NEW TRAM ROUTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 17, 15 October 1919, Page 8

NEW TRAM ROUTES

' TO KELBURN AND NORTHLAND ORDINARY ELECTRIC VERSUS CABLE CARS The desiro for tramway communication'between'Vestern Kclburn and Northland was once more voiced at.tho meeting, of, Kelburn ratepayers held on Monday evening. This matter is not being forgotten' by." the City Council. The Mayor (Mr, J. P. Luke) informed a Dominion' roporter yesterday that a complete scheme had been planned, and the grades • all maped out before. the City Engineer (Mr. W..M. Morton) left for America and. England, nnd could have been gone on with had the.council given the- necessary authority, but as Mr. Morton''.yould shortly return, after ihspectiug'inany tramway systems all over the world, it was not considered wise to take any definite steps until he was consulted. There had been two schemes .brought under- his notice that would serve Kelburn and Northland. One was by. a branch of the ordinary electric tramway system, which would leave the Upper Willis Street line, -traverao Ghuzneo Street west to the Wellington Terrace, then (crossing The Townee) the track would rise gradually along the eido of the hill (behind the residences on the western-aide of The Terrace), coming out near the junction of Mount Street and Salamanca Eoad, mid following the latter road along a built-up track which would run along parallel with the xond on the Kelburn Park Reserve, widening out a little into the Park, at n point near the University entrance to Sie Park, to avoid the hairpin bend the Bharp turn into Kelburn Parade makes. The track would then run up the latter thoroughfare, and after serving Kelburn South would, keeping to higher ground, fun up to and over tho Karori tunnel to Northland, aiid, later, to the big property tho City Council had recently purchased near Wilton's Bush. Asked if the-line would .junction with the Karori line at any plnce near the tnnnel, tho Mayor said that if this scheme wero carried out, and it was found to be an advantage to link up at that point, no great obstacles would present themselves, as a switch line (on nn incline) could bo run down from the I ridge (which the proposed new line •would traverse) to the Karori tramwny line, as tho'distanee was very short. By this means, too, the residents of Northland, would bo piit into direct touch with Karori.. ' ' . New Cable Car Route, The Mayor said that another interesting and quite praclicable proposal, involving another cable tramway from Xambton . Quny. to Wellington Terrace nnd Kelburn, was under consideration This involved building another tramway track near the Kelburn-Karori Company's track, and equipping it with "dummv" cars, which would haul trucks capable cf carrying an ordinary electric car, which would mean that the travelling public would not have to leave the car they entered at the station on La.m]jton Quay in order to Teach their destination at Kelburn or Northland. The Publio Works Department, whi< h had been Consulted about the dummy car proposal, would be prepared to approvo the system providing a grade of ono in seven could "be .secured (the grade of tho Kelburn tram track is one in five).

'.'.,. The "Dummy" Car. The "dummy" car is so called because it is only the undei truck or one possessing the means of carrying another car. The floor of tho "dummy" has a section of track capable of taking a email ordinary eloctrio car. This car on arrival from Northland or Kelbuin only (as the case may be) runs on to the "dummy," and by that means is lowered to the level of the Quay, and thero loads nip. again for the high levels, and- on arrival at tho top takes the track in the ordinary way, and whirls away to its destination. It is not intended to have any through track connection between tho Lambton Quay line and (he "dummy." Great relief will bo given the haulago gear by utilising the countcr- ■ weight -principle, whereby there will always,.be .«. car ascending, when another jVdescending. "The beauty of this system," said the Mayor "is that once a person had taken his eeat in the car at Lambton Quay; he would not need to move until he reached the stopping-place on the extended line, either in Kelburn or Northland. The tramway would be on the cable principle, with an electrio drive. A suitable location for a city station' for the ;new . cable service has' already been located in view of the possibility of, this 6ystcm being adopted, and as far as I can judge it seems to l)e just the. place that -would give us the grade' insisted upon by the Public 'Works Department. However. Mr. Morton is looking especially into the merits' cf the various up-to-date systems of hill tramways in America' and England, and -full consideration will be given to the claims of-the various routes and systems, after his rpnort hns been received on his return. Personally I favour the open route via Ghuznce Street and Sala-manca-Eoad, but the alternative ono ha? Its. advantages in its ceutrality, and speed.*