NEW LOCOMOTIVES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 65, 3 April 1937, Page 17

NEW LOCOMOTIVES

To Be Used on WeliingtonNapier Line Locomotives of the K" clase, witb a pulling power almost double that of the AB class at present employed, wilJ be in operation on the Napier-Welling-ton railway service by the end of this year, resulting in- a eonsiderable saving in staffing and an increase of. efficiency. Several bridges, including the pai-tially-completed one 'at Waitangi have yet to be compieted, and cer.tava sections of the line near Dannevirlse streugfhened before the change takea place, and it is anticipated that this work will be compieted within- seven months. The AB class locomotives, which have * been ia use for about 10 yea*ra, have. a pulling capacity on the grade at. Te Aute — thq steepest. grade on. tfie line— of, 250 tons, while the E class. will V,e able to pull up the same grade abcut 400 tons. While this extra power wilj be vaiuable for passenger trains m tjie holiday seasons, it is in heavy freight seasons that the full advantage of the newer locomotives will be felt, and it is in this connection that they wilJ he mainly used. Althougth there is no inorease in height of the engines, which are. built up to the maximum height at which it is possible to negotiate the tunnels ou the line, the newer models are considerably longer, and convey an impression of immense strength. . Several new bridges must be compieted before the new engines are able tb use the line. One of these- is the ferro-concreto rail bridge at Waitangi, and another of the same type is short- I ly to be built near Waipawa. Smaller bridges aud some line-strength,eiiing work near Dannevirke will CQmplete tbe^ necessary arrangements.. The new engines will not be used througbout the whole year,. but will be called into service in times when, freight and passenger traffic is heavy. The K class locomotives are now largely in use on the North Island Main Trunk Ime between Auckland and Wellington. ° *