NEW RAIL-CAR

Evening Post, Issue 126, 29 May 1936, Page 10

NEW RAIL-CAR

WEEKEND Tlt-lAL HUNS

REVOLUTIONISING TRAVEL

During the weekend trial runs will be made with the first o£ the rail-ears constructed by the "Railway Department for use on the Wellington-Master-toii-Palmefston North and "WellingtonNew Plymouth routes. The car, Which is being finally tuned up today, will lease the Petone workshops at' ip.ls tomorrow morning and be driven to Upper Hutt It will return to Wellington at approximately 1 o'clock, and will leave again shortly after 2 o'clock on another trial run to Upper' Hutt. The car is expected back in Wellington again at'3.4o p.m. On Sunday further trials will be carried out on the Manawatu line, when the machine will leave for Paekakariki at 7.45 a.rii., returning to Wellington at about 10 o^clock. At 10.40 it will leave for Palmerston North, via. the Manawatu, arriving there at 1.30. It is expected to arrive back in Wellington at 5.30.

The times for these trips will be necessarily slow, as the machine has to be run in; but On the following Sunday an official trial will be made via the Wairarapa to Palmerston North and back to Wellington. On the trials on Sunday it is hoped that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) will accompany Mr. G. H. Mackley, general manager of railways, and the' Department's technical officers.

Following a successful experiment with a petrol-driven machine early in 193->, the Railway Department, after complete investigations regarding the use of rail-cars in other countries, decided to introduce these- units on the Wellington - Wairarapa - Palmerston worth route for day service, and between Wellington and, New Plymouth for night running. It was decided to put six cars into operation, and construction work was commenced almost immediately.- Each car will' be of the most modern type and will carry 49 passengers and one ton of small parcels and luggage, and will be fitted with the very latest comfort-giving devices and toilet facilities. The power will be provided by a 130 horse-power petrol engine driving the pair of rear wheels. The cars are' of. the six-wheel type, built for running in one direction only, with a reverse gear for shunting en route and at terminals. . .

The new cars are. designed to travel at a rate of 50 to 60 miles an hour on the flat. They will negotiate the Rimutaka. incline, with its grade of about one m fifteen, fully loaded; at a speed of from 15 to 17 miles an hour,'and this factor is expected'to change the whole aspect of travel on. the line' between Wellington and the Wairarapa The introduction of the cars will reduce the time between Wellington and Masterton from about 3hr 40min to about 2hr 15min, a saving of lhr 25min Between Masterton and, Palmerston North, by through service, the time will be reduced from 3h'r lorriin to about 2hi\ a saving of Ihrlsmhi.

The rail-car services have been planned to give comfort, cleanliness, and speed. The accommodation will be equal to the best of the present- firstclass railway carriages,' but only second-class fares are to be charged. The cars will be electrically lightedand will have artistic modern fittings! Wireless will be installed, and there will be satisfactory heating arrangements. The whole car is of steel construction, excepting the body panelling, which wall be of aluminium. The Department's standard "midland" red will be the colour scheme, and the roof will be finished in aluminium.

The naming of the rail-car just completed, "Maahunui," after the canoe of the great Maui, is intended as a tribute to the memory of the'famous explorer of'old, through whose courage and daring New Zealand was first discovered. Others of the fleet of new rail-cars will also be named after canoes famous in the history of early New Zealand.