RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 898, 18 August 1910, Page 8

RAILWAY IMPROVEMENTS.

0 REDUCTION OF GRADES AND . CURVES. SPECIAL -VOTE Olr .C 25.000 YEARLY URGED. ■A" portion of the Hon. J. A. Millar's railways statement, which was presented to Parliament, yesterday, is devoted to the question of the economics that could ljo effected in the working of the Tailways by a judicious expenditure incurred in reducing grades and flattening curved on the principal main lines. The- Minister'states that he has paid considerable attention to this important matter. Ho recommends that a special vote be taken for the purpose of., these ■works, and that the sum of .£25,000 annually be spent in reducing grades and otherwise improving tho alignment of the trunk lines, commencing with the Auckland-Wellington Main Trunk line and afterwards continuing on tho Rotorua, New Plymouth, Napier, and Hiirumii-BlulF lines in order of importance. Tho table of engine-loads, and practical experience in. connection with the Milburn bank.in the South Island, indicate clearly that a cousidoroblo reduction in train-mileage, with coiresponding saving in operating expenses for all time, will result from carrying out the proposals. Other material advantages incidental to the work will be:—(1) Runoval of necessity for double-heading a,"large number of trains; (2) quicker transport of traffic consequent on increasing hauling capacity of locomotives; (3) increased capacity of rolling stock owing to reduction of time taken in transport, of traffic; (4/ reduction in train and engine mileage, fuel and stores; (5) saving in operating expenses, which on ■the basis of existing business is estimaled at ,£25,000 per-annum when the trunk line grades are reduced, and will bo an increasing amount as traffic expands and grades on other lines enumerated are lowincreasing the capacity of existing lines thus providing for largely increasing, business, and delaying for many years the. time when extensive duplication of portions of the main lines will be necessary. Preliminary surveys and plans dealing with the reduction of grades and improvement of curves on those portions of the North Island Alain Trir.ik line, on which it is desirable operations-for reductions shouid first, commence, have been comp,lo^d,- It; , is P r °P°sou that the grades shall be reduced to a minimum of 1 in 70 en straight roads and 1 in 80 on curves and the radius of curves shall be flattened to 1 m 15 where practicable and 1 in 12 where it is found-that the cost of : flattening to 1 in 15 would be.excessive. :