OTIRA TUNNEL.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1923, Page 1

OTIRA TUNNEL.

1 he maximum load allowed for trains, whether going through tile tunnel from the Arthur's Pass or the Otira end is 23(1 tons, and the average tomuu r o carried daily from both ends of all kinds ol metcimndise and exclusive of passenger traffic is approximately 1128. The traffic is disposed of catly in the afternoon, ami recently it has been the custom for rile Public Works officials to run a works train through to the Arthur's Pass end to pick up materials of all kinds used in the work of constructing the. tunnel and altering the lines. Even after the Rnilwav Department takes over the tunnel the Public AYoiks Department will continue the cleaning up work now proceeding. Between 20 and 25 Public Works men are- employed on the Coast side and from 00 to 70 at Arthur’s Pass. The average use of coal at the power house is about 50 tons weekly, between 2.1 and 1 tons being consumed on Sundays. The coal in use is of various kinds', being described by power house employees as “anything we can get." By an ingenious device at the power house every locomotive registers on a chart th ( , varying amount of electricity used during the day. whether it he in trips up and down the yard, shunting operations, or journeys through the tunnel. Tlie township at Otira railway station which is known as Otira Railway Settlement, to distinguish it from Otira township, the collect inn of houses and hills familiar to all passengers on the coitrlies, contains a total of 111 cottages, nil of which were built in the period from March. 1022. to March 1025. Five distinct types on the olie group plan have been built, and the

result is in give a ],leasing variety Each cottage has a bathroom, high pveK sure water supply. ehr-Die light, am drainage, a big septic lank being ii use :;t the end of the village. It is rumoured that the Railway Do pni'Lment.s intends to remove the Winkers’ Hall in use dining the tunnel con at motion period from its present jiosi lion, half way to the tunnel mouth down to the Otira Railway Settlement where it will he utilised for -oein purposes.