WHY TRAM BRAKES FAIL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 620, 24 September 1909, Page 6

WHY TRAM BRAKES FAIL.

;;;■;.,/ -ijipeopee:handling. :;, :■■;(:, \The .following report of Mr." Stuart Eichardson (City. Electrical Engineer) regarding trainway'braKes, was submitted to the-Cify; Council last evening:—.. y ■ .' .••'•'■-. •':.. =i;- : '-. ■'■'•' -"Acting on the■ instructions of the council to report as to any failures of the brakes on ,cars since the Cuba Street accident, 'I; beg to state-that fire cases of alleged'failures, or partial- failures,.' of magnetic brakes have' been reported ''■■ by 'motormen, but, .in. each case, the motorman. admitted."that the: brakes worked 'well immediately afterwards. ■ These' reports were confined to a period of twelve days ending August,9,: and none have, been reported since. After, a- careful investigation of.' the circumstances surrounding'each and. every case; I have.'no hesitation . in. stating- that, in every instance.reported,'the resiilt-was brought about by -improper, the. brakes causing the wheels ;tb skidV. With the mechanism in good order, the. magnetic brake,, is ..absolutely certain in, action frhen ; properly .oiicl the- charges brought .forward ns'.to-.the unreliability.' of' the brakes installed on' our cars are, groundless.'.' Mr.-'i Fell (chief .engineer of the London .County Council) has been carrying'out very 'exhaustive Wai's , of brakes of all .descriptions for some time back,'and,'according to the. latest• papers- to hand, he has now. recommended that .magnetic brakes; similar to .those in', use. here,', should be adopted; fbrv thp two hundred , cars under construction , for theXohdon County Council.'. .In Wellington it has been the, practice.:in,-the. past.to allow, motormen considerable freedom in the manner in which thoy apply the magnetic brakes, but; ns I find that I the .privilege is being l-abusod, I intend enforcing stricter : rogulations'..in the future."