track at Te Roti (about halfway between Hawera and Stratford). It runs almost due west to the coast at Opunake, which lies south-west of Mt. Egmont and is near the westmost point of the Peninsula.
The country traversed is well developed dairying land, and there is every prospect that the railways will come in for quite a quantity of the produce and supplies now carried by road. Ten stations have been provided, their names and distances from Te Roti being, Matapu (3 miles 3 chains), Duthie Road (4 miles 37 chains), Palmer Road (5 miles 47 chains), Kapuni (7 miles 23 chains), Mangawhero Road (10 miles 47 chains), Auroa Road (12 miles 33 chains), Pihama (16 miles 76 chains), Punehu (18 miles 38 chains), Waiteika (20 miles 42 chains), Opunake (22 miles 50 chains).
As there is a fine beach at Opunake it is quite likely that there will be a demand for excursion train facilities during the summer months to take trippers from various parts of the province down to the sea at this point.
Writing of the commencement of services by the Railway Department on the new line the Hawera “Star” has the following:—
Drawn by an engine of the “Ww” type, the train which left Hawera at 9.3 a.m. yesterday comprised one carriage, accommodating a modest total of three passengers, six trucks (loaded with 70 tons of manure and general goods) and a guard's van. Guard F. G. Bicknell had charge of the train, and the engine was driven by Driver L. Toy.
At the Te Roti junction, where, approximately eight miles from Hawera, the Opunake line branches from the main system, connection was made with the 6.50 a.m. train from New Plymouth. The guard was informed that 310 tons of material were awaiting transport, this amount having collected in the three days since the last Public Works train went through. Twenty-seven trucks were attached with the maximum load of 300 tons of manures, farm material and general goods, the “goods and passenger” swung west and climbed the gradient to Matapu. Here two trucks were dropped and the passenger list was supplemented by two partial journey travellers. Further portions of the train's burden were left at the Duthie Road and Palmer Road stations and the journey was continued to Kapuni, the largest depot between the terminals, where an interested gathering of spectators were awaiting the advent of the first train of the service. Leaving Kapuni with the goods load reduced to 19 trucks, but with the passenger list augmented by one, the train halted at the Mangawhero Road, Auroa Road and Pihama stations to deposit supplies and, continuing without stopping through Punehu and Waiteki, finally thundered across the Waiana viaduct into Opunake, where a group of towns-people scanned the remaining ten trucks and greeted the three remaining passengers, who stepped from the carriage.
Under normal conditions it is anticipated that the timetable will be adhered to, and the outward and the return journeys will be easily accomplished in the two hours allowed respectively, and that the thrice weekly service will afford greatly appreciated benefits to the district.”
Australian Railway Unification.
The unification of the railway gauge from Port Augusta to Adelaide, South Australia, will cost £1,200,000 for 190 miles. When completed it will reduce the journey from Adelaide to Perth by nine hours, reduce the length of rail between Port Augusta and Adelaide by seventy miles, and ensure the through loading of freight from Adelaide to Kalgoorlie, 1,240 miles. The trans-Continental line will be extended from Port Augusta to Redhill, 83 miles. A third line of rail will be laid from Redhill to Adelaide, 107 miles.
Do not make yourself anxious about money. Few can expect to make large fortunes, and we often hear of riches not honestly come by. The fact is that poverty is seldom honestly come by either. Often it is our dishonesty—that is our dishonest or inefficient use of our own opportunities, or the other fellow's dishonest use of his opportunities.
New Zealand Railways 4–6–4 Locomotive, Ws. Type. Used on Suburban runs Weight in working trim, 71 tons 10 cwt. Tractive force at 80% of boiler pressure, 22,000lbs. Tank capacity, 1,700 gals. Fuel space, 120 cub. feet. Length over buffers, 44ft. 5ins. Coupled Wheels, 4ft. 6in. diameter.
Inst.T., Operating and Equipment Assistant, N.Z.R.)S. E. Fay , M.M
Part Iii.—Dock Shunting
Too much importance cannot be attached to the provision of facilities for the handling of wagons on docks. Continual attention is being paid to the installation of the most up-to-date mechanical devices for handling cargoes, and much has been written on the subject but very little is heard of the efforts directed towards economy and efficiency in shunting to and from docks and on the quay side. Where direct handling, as between wagon and ship, takes place, full use of the most expeditious methods of loading and unloading cannot be made unless the facilities for moving wagons are such that the demands of the ships can be met with regularity, with the minimum of delay, and with the minimum of inconvenience to the dock operations in general.
1.—Coal Loading Hoist
Docks, unlike stations and marshalling yards, cannot be shifted and remodelled on more convenient sites when the traffic outgrows the facilities. Hence it behoves those responsible for shunting operations to study with particular care and forethought any proposals regarding the construction of additional wharves and necessary railway connections. Railways all over the world, more especially in the older countries, are spending enormous sums in carrying out shunting operations which they know are uneconomical solely because, when the docks were constructed, little or no thought was given to the railway facilities and the need for making allowance for future requirements. Consequently we see wharves in the most inaccessible places, with curves and draw bridges limiting the size of the engines; with crossovers most inconveniently situated; with lines running along busy streets and over congested level crossings; with leads from one wharf fouling those to another, etc. The overall cost of running a shunting engine varies from 15/- to 20/- per hour. It can be seen, therefore, that there is a real need for ensuring the minimum number of engines and the maximum amount of work per engine hour. Any of the disabilities just mentioned reduce the efficiency and increase the operating costs.
Delay in shunting operations, and consequent disorganisation, results in higher cost not only to the Railway Department but to the innumerable companies, agencies, private individuals, etc., that are intricately bound up with the activities of present day port operations. In this country the Railway Department makes no charge for shunting services on wharves owned by Harbour Boards, consequently any additional costs brought about by inadequate facilities or bad regulations are borne by the Department. The use of two engines instead of one does not concern the trader; in other countries, where a charge is made, it concerns him very closely. As the burden here falls on the Railway Department, it can be understood there is more than ever a real necessity for the study and adoption of the most up-to-date methods known.
Electric Capstans and Horses are extensively used for moving wagons on the wharves but engines have to be used to haul wagons to and from the Railway depot. In considering facilities, therefore, the first point is the provision of easy ingress and egress in the station yard. This is best provided by laying down exchange sidings. Secondly, storage sites at convenient points inside the dock area—more especially where the exchange sidings are some distance from certain wharves—are
On the wharves themselves crossovers should be so placed that they do not come opposite holds of ships. This is a difficult matter to arrange, as ships vary in length. It is better therefore, to have too many crossovers than too few. The ideal lay-out on the wharf is three tracks, the outside one for loading from wagon to ship, the inside one for discharging from ship to wagon, and the centre one for circulating purposes. With this arrangement, wagons can be circulated freely and engines can work on one ship without interfering with an other.
2.—A Sea of Coal
The gravity System of Shunting as Applied to Wharves. An excellent example of how the most up-to-date railway facilities can be incorporated with the most mechanical dock handling appliances is furnished at Immingham Dock on the Humber. This Dock was built principally for the export of coal, and very particular attention was given to shunting facilities. At an enormous capital outlay, gravity shunting was introduced for running wagons to and from the wharves. The experiment has been amply justified for, with the docks working at full pressure, at least 16 additional engines and numerous capstans would have been required to work the traffic.
The coal is shipped by eight coal hoists similar to that shown in illustration (No. 1) seven are situated on one wharf, and one on a jetty in the river. Each of the hoists can handle seventy tons per hour. In a day of only ten hours, therefore, 5,600 tons of coal can be shipped. However fast the ships work there is no possibility of delay in getting the wagons down to the hoists, for the accommodation provided is enormous. Each separate hoist is furnished with a group of eight sidings, and each of these sidings can take forty, ten or fifteen ton wagons, or a total of 320 wagons for each hoist and 2,560 for the entire group. This, however, represents but a small fraction of the whole of the accommodation, for in the storage and reception sidings close at hand, no fewer than 9,120 wagons can be stored. The full capacity is thus sufficient for over 11,600 wagons, accommodating in all 110,000 to 175,000 tons of coal. Illustration No. 2 shews a “sea of coal” waiting shipment. The total length of siding accommodation and running lines is 170 miles.
The method of feeding the hoists is as follows:—Illustration No. 1 shews one of the eight hoists and a ferro-concrete overbridge. The loaded wagon arrives at the bottom of the hoist, travelling from the storage sidings, by gravity, down an inclined road terminating at the base of the hoist. After being raised to the necessary height it is discharged by being tipped, and then lowered and run off on the overbridge down an inclined road to the emptied wagon siding.
The whole system is such that the operation of feeding the wharves can be conducted with mechanical rapidity and precision, an arrangement of no slight importance in view of the magnitude of the undertaking and the speed with which wagons can be unloaded after arrival at the wharves.
High Steam Pressures.
The German State Railways (says the “Railway Gazette”), are at the present time experimenting with a 4-6-0 type express engine having a special boiler built for two working pressures, namely, 853 lb. per square inch in the rear or ultra-high pressure boiler, and 199 lb. per square inch in the boiler barrel proper. The inner firebox is formed by water tubes, the bottom ends of which reach into the water chambers of a hollow foundation ring, while their upper ends discharge into steam collectors. The system is filled with chemically pure water up to the tube ends in the steam collectors, and from the latter steam rises through vertical tubes to heating coils the firebox. The heat from the coils is absorbed by the water in the special boiler, and the condensate falls back to the foundation ring chambers through another set of tubes and thence starts the circulation over again. The working pressure in the firebox and heating coils is from 1,100 to 1,300 lb. per square inch.
In Flood Time
Dealing with Traffic Interruptions—Good Work in the Winterless North
The test of efficiency in any business is capacity to deal with emergencies. In this respect those employed on railway work in New Zealand's “Winterless North” have recently been afforded ample opportunity to show their mettle, for although cold cannot settle on the Northern Peninsula, the elements take revenge in another direction.
Such an occasion occurred in May last when the Whangarei-Auckland express was hemmed in between two washouts near Pukanui (a few miles north of Helensville). About half of the seventy passengers (including nine women and five children) elected to remain in the carriages overnight, and they were supplied with refreshments by the local residents. The remainder were conveyed through the flood water to a point opposite the Kaukapakapa hotel in a railway wagon pushed by the line maintenance gang, the roads at the time being impassable. All passengers were conveyed by motor to Helensville next morning, and thence either to Waimauku or Wharepapa, there making connection to Auckland by means of specially extended suburban services.
On 10th July the rain again descended and kept on doing so for three days. The result was that the passengers who left Whangarei on 12th July were forced to remain at Maungaturoto overnight owing to the southbound Whangarei-Auckland express being unable to proceed over the flooded area which extended for several miles between Wayby and Kaipara Flats; nor could they travel by road. Neither the passengers nor the Railway staff were, however, disconcerted by this interruption to traffic. The women passengers were billeted at settlers' homes in the vicinity, and the majority of the men spent the night in the railway carriages. The Stationmaster at Maungaturoto (
“It.”
—From the London “Star.”
Mr. B. Davidson, who has been employed in the Auckland Goods Shed for the past two years, has been selected to tour England with the “All Black” New Zealand League footballers. His exploits will be followed with interest.
Works Manager, Petone)A. E. P. Walworth ,
In concluding this series of articles I feel that I am expressing the opinion of every Railway mechanic in the Dominion, when I say that we all fully recognise the importance of the Department's scheme of education, and are fully aware that no effort should be lacking on our part to make it a success.
Apprentices have now an obligation to fulfil. This can best be done by taking full advantage of the opportunity afforded them; by paying strict attention to their studies, and by willing obedience to their instructors. They should not think that because they are being trained and schooled by the Department they can give up their night studies and Technical School training. This extra training should spur them on to study harder in order to become efficient railwaymen. The average apprentice figures that there is no use in studying, as he will be a mechanic in five years. This is a wrong impression to take, as something more is needed to fit them for the higher positions in the service which will surely be theirs provided they are efficient and qualified to fill them.
Their ambition should be to reach the top, and not sit idle and let the last boy beat them. They should make up their minds to succeed. For, if they don't, they will be hopelessly left. From now on, and more especially in the initial stages of the apprentice instruction, all our tradesmen will be required to materially assist us by instructing the boys to the best of their ability. Tradesmen should not hesitate to answer the boys' questions, show and tell them the names of all tools, say what they are for, and explain how to use them; encourage them to work, but avoid harassing them. Be firm but kind. If they do this the boys will respect them, do honour to their trade, and become a credit to the shop in which they were trained.
The trade should not be looked upon as a sort of secret society. I can well remember, as a boy, when an engine was ready for setting slide valves,—which was then considered a trick of the trade,—we were always sent to do some work a considerable distance away. This I could never understand, for we were there to learn our trade, not to scratch for it like a fowl does for her chickens. However, it is pleasing to know that for some years past this practice has gradually died away, and rightly so. I have read numerous articles on apprentice training as carried out on American, Canadian and English Railways, and I am more than ever convinced that the need of this training was never more felt on our Railways than it is to-day. Every effort should be made to see that each apprentice is given a full opportunity and variety of experience in all the work of his trade, both practically and educationally, so that upon completion of his apprenticeship he will be a skilled all round mechanic. In conclusion I must congratulate those who are directly and indirectly responsible for having brought to a successful issue the training of our apprentices. I feel sure that the result of their labours will repay them handsomely in a very few years.
To the apprentices I would quote the words of Nixon Waterman:
The world will buy largely of anyone who Can deliver the goods;
It is ready and eager to barter if you Can deliver the goods.
But don't take its order and make out the bill
Unless you are sure you'll be able to fill
Your contract, because it won't pay you until
You deliver the goods.
Mr. G. B. Beere, who occupied the position of Yard-Foreman at Auckland for the past fifteen years, was met by a gathering of the staff at the Auckland Goods office recently, and presented with a case of pipes, a tobacco pouch (and a marble clock for Mrs Beere), to mark the occasion of his retirement from the Service on Superannuation. Mr. T. Robinson, who made the presentation, spoke of his many years association with Mr. Beere, who was a much respected and popular officer. Mr. V. McGaffan spoke on behalf of the Shunting Staff and paid a tribute to the sterling qualities which characterised Mr. Beere in all their dealings with him. Mr. Beere feelingly thanked the donors for the gifts, and for the spirit which prompted them. He assured all present that he would always retain the happiest memories of his association with the Auckland Railway staff.
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We are so inclined to fall in with what is thoroughly commonplace, and our heart and mind become so readily callous to the beautiful and perfect, that we should do all we possibly can to preserve our susceptibility to higher influences.—Goethe.
Improving Appearances
Railway Advertising Branch Activities
Corner near Thorndon Station.—
Before Railway Hoardings erected.
Corner near Thorndon Station.—
After Railway Advertising Hoardings erected. This is a very busy corner. Note the improved visibility through setting back the hoarding at an angle, and the open space provided for beautifying purposes.
It is now over eleven and a half years since the Railway Department assumed direct control of the advertising on its property. The North Island and South Island Main Lines and Branches were taken over on the 1st January, 1915, and the smaller detached sections of railway three years later. Previously the advertising rights were let to private contractors who paid the Railway Department a fixed sum per annum during the currency of their agreement, and the contractors, of course, handled the selling and display of the advertisements. Owing chiefly to conditions arising out of the World War, the first six years of existence of the Railway Advertising Branch were not very encouraging, and but for the optimistic outlook of those in authority at that time, the venture might have been abandoned as a failure. At this stage the department let only the advertising space, and the advertiser had to provide the advertisements; which, however, the department placed in position. As had been the case with the private contractors, the advertising was then confined chiefly to advertisements on station buildings and adjacent fences.
As time went on without any appreciable increase in business, it became apparent that something had to be done to educate the business people to the value of railway advertising. At first this was no easy task. The great majority had not previously tried out this medium, and it is surprising how difficult it was to prove to them that that was no reason why they should not do so in the future.
The whole organisation of the advertising branch was considered very carefully with the obvious idea of increasing the volume of business. It was recognised that the Sales organisation was not strong, but this did not appear to be the only weak point. Having to provide his own advertisements was too much bother to the advertiser, and a good deal of the failure appear to be attributable to our lack of service in this respect. It was then reasoned that if we were in a position to submit attractive designs that would appeal to the buying public, the business must surely go ahead, and as a result the Advertising Branch inaugurated what is now well known throughout the Dominion as the Railway Advertising Studios. The Sales staff was strengthened, and our activities were extended to include the display of advertisements in railway carriages and on large hoardings in prominent positions. Since then we have never looked back, and the business has gone ahead by leaps and bounds.
The Studios, which are located in Wellington, occupy nearly an acre of land; the buildings themselves cover roughly 15,000 square feet of floor space. Here the advertisement is produced in its entirety. The client is relieved of all bother, it being necessary for him merely to name his product. Our ideas-men and artists then get busy and work up a design embodying the important points of the article to be advertised. When the advertisement has been planned, the next procedure is to select the persons and material most suitable to pose as subjects for the pictorial portion of the advertisement, and when these have been arranged to the satisfaction of the Supervising Artist and sketches made, the services of the Studio's photography division are called in to obtain a photograph of the setting in order to reduce the time models would otherwise require to pose. In this way there is no limit to variety and originality in design, and with the high standard of artists employed we are able to put on canvas, paper, or metal any conceivable composition.
When the Studios were opened in July, 1920, the total staff of the Advertising Branch was ten. To-day it totals seventy-four. The total full term value of the business written up during the financial year ended 31st March last amounted to nearly £90,000.
Although one occasionally hears remarks to the effect that outdoor advertising should be restricted, it would be difficult to find a private business concern that would not make full use of a by-product capable of producing such handsome returns, while at the same time providing the public with a useful article at reasonable cost.
The largest industrial enterprise in the world according to Sir Josiah Stamp is the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, of which he is President. In speaking to an American audience recently he stated that this great British Railway with its seven or eight thousand miles of track represented an investment of 2½ billion dollars.
* * *
The State-owned Railway of New Zealand is this Dominion's largest industrial enterprise, the capital invested in all lines amounting to almost fifty million pounds (250 million dollars) for 3138 miles of railway.
Production Engineer, Wellington)E. T. Spidy ,
What I have always found to be the most difficult task of a production man in railroad departments is to remedy the lack of real interest in and knowledge of “costs.”
What did this job cost?
Is the labour charge right
What did the material cost?
Is the cost excessive?
Questions like these make one about as popular as rain on Cup Day. Why is there this inherent dislike and dodging of costing facts? It is quite obvious that paper records of all kinds are generally unpopular. Often they hurt. The old-time foreman disliked them, even as a workman he never could see “why the cost of repairs to one engine should be kept separate from another,” and “time distribution business” was always “rot,”—“out of one pocket into another,” and so on.
The reason for all this is not hard to find. In the first place the former system of accounting
Graphic Record of Locomotive Repair Costs
“Is that all right from the financial requirement viewpoint?”
“Yes, quite so.”
“Is it all right from the point of view of the man responsible for spending the money?”
“No good at all. All the figures in the world won't alter the cost of a job, if not provided until six weeks after the job is done.”
From this you will understand why I call the old system “post mortem costs,” and why I say that “live” costs are what are required by those in charge of expenditures; for “live” costs are capable of being improved.
Now, we are changing our Workshops costing methods and the objects are:—
1. To indicate the cost of each order, to every foreman or supervisor interested, up to the day previous, so that he can take an interest in the cost of his Department's work and can see the result of such economies as he may be able to devise. By receiving advice of progressive costs, he knows what his work is costing, while he still has it and while he can do something, if it is running excessively high.
2. To cost all material used daily, so that the men ordering material know the cost of it. In the past no provision was made for the shops to know the cost of any material. How was a foreman to know whether it would pay to scrap a part or order new?
3. To provide all necessary information so that the business of a railway shop can be carried on, like any other business has to be carried on—on a financial basis.
We have no license to operate on any other basis than sound financial lines. If an outside business ran its affairs with as little cost information as we had it would end up with no orders, no business, bankrupt. Eighty per cent. of manufacturing business failures are attributed to lack of cost information. They did not know what their product did cost! They fooled themselves, but not their banker.
I agree that we have never before provided cost information to our manufacturing departments in order that they could become interested in costs. It is also a fact that it will take a few years before we get any comparative costs that we can intelligently use. But a start must be made sometime and that time is now.
Never mind about the past. Get in now, and start and take an interest in what costs you think you ought to know. Ask for it and you will get it, and if you want more varied information it can be arranged. To-day we are arranging for “live” costs to be provided. To-morrow, we are going to ask you to estimate on your own work; just as you would ask a builder for an estimate on a house design; just as you would ask a bootmaker for the price of soling your boots before giving him the job; just as we obtain competitive quotes for every purchase we make.
Is it sound business? Of course it is, and the railways—successful railways in my personal experience—have done this very thing for years.
Finally, don't think it an accountant's job to tell you what you, in the shops, need to know. What part of an accountant's education would tell him what details a shop man should know, I can't imagine. The job is engineering—management.
An Historic Landmark.
The obelisk shown below is situated near Pokaka at a point exactly half way between Wellington and Auckland on the North Island Main Trunk Line.
The inscription reads as follows:—
“This obelisk is erected opposite the spot where the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, P.C., K.C.M.G., Premier of the Dominion, drove the last spike of the North Island Main Trunk Railway on 6th November, 1908.—
There is a greater variety of parts in what we call a character than there are features in a face; and the morality of that is no more determined by one part than the beauty or deformity of this is by one single feature; each is to be judged by all the parts or features—not taken singly, but altogether.
E. J. Barrett )
Broad ideas are hated by narrow ideas, that is, in fact, the struggle of Progress.
—
What is the secret of the amazing industrial progress and prosperity which is rapidly changing the whole face of American civilisation to-day—a progress and prosperity without parallel in the history of the world? Is it attributable to the richness of America's natural resources, to the self-sufficiency of the nation, to the specially favourable position she occupied during the Great War, to an innate perspicacity of her people, or to the scientific organisation and management of her industries? Two most able young British engineers
It is a thought-provoking and deeply significant work and a careful reading impels one to accept the conviction of the authors that it is more to the marvellous organisation of American industries than to any other factor that we must ascribe this prodigious development of a nation. The principles of industrial management which have wrought this miracle of progress in American industry and assured to the workers a standard of comfort and opportunities for cultural development unknown to workers in any age in any other part of the world, are set down by these observant Britons as follows:—
(a) The success of an enterprise is, in a large measure, dependent upon a strict adherence to the policy of promotion of staff by merit and ability only.
(b) It is more advantageous to increase total profits by reducing prices to the consumer, at the same time maintaining or improving quality, with a consequent increase in the volume of sales than by attempting to maintain or raise prices.
(c) Rapidity of turnover makes for comparatively small requirements of both funded and working capital, i.e., the capital required for shop space (including equipment) and the finance of work in progress.
(d) The productive capacity per capita of labour can be increased without limit depending upon the progress made in time and trouble-saving appliances.
(e) It is better that labour should be rewarded by wages bearing some relation to output rather than by a fixed wage, the amount of the wages earned by any one man being in no way limited. Contrary to the general belief in Europe, high wages do not necessarily mean a high level of prices. It is to the advantage of the community that the policy of industrial management should be directed towards raising wages and reducing prices.
(f) A free exchange of ideas between competing firms should be advocated.
(g) Elimination of waste is an essential factor in the attainment of national prosperity.
(h) It is important that every possible attention be paid to the welfare of employees.
(i) Research and experimental work are of prime importance to progress.
Readers of the Statement on Staff Control and Education by the Right Hon. the Minister of Railways and of the special articles dealing with the re-organisation of the service in the first issue of the Magazine, will have noted that some of these fundamental principles of management have already been adopted in our own system and that further development in this direction will follow. It will be no less interesting than important therefore to follow the authors of this arresting volume in their analysis of these principles in operation in
There were many, no doubt, who read with trepidation the words of the Minister in the Statement referred to, that “merit would be the sole consideration” in determining the future occupancy of the higher positions in the service; others again would read those words with enthusiastic approval. What, in essence, does this principle mean? It means the recognition of the sovereignty of the individual's right to self-determination. This is a fundamental condition of progress in every department of life, and the denial of this right to the individual is the price we pay for the enormous waste and inefficiency which disgraces industry and retards advance. We must guarantee to the individual the right to, and the means for, the highest expression of his personality and then the words, discipline, economy, efficiency, harmony, co-operation and progress will become, in very truth, the driving forces of industry.
Approaching Otira (Midland Line) at 40 miles per hour
The Americans recognised this psychological fact long ago; they “have never believed” as the authors of this book tell us “that executive ability is invariably inherited.” They characterise the segregation of the executive staff and workmen as a relic of the “bad old days.” Such an artificial division still exists in British industry, much to the nation's disadvantage. To quote again:—
As the tendency nowadays is to utilise machinery to replace manual work and for the worker to use his brains more and more in the controlling of machines, it is clear that there is no longer any justification for a dividing line and it should be possible for a workman of the lowest grade, providing he shows sufficient ability, to be promoted without hindrance as opportunity occurs to the highest positions in the firm. Since the members of the staff fully realise that promotion can only come as a result of ability and efficient functioning, there is less manoeuvring and intrigue to gain or retain good positions, thereby reducing internal strife and waste of time.
All this is highly interesting in the light of the policy of the Right. Hon. the Minister of Railways for improving the efficiency of the Department along the same lines. Another significant fact noted by these keen observers is that the majority of the responsible positions in America are held by comparatively young men. It is a well known fact that nine men out of ten become sluggish, hesitant, and reluctant in age and are unfitted to deal with the pressing problems of the day. As the authors say:—
In many organisations in Great Britain the spirit of capable men is often broken by the failure of the management to put the right man in the right place. It is also sadly the case that capable men thus treated, who lack the necessary fighting spirit, only too often resign themselves to the circumstances, gradually losing their initiative and efficiency. American executives have no compunction in relieving their organisations of inefficients.
This promotion by merit and ability alone, is, as the authors point cut, equivalent to payment by results, and express the policy that the reward of labour should bear some relation to output. On this question as on the question of the productive capacity per capita of labour they have some important things to say and we can follow them further with interest as well as profit.
The ideal of the American industrialist is to keep in the closest touch with the rapid march of invention and to adopt the very latest methods and machines in all their manifold applications. Machines are so varied, reliable, and accurate to-day that “it is very clearly recognised in America that no limit can be set to the output which can be attained by one man.”
The argument so frequently raised that the adoption of labour-saving devices makes for unemployment is thoroughly examined, and the reader is provided with two striking illustrations which expose its hollowness. These may be quoted as follows:—
Let us first assume an extreme case and suppose that in a certain works each man is allowed to do as little work as he likes at the standard hourly rate of wages. An order for a locomotive is booked for delivery in six months, it having been
The authors conclude from this that any policy which has for its purpose the reduction of output is suicidal. They continue:—
Now let us see what would happen if the same locomotive works adopted a policy of increasing each man's output with the aid of time and trouble-saving appliances and with the full co-operation of the workers. We shall suppose that each man is provided with an incentive to increase his output and actually accomplishes 50 per cent. more work in a given time…… Let us say that the incentive takes the form of a 50 per cent. increase in wages. It is true that, if the locomotive is still to take six months to complete, it will only be necessary for the management to take on about two-thirds of the number of workers they would normally have required. The wages cost will still amount to £2,000, but since now the number of men, machines, and shop space are reduced to roughly one-third, the total overhead charges will only amount to £1,330 and, assuming the cost of material to be the same, the total cost of the locomotive will be reduced from £6,000 to £5,330. As this price is ten per cent. below the competitive level, the company will have no difficulty in filling its shops with locomotives and so will have to employ men to the maximum of its capacity at the increased rate of wages.
As an illustration of the tremendous gains resulting from such a system they show from official reports that from September 1924 to October, 1925, the employment in the manufacturing industries of America increased by 6.4 per cent., but the wages bill in the same manufacturing industries during the same period increased by 12.6 per cent. The production in the manufacturing industries for the same period increased by 24.8 per cent. That this highly satisfactory condition of industry has been brought about by the application of intelligent management methods and the co-operation of the workers which such methods inspire, is plainly evident from the pages of this book. As the wealth of a country and the prosperity of its people is so largely the measure of their productivity, the authors are earnestly insistent that no artificial limits whatever should be set to be output or to the earnings of any one man. They observe:—
So far we have seen how the application of this principle is of advantage to the community. Turning to the employer it is fairly obvious that if his men are paid a wage bearing some relation to their output together with a clear understanding that no limit will ever be placed on the actual weekly earnings of any individual an incentive to work is provided of no mean importance. The need for supervision will be reduced while the men will be encouraged to use their ability in the direction of devising more efficient shop methods and eliminating waste.
In America it is found that, where applied, this system solves not only the problems of industrial efficiency, but perhaps the even greater problem of industrial peace.
From the men's point of view they are happier at their work because they are in a position to increase their earnings in accordance with the aptitude they possess. It is found that workmen in America are happy and contented and are not rushed in their work against their will.
The recognition of the personality of the worker in American industries and the provision of incentives for the utilisation of his intelligence in the fabrication of devices for lessening the manual tasks of life, has built up the wealth of the country beyond calculation, and secured to millions of its workers a standard of living and conditions of employment which are the highest in the world.
The man who has no inner life is the slave of his surroundings, as the barometer is the obedient servant of the air at rest, and the weathercock of the humble servant of the air in motion.
“Fishplate”)
All the good camp stories have not yet been preserved in print. Here is one of them, which, by the way, well illustrates the adage—“Truth is stranger than Fiction.”
During the World War Jock Mackechnie joined up with the Thirtieths. Though a little belated in getting into khaki, Jock was no shirker and was really anxious to go overseas and have a smack at Fritz. Various reasons had hitherto stood in the way of his going, but one day he received a letter from his native place ayont the Tweed. The letter bore the postmark “Milngavie,” an out-landishly spelt name which the natives pronounce “Mulguy!” This letter was black bordered, and brought Jock the unwelcome news that his only brother, who had gone to France with the “Gordons,” had been killed.
Jock, who was a railway porter at Inverell station, was in the act of wheeling a truck of luggage up the platform when the letter was handed to him, and like a faithful servant, stopped to attend to his own business first—in other words, to read his letter. This done, he sought the stationmaster and flabber-gastered that worthy officer by declaring: “The New Zealand Railways can gang to buzzamay. By Gode, somebuddy's gote to pey for this!” and straightway went off and enlisted.
During the period of training Jock was all impatient to get away, and privates, non-coms. and officers all remarked on his keenness. At last he was given his fourteen days “final leave,” and Jock set out and had what, on his return to camp, he described as “a braw time.”
On the day after his return he ran into the colonel, who stopped him and said:
“I believe you are anxious to get away to the front, Mackechnie?”
“Yes, Sir,” replied Jock, coming to the salute.
“Well,” said that officer, “the Twenty-ninths are short. You had better take fourteen days final leave and report with the Twenty-ninths on your return. I'll see to the transfer.”
That night saw Jock back in Wellington starting out upon another “braw time.” At the end of the fortnight he duly reported for duty with the Twenty-ninths, and saw that his transfer had been fixed up.
Next day an old acquaintance of his early days, Captain C—–, came to him and said:
“Oh, I say, Mackechnie, they tell me you are very anxious to get overseas. 's that so?”
“Yes, sir,” said Jock.
“Well, look,” said the Captain, “the Twenty-eights are a few men short, so I'll have you transferred so as you can go with them. You had better take your final leave and report with the Twenty-eights on expiry. I'll fix things for you.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Jock. And that night he was again in Wellington starting out on a third course of “a braw time.”
At its finish, somewhat the “waur o' th' wear,” Jock returned to Trentham and reported for duty with the Twenty-eights. Next morning he was called to report himself at head-quarters. Jock thought he was in for a bad quarter of an hour, at least, but again, his good fairy favoured him.
“Mackechnie,” said the O.C., “They tell me you are devilish keen on having a smack at Fritz?”
“Yes, sir,” once more said Jock, wondering what was coming next.
“Then I'll have you transferred to the Twenty-sevenths,” said the C.O. “They leave in ten days, so you had better take nine days final leave and join up the night before embarkation. Sorry, Mackechnie, that I didn't think of it earlier so as you could have had your full final leave, but I suppose you do not mind, as a day either way is neither here nor there at such a time, is it?”
“No, sir,” said Jock, “it isn't,” and added that he didn't mind, saluted and quit.
Once more Jock set out to have a “braw time.” When he got to his old diggings late that night there were palpable and visible signs that he had lost no time in getting it. As he lurched into the sitting room his landlord cried, “Good God, Mackechnie, back again?”
“Ay,” said Jock, “I jined up (hic) wi' the Thirtieths an' (hic) after ma final leave they transferred (hic) me to the Twenty-ninths, an' gi'ed me mair final leave (hic). Gin I gote back they transferred me to the Twenty-eighths, an' again I (hic) gote final leave. Noo they-ve pittin' me in the Twenty-sevenths (hic) an' I'm on my final leave. S'elpme, gin they (hic) continee at the rate they've been gaun I'll (hic) be leavin' yet wi' the b-b-blastit Main Body, that's (hic) gin I can get through wi' my final leaves afore (hic) the f-f-flamin' war's feenished!”
Westinghouse Brake Engineer, N.Z.R.)R. E. Robertson ,
1. All new Westinghouse Brake gear must be examined, cleaned, oiled and tested before being sent into service.
2. All air brake combined sets, brake cylinders and reservoirs, when bolted to plates or iron faces, should have a strip of tarred roofing felt between the two iron faces. This not only prevents them from rusting but it also enables the faces to bed well together.
3. All brake pipe joints and connections should be placed where they may be conveniently and easily reached. This will simplify repairs and replacements.
4. All train pipes should be kept as straight as possible. Where bends are necessary they should be kept easy and free. Elbows should never be used in brake pipes, as they restrict and retard the flow of the compressed air.
Scene on the Wanganui River
5. All union and pipe connections should come easily together and true. No force should ever be used to bring the faces or ends together. If the pipes or joints are strained when they are being connected, it will probably cause the joints to break, or to become slack, and cause the air brake to become defective.
6. Always clamp and secure the train pipes well to the vehicles so that they will not shake. A slack train pipe, if not attended to promptly, will likely cause leaks and other air brake troubles.
7. When making air pipe joints use only tallow and flax. Red lead and similar substances must not be used on air brake pipe fittings.
8. All brake pipe threads should be of full size and true, and every case should fit well into the connections without shake or looseness. Worn or loose pipe threads never give satisfactory air brake service.
9. All standard steam bends used for air brake purposes should have the sand scraped out, and be blown out with steam before being used.
10. All air brake pipes when completed, and before being placed on the engines or vehicles, should be blown out with steam.
11. Only the best heavy steam pipe and steam pipe fittings should be used for air brake work.
12. When overhauling the air brake on engines, tenders, or vehicles, the triple valves should be cleaned, oiled, and tested at the bench.
13. The standard triple-valve piston ring test is carried out with the triple piston off its seat, and the triple slide valve on lap. With a continuous pressure of 75lbs, the compressed air must pass the triple piston ring into an empty auxilary reservoir of 1,458 cubic inches capacity (10 in. by 24 in.) at a speed of not more than 30 lbs. per minute. With new triple valves and with 75lbs. continuous pressure the compressed air must pass the piston ring into the reservoir at a speed not greater than 15lbs. per minute. Should these pressures be exceeded the triple valve piston rings must be put in order.
14. Great care is required when triple valve piston rings are being fitted. These piston rings should fit closely around the whole part of the bush, and the end joints should fit closely together. Triple valve piston rings should be ground in with oil only. No emery or other abrasive material should ever be used.
15. When the triple slide valve or its face needs refacing, they should be scraped to a
16. When renewing air brake leather gaskets, rub a little tallow on the faces of the new gaskets or leathers.
17. Air brake leathers or gaskets should never be placed in hot water, or cleaned with kerosene, as this takes out the wax filling and causes the leathers to leak.
18. Great care should be taken when placing brake cylinder pistons and piston leathers into the brake cylinders. First place the piston into the cylinder at an acute angle and work gradually until it is in the central and correct position.
19. The tophead main valve piston rings should be a good fit (without being too tight) in the cylinders or bushes. These rings should fit the piston head grooves closely and without shake. The piston ring ends should fit closely together.
20. When air pumps are being overhauled, the steam and air cylinders should be callipered, to see if these cylinders are parallel, before the piston rings are fitted.
21. The steam and air cylinders should be rebored when the ends are 1–16th in. larger than the centre of the bore.
22. Air cylinder piston heads should be replaced when the diameter is 1–16th in. less than the bore of the cylinder.
23. The fit of the air piston head on the rod should be a light driving fit when the end of the rod is parallel, but when the piston rod end is tapered there should be 1–32 in. draw.
24. Piston packing rings for air or steam cylinders should be condemned when the openings are 3–32 in. apart when placed in the end of the cylinder.
25. Piston rods should be trued up when cut or worn 1–32 in.
26. All screws and threads should be coated with graphite lubricant before being fitted together.
27. Steel air valves are preferable for all air pumps.
28. Worn nuts should never be placed on the air piston rod end.
29. The air end of the piston rod should be annealed each time the air pump is overhauled.
30. The lift of the air valves should be minimum 3–32 in., maximum 5–32 in.
31. It is important that the steam and air cylinders of the air pump be properly and regularly lubricated with suitable oil or grease.
32. Oil the steam cylinders with good cylinder oil and the air cylinder with paragon grease.
33. Tallow or animal or vegetable oils must not be used to lubricate the air cylinder.
34. Main reservoirs should be of the tube design. These should always be located on the engine and be securely and firmly attached with proper supports, to the underside of the running board or on some other suitable part of the engine.
35. Wood packing, or wood supports on the main reservoirs do not give satisfactory results, as owing to shrinkage, the wood blocks become slack.
36. Main reservoirs for freight engines should not be of less than 40,000 cubic inches capacity.
37. For passenger engines the main reservoir should not be of less than 30,000 cubic inches capacity.
38. Only two connections, the inlet and the outlet, should be made to the main reservoir, and these openings should be separated as far as possible. The discharge opening should be near the top part of the main reservoir so that the water or moisture will not pass into the brake pipes.
39. All air brake main reservoirs should be fitted with drain cocks.
40. Air brake pressure gauges should be placed conveniently, and in clear view of the enginedriver. The duplex pressure gauge should be well lighted, and so placed that it can be seen clearly by day and by night. Air gauges should be tested at regular intervals.
41. Particular care should be exercised when placing the driver's brake valve. This should be well within the reach of the enginedriver when he is looking forward, and when he is looking back out of the cab window from his usual position in the cab.
(To be continued.)
Some Slogans.
Success In Business
[In our May issue we published an outline of an address prepared by
Remember your job is your best friend. If you ask any successful Railway Officer the reason for his making good, he will tell you that first and foremost it is because he likes his work. He is entirely inseparable from his work, and that is what every man worth his salt ought to be.
Want of perseverance is the cause of more failures than incapacity, or want of opportunity, and what is wanted to ensure more success is not so much special skill, genius or even opportunity, as Energy. There is a certain happiness to be found in the most disagreeable duty when we stop to realise that we are getting it out of the way.
Many young Officers in our great service put solid barriers in front of themselves and then wonder why they do not succeed as they think they should; many to-day worry far too much about the amount of salary they receive and think far too little about what they truly earn.
Be energetic and enthusiastic.
A large number of men are dwarfed solely by their indolence, and some, possessed even of inferior powers are, by contrast, giants in Railway affairs, because they are men in earnest, whose lives are full of the most persistent endeavours to secure the ends which they have set before them and resolutely pursued.
If we get nothing else but disappointing experiences from life we may rest assured that the fault is in large measure, our own; we are not sending out the right kind of mental stuff.
Many say that to study or train is wasted effort; that they are not as clever as some; they say “I can't!” “I can't!”
Say “I Can and I Will”.
Read this from “Sparks Fortnightly”:—
I Will.
“I Will”has a spirit that nothing daunts
“I Will”never hesitates lest he fail—
“I Will”sets his teeth when things start off wrong;
“I Will”has a punch hid in each hand;
“I Will'understands in his own strength lies
“I Will.”
If we doubt our own judgment and discretion in business you may be sure others will do the same and then our ability will be questioned. We must believe absolutely in our own ability.
Successful Railwaymen, with a few exceptions of conspicuously superior intellect, have won their success by efficiency in comparatively small matters; therefore, to succeed we must apply the principles of efficiency to the details of our work. We must aim for the topmost rung, keeping that objective ever before our minds, doing each day our job faithfully and well, and sooner or later, we will find ourselves Beginning to Climb.
You will possibly say to yourselves “That's all very well. It is easy to say make up your minds to succeed, but it does not seem to help us very much”.
That is the very point! You do not make up your minds. You try for a day or two and then ease off. This is weakness. You must learn to keep on trying,
Our every conscious act is preceded by a thought, therefore we must learn to control our thoughts. The desire to be, or to do this or that, will avail nothing unless we have the will to persevere.
No man, no matter how limited his natural ability, should despair of doing good work, or of achieving marked success, so long as he has the fixed determination to succeed.
Those of you who are not making much of a success of your jobs can make a fresh start and say “I Can and I Will do my best to make myself an Efficient Railway Officer! I Have Made Up My Mind To Succeed.”
By Those Who Like Us
The Divisional Secretary of the Queensland Division of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen (Mr. J. Valentine), writes:—
I am directed to express our fullest appreciation of the courtesy extended to one of our members, Driver W. F. Wallis, Ipswich, during his recent visit to your Dominion. Since his return Mr. Wallis has sung great praise of your welcome and the trouble taken to ensure a very pleasant trip. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated by the members throughout Queensland.
* * *
“I am very glad to report that…. . during the recent rush of phosphate importations good supplies of trucks were available,” writes
Since 3rd May last approximately 40,000 tons of phosphate rock have been discharged here and the quick despatch given to vessels, owing mainly to a sufficiency of railway trucks, has been an important factor in attaining the desirable object of supplying phosphate to the Dominion at the lowest possible price.
The Director General took the opportunity to express to the Railway Board his Department's appreciation of the efforts made in meeting the position created by the abnormal arrival of supplies of phosphate, and added that the quick “turn round” of vessels carrying the phosphate was an essential factor in the economical supply of fertiliser to the farmer, and that the good supply of trucks enabled this to be accomplished.
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Writing to the District Traffic Manager at Auckland, the Director of the firm of Henderson and Macfarlane Ltd., expresses appreciation of the services rendered by the Department in connection with the discharge at Auckland of a cargo of phosphate from Nauru Island ex the s.s. “Mariston.” Phosphate to the amount of 5,400 tons was discharged in a little less than three days and “constitutes a record made possible only through the efficient manner in which the Department provided a continuous and satisfactory supply of trucks.”
Writing to the Stationmaster at New Plymouth on behalf of the Taranaki Basic Slag Distributors, the firm of Newton King Ltd. expresses thanks and appreciation for the assistance rendered in connection with the discharge and distribution of several cargoes of basic slag, which arrived recently at that port:—
The members present realised that in some instances, owing to various causes, considerable difficulties had to be overcome, and were only straightened out by the willing and courteous co-operation of yourself and staff.
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Mr. H. McComish, whose son was recently transferred from the Wellington Hospital to the Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer, writes in appreciation of the kindness and sympathetic help rendered by the Railway staff on the journey from Lyttelton to Culverden.
Had it not been for the tact and sympathy of the staff, from stationmasters to porters, the removal would have been most trying for the boy. They did all that was in their power to assist him and to make his journey as easy as possible. We shall always be most grateful for their thoughtfulness.
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Mr. W. E. Sainbury, of Perth, Western Australia, writes to the Secretary, Railway Board, as follows:—
I must express my appreciation of the kindly spirit which is shown to all tourists by your Government Railways. I am a constant visitor to New Zealand, which to me, is one of the prettiest countries I have yet travelled. I hope to again have the pleasure of visiting New Zealand accompanied by my wife and family early in the coming year.
Safety First
Safety First Resolutions.
With the object of reducing the number of accidents on the railways of America 35 per cent. by the year 1930 from the totals that were recorded in 1924, the Safety Section of the American Railway Association recently adopted a series of safety resolutions. The resolutions were designed to impress more definitely upon railwaymen the factors which cause accidents in carrying out their daily duties, and the importance of following “safety first” rules if the objective aimed at is to be attained. We quote the section of the resolutions which is addressed to the Train Service Department. It proceeds as follows:—
Whereas there were 190,000 Conductors, Flagmen and Brakemen in the service of the railroads of the United States, of whom 475 were killed and 21,488 were injured in 1924, representing thirty-two per cent. of all fatalities and seventeen per cent. of all injuries to employees on duty, and
Whereas, The General Causes of accidents and percentage of accidents due to each general cause are as follows:
Defective material and equipment, lack of safeguards, litter or other physical hazards, 5 per cent.
(a) Violation of rules and other forms of negligence, 10 per cent.
(b) Carelessness, thoughtlessness, indiffierence, ignorance or physical and mental unfitness and misadventure, 85 per cent. and
Whereas, The means of preventing accidents are as follows:
Improved design and construction, better maintenance and installation of necessary safeguards.
(a) Improved training, supervision and discipline.
(b) Safety organisation, education persuasion, co-operation, first aid, medical attention…..
Resolved, That the Safety Section, American Railway Association, appeals to all Trainmasters to provide ways and means of impressing upon Conductors, Flagmen, and Brakemen, particularly new and inexperienced men, the necessity for exercising proper care in the performance of duty to the end that maximum safety may be assured and a thirty-five per cent. reduction in casualties be achieved by 1930, which is the safety goal of the railroads, and be it further
Resolved, That it is the opinion of the Safety Section, that if proper and continuous effort is put forth to impress upon Conductors, Flagmen and Brakemen the four major causes of fatalities, namely: (1) struck by trains, (2) Getting on and off trains, (3) Falling off trains and (4) Coupling and uncoupling cars, that within a short period a very marked reduction in fatal accidents will be accomplished.
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Safety First Slogans.
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Accidents are daily occurrences; they are painful, unnecessary, wasteful and costly. Every man should do his utmost to prevent them by following the rules of safety.
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Goggles have been devised for the protection of the eyes. They are frequently worn on the nose. This is not a safe practice, for if a fragment of metal, cinder or the like, struck a workman wearing his goggles on his nose, he could truthfully say that his goggles afforded his eyes no protection. This is one of the many instances of safety abuse.
“G. Ripfast ”)
In the early days of telephony, galvanized iron wire was about the only wire available. The price of copper was high and if that metal was erected, the wire quickly sagged, this sag being especially noticeable after a very hot summer. Continual regulation was soon found to be not only expensive but useless with soft metal, and electrical engineers of that day looked around for something more serviceable. Bronze was at length tried, and has now stood the test of more than 40 years' use. Hard drawn copper was devised for trunk lines and is at present fairly cheap, which, with skilled craftsmanship in its erection, should last a century. But bad workmanship on either bronze or copper lines will considerably shorten their lives, adding enormously to the “repair” account. It behoves every man in an erecting gang, therefore, to eschew possible faults in completing the job.
1. A good joint. 2. A weak joint. 3. A faulty joint. The white marks besides joints indicate points between which solder has been applied.
In erecting hard drawn wires (bronze or copper) the most important work is in “Jointing.” When dealing with galvanized iron wire, a joint called the “Britannia” was evolved. it is clumsy; still, and this is the most important part, the heat applied to solder the splice is not sufficient to burn the “temper” out of the wire, and if by any chance it were, the ultimate cooling would partially, if not wholly, restore that quality. But it is a different matter when jointing hard drawn bronze or copper. The heat of a soldering bit is sufficient to rob either of its hard drawn quality wherein lies its great tensile strength; and when it is remembered that both bronze and copper are softened by first being heated and then plunged into cold water, it will be seen how important it is to preserve the “temper” of the wire; for no amount of subsequent cooling can possibly restore this indispensable property. In the jointing of these materials therefore, too much care cannot be used, for their power to resist storms and snowfalls is materially increased thereby. In early work many differently made joints were tried and finally abandoned in older countries, and this article is prompted by finding that a joint long ago found deficient is still being used in New Zealand.
In the absence of a testing machine it is yet quite easy to ascertain which is the superior joint; and this applies equally to bronze or copper. Take a length of wire on which a sensible joint has been made (as shown in figure 1), but not soldered. Attach one end firmly to a beam overhead (one having “round corners” is best), fix an empty oil drum securely to the other end so as to be two or three inches off the floor, and proceed cautiously to fill up the drum with sand until the wire breaks. The break will not occur at the joint, and the joint unsoldered as it is, will not come undone. Weigh the oil drum and its contents and note down.
Take a similar length of the same gauge wire from the same coil and make the ordinary (“asylum”) joint on it without solder. Follow the same procedure as in the first test. Before half the quantity of sand previously used is returned to the oil drum the joint will have come undone. Repeat the test with soldered joints (the soldering of the joint in figure 1 not to exceed half an inch in length; the soldering of the other to be anything that satisfies a foreman ganger).
The shortness of the soldered part (figure 1) is the wire's salvation. The heat has not time to flow far along the joint, and the radiation from its two diameters is rapid. The joint in figure 2, consisting mostly of three diameters, takes a greater heat to effect the soldering and quickly reaches the ends of the splice, softening the central wire instantly. This joint, in daily practice, is usually soldered right up to the extremities, which makes the case worse. The test shows that the strength of joint in figure 1 does not depend on the soldering, but such union is rendered imperative in order to maintain good metallic conductivity, otherwise the oxidisation caused by the atmosphere would very soon render the line useless.
Any member of an erecting staff seeing the above tests carried out will not again make fool joints of figure 2 pattern, or do anything that might soften the wire on which he is working.—Verb Sap.
Superintendent of Workshops)E. T. Spidy ,
In connection with the re-organisation of Loco Branch Workshops there are a number of matters that vitally concern the men and in order to secure a measure of co-operation from all concerned it has been decided to establish a committee of the men at each workshop, in order to provide a means of making the men at the shop conversant with the plans of the Department and also that the Department may receive the views and opinions of the men concerned.
Committees are to consist of one man from each shop or Department and are to be elected annually. The Department will in no way interfere with the selection of the committee men; it will merely oversee the ballot. This becomes necessary by reason of the fact that the shop men are in three classes, those in either of the two Societies and those in none. The workshops committees will deal with matters pertaining to their own shop, and their establishment in no way affects the status or methods of the existing societies.
Essentially, Workshops Committees are expected to become constructive agents in the fostering of a good esprit de corps in our shops. Much has been said to the effect that the Department does not take the men into its confidence, that the men could help if they only knew what was going to be done, and so on.
The purpose of the committee scheme is to allow the management to give that confidence, and to officially provide a means for the men to express themselves.
In operation the Workshop Manager will call meetings of the Committee at least monthly or oftener as may be desired or necessary. The committee may meet at the place provided, at its own convenience. The committee will elect its own chairman. A Committeeman may interview his foreman at any time concerning a shop matter, and if it requires to be referred to the Workshop Manager, the Committeeman and his Chairman may make an appointment with the Workshop Manager. The idea, also, is to provide a line of definite action to prevent grievances developing.
It is desirable that no actual limitations be placed on the Committee as to what they may, or may not deal with, other than that their concern is their own Workshop. The things that interest us to-day may not be the things that concern us a couple of years from now.
Here are some of the subjects that we know are in line for co-operative action by the Committee:—
Transfers from shop to shop:
In this connection, the Staff Department will handle transfers as formerly, but the Committee would be advised of the plans, and be able to assist the men in their shop very materially, by. bringing forward questions and suggestions that will enable the transfers to be carried out as smoothly as possible.
Housing Requirements:
The Department is willing to co-operate in the development of the best scheme offering in order to secure or arrange housing for men under transfer.
Safety First:
There is good scope for shop committees to assist the management in this connection, and at the same time protect themselves.
Lavatories, and Locker Rooms; Bicycle Accommodation:
Co-operative effort is desired with regard to proper facilities being provided in new shops, to suit the convenience of the men.
Dining Rooms:
There are questions as to what facilities shall be provided in Workshops dining rooms, and the best method of catering.
Social Hall Management:
These halls are being provided for the welfare of the staff, and shop committees could help considerably in the development of the social arrangements, to foster the the best spirit.
Premium System:
When the system is started there may be many details that the shop committee will want to satisfy itself about, which can be properly explained through the medium of the committee.
Sundry Shop Suggestions:
Questions and complaints regarding cleanliness, sanitation, etc., are bound to occur, and the shop committee method provides a quick course of representation.
It is hoped that the Committee selected will consist of men of broad views whose chief aim will be to advance the welfare of the men and the Department. Committees so constituted have proved of great benefit in many other similar Workshops and the same can be accomplished here by sound team work.
“Barbara”
A fair young New Zealander, whose photograph, taken by Mr. A. S. Mitchell, of Wellington, and exhibited in the New Zealand Inter-club Photographic Competition this year, was awarded the maximum marks. The Judge (Mr. Higginbotham) considers this a perfect example of portraiture.
The Big Idea
Conferences of all District Officers in the North Island were held during the third week of July.
On the 20th of that month the Conference of District Traffic Managers was opened.
The operations for the previous quarter were reviewed with a view to making further improvements in train running and transport work generally. A comprehensive agenda paper was discussed including, among other matters, improvements in the working timetable, the reduction in the number of special trains, the matters of booking office organisation and the checking and collection of tickets. A new system for supervision of tablet stations was considered and the method of compilation of statistical returns was also discussed.
At a joint Conference of District Traffic Managers, District Engineers and the Locomotive Engineer matters jointly affecting all Branches were considered, and it was decided that a fixed weekly Conference should be held between District Officers in each centre with a view to discussing outstanding matters affecting the various Branches, arranging for joint inspection and reports, and generally securing uniformity and prompt efficiency in dealing with the Department's business.
The District Engineers' Conference commenced on July 22nd and, in addition to the Divisional Superintendent, was attended by Messrs. J. K. Lowe, Auckland; C. T. Jeffreys, Wellington; W. R. B. Bagge, Ohakune; and H. W. Beasley, Wanganui.
A lengthy agenda paper dealing with improvements to track calculated to effect economy in maintenance, the economical use of work trains, the re-arrangement of gang lengths with a view to securing economy while maintaining a good standard of efficiency, and the elimination of unnecessary level crossings received consideration.
Opportunity was also afforded to the visiting engineers to inspect the new works under construction in Auckland, and general surprise was expressed both at their magnitude and the progress made to date.
At the conclusion of the Conference the engineers had the pleasure of meeting Mr. D. T. McIntosh, late District Engineer, under whom the Divisional Superintendent and all the District Engineers present at the Conference had served for a considerable number of years.
General appreciation of the good effect of periodical Conferences was expressed by all the officers who attended, and the result must be not only an increase of efficiency in the separate branches, but better team work and a better understanding between the various officers of the Department.
In compiling a souvenir booklet in connection with the Farmers' excursion train on its recent run through the King Country, we were greatly aided by the information supplied through the medium of a questionnaire sent to those in charge of stations throughout that district. Some members had taken great trouble to supply accurate information, and most of the reports indicated that the staff have a very through knowledge of the farming position in their immediate neighbourhood. The report of the caretaker (Mr. W. F. Marten) at Ngaroto was one of the best, whilst among the tablet station reports, those from Te Kawa, Porootarao, Okahukura, Manunui, and Kakahi were particularly interesting. The covering reports from station-masters were very helpful, those from Mataroa and Utiku being especially lucid.
* * *
Remarkable evidence of the durability of the heavy rails used in the Lyttelton tunnel was supplied when the Department recently renewed a section of about 25 chains near the Lyttelton end. The type used is the same as that in the Otira tunnel, 100lb. rails, which are the heaviest on any section of line in the South Island. In both instances the traffic is exceptionally heavy. The rails which were replaced were laid in 1907, yet, when they were lifted, it was found that they had suffered a great deal more from corrosion than from wear.
Stationmasters:
White, J., to Grade 4, Addington.
Carter, E. W. E., to Relieving Officer, Grade 4, Dunedin.
Engineers and Draftsmen:
Bargh, A. J., to Draftsman, Grade 6, C.M.E.O., Wellington.
Foremen:
Lee, M., to Goods Foreman, Grade 5, Palmerston North.
McTigue, T., to Coaching Foreman, Grade 5, Dunedin.
Hodgson, J., to Ticket Inspector, Grade 6, Wellington.
Signalmen:
McDonald, J., to Grade 2, Summit.
Firemen:
Bishell, I., to Enginedriver, Taumarunui.
Cleaner:
Hannam, W. N., to Storeman, Grade 1, Greymouth.
Lifters to Train Examiners:
Baker, E. J., to Grade 1, Christchurch.
Mayes, J. C., to Grade 1, Whangarei.
Iron Machinist:
Gjersen, E. W. H., Grade 1, to Special Grade, Petone.
Price, C., Grade 1, to Special Grade, Petone.
Carlyle, O. T., Grade 1, to Special Grade, Petone.
Leading Painters:
Farrant, A. E., to Foreman, Grade 6, Architectural Branch.
Fitters:
Robson, F. G., to Draftsman, Grade 7, Wellington.
Skilled Labourers:
Gosling, H., to Striker, Dunedin.
Electric Linesmen:
Munro, J. R., Special Grade to Electric Lines Inspector, Grade 6, Whangarei.
Darroch, R., Grade 1, to Special Grade, Christchurch.
Line Erectors:
Fahey, G. N., to Electric Lineman, Grade 2, Masterton.
Signal Erectors:
Sedgely, F., (Leading Hand), to Electric Lineman, Grade 1, Christchurch.
Labourers:
Elliott, E. W., to Bridgeman, Kaiwarra.
Surfaceman:
Doidge, W. H., to Ganger, Belgrove.
The Right Spirit.
Surfaceman J. McNicol of Dannevirke, who, after a protracted period of sickness, was last month retired from the Service as medically unfit is evidently actuated by the right spirit. In writing to the Railway Board to thank them for their kind consideration, his wife states: “Although retired, there are many ways in which we can assist to further the interests of your Department, and we will endeavour always to do our best.”
A function of a very pleasant nature took place on 2nd July at the Johnsonville Hall to mark the departure on transfer of the popular Stationmaster, Mr. D. G. Law to Pukekohe. Mr. C. Watson, who presided over the gathering, spoke of the high esteem in which Mr. Law was held by the local staff and by the residents of the district—a tribute which was eloquently endorsed by Mr. Touhy and other speakers. During the course of the evening the departing guest was made the recipient of a pair of entree dishes. In a particularly appropriate speech he expressed thanks for the kind words spoken on his behalf, and for the gift, which would always remind him of his stay at Johnsonville, and the many kind friends who had gathered that night to wish him well in his new sphere.
The Administration invites ideas likely to effect economies or improvements in any phase of Railway operations.
To the keen, observant employee, methods for improving the service sometimes suggest themselves in the course of the day's work.
Your suggestion or invention may be valuable both to yourself and to the Department. Do not hesitate to send it along to the Secretary, Suggestions and Inventions Committee, Head Office, Railway Department, Wellington.
Note—Although the suggestions and inventions listed have not all been adopted, the enterprise of the members concerned is greatly appreciated.
Four-ounce grease cups to a design prepared by the Chief Mechanical Engineer and recently tried out on the big ends and side rods of “Ab” 833 have given satisfaction. This engine has run 8,000 miles since the cups were fitted, and the bearings have occasioned no trouble, nor have the cups required any attention. Drivers who have had their engines similarly fitted are quite pleased with the results obtained. It has been found in practice that an engine has run 820 miles on one filling of the cups and without any adjustment of the compression.
It is expected that the first of eight “Wab” engines at present being built for the Department by Messrs. A. & G. Price Ltd., Thames, will be handed over during August.
The building of new sleeping cars similar to the car de luxe recently tried out on the Limited express is proceeding at Petone, and it is hoped to have two of these completed in time for the Christmas traffic. The building of others included in the new car programme will follow.
The Clayton car has been put through some severe tests recently. It has now been shipped to Lyttelton and will be used on the Kurow Branch.
New Workshops: The position in regard to the Hutt Valley Locomotive Shops is that the closing of tenders for structural work on the building is being awaited. Preparation and levelling of the site for the shops is being proceeded with.
Otahuhu Car and Wagon Shops: Here also tenders have not yet closed for structural work on the buildings; preparation and levelling of the site is under way.
Addington Workshops: Site clearing, which is being done by the Department, is in progress, and stores buildings are now re-arranged so as to permit of new buildings being erected. The new Tarpaulin Shop is in progress.
Hillside Workshops: The paint shop is now dismantled and is being re-erected in the Goods Yard at Dunedin. The Anderson Bay traffic sidings are ready for use and the Kensington Yard will be closed down as soon as road access is provided.
Workshop Electrification: At Petone and Addington work is well on towards completion. At Hillside, Invercargill, and East Town, tenders have not yet closed.
Workshop Machinery: Plans are being prepared for the installation of all new machinery on the first year's allotment as soon as it is received.
Apprentice Instruction: Four apprentice instructors (Messrs. A. Thomson, Newmarket; G. Carter, Petone; W. Robbins, Addington; and
Models of railway machine parts are kept and these are used to give the apprentices practice in sketching. Suitable drawings for analysis are also used. The Department provides drawing boards, and tee and set squares, while the apprentices are required to furnish their own instruments.
The Board's object is to teach the apprentices to understand the work upon which they are engaged, to enable them to read blueprints, and to provide a place where they can bring shop problems and have them explained. Later, various specialist officers of the Department will lecture the classes on subjects likely to benefit them.
During their first three years, apprentices will receive three hours school work per week in the Department's time. In addition, the Department will insist on apprentices attending evening Technical Schools as well as the Departmental classes.
Advertising The Railways.
Commenting on the combined Railway and Publicity Departments' display at the recent Winter Show, the Hawera “Star” draws attention to the rapid strides that have been made in regard to publicity matters by the great Government Departments which do business directly with the public. These Departments “are fully alive to the possibilities afforded for publicity by the Winter Show and similar exhibitions.” Dealing more particularly with the two departments named, the “Star” observes that “the public will congratulate the official heads, and especially the experts who carried out the schemes, on the artistic, informative and compelling displays which were made at the Show.”
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There are two forms of discontent: one laborious, the other complaining.—Ruskin,
Wit And Humour
A good story of a Maori's first ride in a train was told at a meeting of returned soldiers. It happened at the Auckland end of the line, and the Maori entered the train with much trepidation, especially as the carriage was near the engine which was blowing off steam. He was not at all happy as the train accelerated speed, and as it dashed into a tunnel all sorts of weird mutterings were heard proceedings from the corner where he sat. Just as suddenly the train dashed once more into daylight evidently to the great astonishment of the Maori, who looked round with an amazed expression on his face and remarked, “Py gorry, to-morrow!”
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Level Crossings
“Who's Who,” or “The Right of Way”
Irate passenger: How long is this train going to be this morning?
Guard: Four carriages and a brake van.
* * *
Two boys, invited by an austere aunt to spend a holiday with her agreed to toss for who should go. Dick arrived at the farm and was asked by his relative how he and not Tom had come. He explained that the matter had been settled by the expedient of tossing. “And you won?” inquired his aunt. “No,” replied the boy, “I lost.”
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From the “Morning Post.” Concluding sentence from a North London Schoolboy's essay on the Duke of Wellington: “And when the Duke died he had a lovely funeral, and it took eight men to carry the beer.”
A business man who had been out with some friends had a rather hectic evening. The next morning his wife asked him who “Juliet” was as he had been talking of her in his sleep. He said that “Juliet” was a horse he had backed. Coming home the same evening he asked his wife how she had spent the day. She said she had been out to lunch with a friend, and paid a visit to another, “and at four o'clock your horse rang up!”
* * *
Once a year the newsboys of a certain district of London are taken for an outing up the Thames by a gentleman of the neighbourhood when they can bathe to their hearts' content.
As one little boy was getting into the water a friend observed, “I say Bill, ain't yer dirty!”
“Yes,” replied Bill, “I missed the train larst year.”
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Two Irishmen were having a discussion one day about the dangers of the present age. “Yes,” said one, “these are dangerous times we live in, with all this machinery, but I'd rather be in a collision than an explosion. In a collision, where the devil are ye?”
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Old Sea Dog (to gentleman viewing wreck): “Yes sir, that's the Mary Hann what was bound for Dundee wiv corfee.” Old gentleman (hard of hearing): “Dear me! Coffins?” Old Sea Dog: “Corfins? Nah? Corfee what you make tea orf!”
The above statement is compiled from the weekly traffic returns, which are found most useful when forecasting the approximate revenue for the period, and tracing the weekly fluctuations in traffic.
In surveying the above figures it must be borne in mind that Easter Monday 1926, was 5th April, and in 1925 the 13th April, so that the current year's passenger figures would be slightly affected on account of a portion of the advanced bookings being included in March period. However, the large decrease in the number of passengers carried in the North Island, viz.: 373,398 is due almost entirely to motor bus competition in the suburban areas of Auckland, Wellington and Napier, while the increase in the South Island is mainly accounted for by the Exhibition traffic. This winter's influenza epidemic has also affected passenger traffic, especially in the South Island.
Livestock shows a substantial increase due to the late season, and to the fact that sheep have been moved owing to shortage of feed in Wellington and Hawke's Bay districts.
Timber has dropped over 27,000 tons—almost every district showing a decrease. This is mainly attributable to heavy importations of timbers including poles for Power Boards last year and also to unfavourable weather conditions interfering with loading operations, particularly in Ohakune district.
Under the heading “Other Goods” there is shown an increase of 83,000 tons, principally due to general buoyancy and an increased output of coal from the mines at Westport and Greymouth, more orders being received and shipping space being plentiful.
Turning to the revenue, the increase in passenger receipts is due to more long distance bookings this year—mainly issues to Exhibition visitors. The decrease in parcels revenue is explained by the fact that horses and motors are now booked through the goods.
The new tariff is responsible for the increase in goods revenue.