Railways Catching Up On Wartime Lag

Chronicle (Levin), 2 June 1949, Page 7

Railways Catching Up On Wartime Lag

{ AUCKLAND, June I. "Our replacement scheme is well under wav, " said the General Manager \f the Raiiways (Mr F. W. Aicken) kiday. He was replying to a reporter's question on what tlie department was doing to overcoine the wartime producI tion lag and understaffing in coping • with the heaviest? passenger and goods , traffic in the Dominion 's history. Mr Aickin said the carriages on tlie Main Trunk expresses had been increased from eight to 12, but this had caused serious delavs. From June 13 only 10 carriages would be used, cxcept Sundavs, Mondays, and Fridays, when an additional one would be attached. The immediate replacement plans include: — 4 (1) The construction of 35 new J-A type engines in the South Island— 10 were alreadv in service and live would be completed this year. (2) The conversion of 20 more iocumotives from coal to oi! burners — this would bring the total on the JViaiii Trunk, Palmerston North-Napior, aho Marton-New Plymonth runs to 77. (3) The purchase of rolling stock from Britain and the constructiqn m Dominion workshops. (4) Recruiting campaigns and immigration drafts to bolster the maintenance and locomotive stalfs — 50 Englisii immigrants recently joined the Ota huhu workshops, and the .Atlantis would liring 50 more for the Ilutl shops, and 100 for the Wellington electrijicffion projeet. Rnil'ways sulfered more than any u k.m . ■ vice in wartime," Mr Aiekin addcl "The final answer, though, is el'/ctrill ntion."