ELECTRIC CAR FREIGHT SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2482, 8 June 1915, Page 7

ELECTRIC CAR FREIGHT SERVICE

AN EXPANDING BUSINESS. ; "So far I have eleven tons of goods to deliver to-day," stated tho officer in charge of tho city's electric car freight service yesterday. "There is so much of it that the central depot at the foot of Queen's Wharf is uiiablo to take it all. and 1 have had to stack some of the goods outside until we can get them away. There is no mistake t about the city being able to do tho busiuess. Wo can do it all right—we're doing it now— but are hampered by not having a big enough feeder-v.an or a largo enough depot. Our van only carries half a ton. That is of littU use, except for small goods; we should have 0110 that would carry 30 cwt. or two tons, so that, having got a job, we could have the facilities for doing it with dispatch." As to the ability of the electric cars to do tho work, an instance was quoted where sis tons were taken from tho city to Karori, and tho car had returned to the central depot within two hours, the charge being only 30s. At present tho one freight car is quite capable of carrying all the goods offering, but if a toil of stuff has to be lifted from the wharf the small-poivered van has to make tivo trips to lift it, and so much valuable time is lost. Wellington, it was pointed out, is perhaps the most backward _ of au cities boasting a municipal service at taking advantage of its own system as a carrier. If one strong truck body were fitted on to an under-carriage a great deal of carting work could be speedily done. All the material needed at the car-sheds could be carried out per car instead of per private carrier, and loads of tools, etc., needed at certain parts of the suburbs could be sent out without delay. In Christchurch all tile sand, shingle, and metal required for the repairing of the streets is brought into Christchurch over the tramway tracks. In America the carrying business is done over the electric tramway tracks. The goods (tramways) depot at Los Angeles is a very big structure, every bit as big as the goods-shed connected with the railways. There the freight cars are fed by a fleet of motor vans, which pick up and deliver goods to and from the cars in all parts of the city and suburbs. Similarly, advantage is taken of the electric car systems at Indianapolis, Springfield, Detroit, Grafton (Ohio - ), Leigh Valley towns, Quakertown, and larger centres with great success. ' Some of the larger English cities havo also found out the value of an electric car freight department. Conspicuous successes have been made at Bradford and Birmingham, and even conservative London has instituted a service for the delivery of light parcels.