For Otira Tunnel.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1923, Page 4

For Otira Tunnel.

ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES AT ADDINGTON. Oil R fSTCHUR 11, Feb 3. Throe of the five electric locomotives to be used for the traffic through the Otira tunnel have been completely assembled at the Addington Railway Workshops. and are practically ready to la put into commission. Another is in process of being assembled, and the fifth is at present, in transit from England. A .shunting electric battery locomotive is at present stabled at the I.inwood locomotive sln<Js; it will Ik 1 used for repairs to the overhead wires and for shunting purposes at Otira. ’l'lie lion J. 0. Coates. .Minister of Public Work's, visited tile Addington Workshops yesterday for the purpose of .seeing tile class of engine to be shown in the tunnel. The Minister was shown over one of the locomotives bv Mr A. ,1. Jeffs, representing the English Kk'ijtrie Company of Preston. Lancashire. Mr 11. Gooch. the company's chief engineer is at, present in Wellington. Each of the electric locomotives is capable of hauling lift tons up a gr.'ub of I ill 33 at a speed of "Jo miles an hour, and each weighs IS tons. ’1 he speciality of these electric locomotives is tlic cam-shaft control, the contactors being operated mechanically instead of electrically. Thu interior of the locomotive. which from the closely-packed machinery give's a good idea ol the interior of a tank or a submarine, is taken up pract ie-ally with machinery for controlling the locomotive: lhe electric motors arc placed on the undercarriage-. ’flu re arc no fewer than lour brake's-—a rhe-ostatic brake, two eompressod air brakes, and one- ordinary hand brake. With the exception ol the Westiughoiise i-ompre'sse’d air brake's, tile whole of tin- locomotive- was manufactured hy the English Electric Company. ’flu* controller is somewhat similar to the controllers on ordinary trainee-,, \- cars, lull a special te’a.ture) is the device for the prevention of over-run-ning notches: this device ensures that the'handle can only be pushed one point, at a time'. In outward apjiear,,i),si the e-lcctric loromolive.s are unlike tin- ordinary steam locomotives, the- absence of a chimney, being, ol course. tb<> most noticeable diliul'ence. Ibe current to drive the motor* is .received from the overhead transmission lino al a voltage of 1.1(H): for the control meclianisin and for lighting purposes this is transformed to I2<> volts. The- eliH'crent parts of the' complicated mechanism of the locomotive wei-o very clearly explain, d by Mr delis to the Minister, who showed considerable interest in tlm locomotives.