HISTORY OF RAILCAR DEVELOPMENT

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 155, 27 March 1939, Page 11

HISTORY OF RAILCAR DEVELOPMENT

Progress In Five Years

INTRODUCTION OF NEW AND FASTER TYPE The inauguration on April 16 of a railcar service between Wellington and New Plymouth will mark a further development in the history of railway operations in New Zealand. Designee primarily for fast travel over long dis tances, the new standard type of car to be used on the service is a considerable improvement on any other class of railcar in New Zealand. Its loaded weight is 32 tons, as against 124 tons, the weight of the Wairarapa railcars, and on a recent trial the standard car proved it could run without difficulty to a schedule which will clip two hours off the present travelling time between Wellington and New Plymouth. „ Aotea, officially known as “RM. oU, the railcar which made the New Plymouth trip recently, is one of six cars now completed o’r under construction at the Hutt Valley railway workshops. They are intended for the New Plymouth service, and also for use on the Napier-Gisborne line when finished. By way of contrast, the general manager’s inspection railcar, introduced in 1933, weighs 34 tons, and in appearance resembles a motor-car. Altogether this car has travelled more than 19,000 miles on New Zealand lines, and its performances are said to have been so satisfactory from the viewpoints of economical running and safety that the department introduced larger railcars for passenger services. Wairarapa Fleet. Maahunui developing a total horsepower of 150 and providing seating accommodation for 49 passengers, was Hie first of the Wairarapa type of railcar to be placed in commission. It was specially designed for operating over the steep Rimutaka incline. Maahunui is now one of a fleet of several similar railcars which are running on daily services between Wellington, Masterton, Woodville and Palmerston North. Soon after Maahunui made its appearance, a smaller type of railcar, seating 19 passengers, was placed in commission on an early morning service between Christchurch and Hokitika, via the Otira Tunnel and Greymouth.

Less than five years after the department first gained experience with the general manager’s inspection car Aotea left the Hutt Valley Workshops as a completed unit and ran its first trials on North Island lines. Trips to Auckland, Napier and Wairoa were undertaken, and on several occasions new speed records for railway travel in New Zealand were established. Aotea, incidentally, is powered toy two Diesel motors mounted on leading and rear bogies, which between them develop a total horse-power of 240. Speeds of 70 and 75 miles an hour when Aotea has been undergoing trials have been reached without difficulty. As stated by the General Manager of Railways, Mr. G. H. Mackley, in New Plymouth recently, the efficiency of the standard railcars will be improved, particularly on steep gradients, when the present gear actions of the cars are changed. It was at first thought that the gears as provided by the contractors in England would be ideal for New Zealand conditions, but after experiments had been carried out the department found that the original gearing system was not entirely suitable. Fresh sets of reduced gears were accordingly ordered and these are now on their way to New Zealand. ■Streamlined and coated with the stately Midland red, Aotea has graceful silvery lines and its contour is shaped to assist the car when travelling at high speeds. The whole exterior configuration has also been planned to give rock steadiness when rounding curves and when climbing or descending steep grades.