CHEAP RAIL CAR

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1926, Page 4

CHEAP RAIL CAR

SOME INGENIOUS DEVICES. WELLINGTON, February 5. With nineteen branch lines attached to its system but not earning enough to pay interest the Railway Department lias long had a difficult problem. Traffic is so light on many of these lines that there is no chance of a steam train with three employees to work it being aide to pay baro running expenses, therefore in attempting to meet this position the Chief Mechanical Engineer, -Mr G. S. Lynde, who since he has taken the position has introduced a number of important innovations in rolling stock, aimed first at producing the cheapest possible class of vehicle, and next the cheapest to run. He started with a one-ton Ford chassis as a basis, and designed a suitable eoacli for railway purposes, arranged so that one man can effectively control it.

The Ford rail coach is being tried on a small branch in the Wairarapa, from Woodside to Grevtown. Another is being built at the Petonc shops. It carries eleven passengers and some of the back seats are so arranged that they can drop down on hinges and space ba made for luggage, milk cans or other goods. An emergency door is fitted at the back, hut the usual entrance will be from either side of the vehicle in front, there being a door on both sides of the driver’s seat, so that if the system of pay-at-you-enter is introduced the Ford rail ear driver can collect fares as well as drive. r lhe axles of the road chassis bad to lie reduced to railway gauge and strengthened and disc wheels with light section flanged tyres fitted. The usual" steering wheel disappeared and the driver has to manage the petrol and spark controls, a foot brake and substantial hand brake.

Trials of the coach showed it could maintain a pace of thirty miles an hour on petrol consumption, sixteen to eighteen miles ncr gallon with a full load. CARRYING ITS OWN TURNTABLE. The most ingenious feature of this new rail motor is the method ol turning it. Some branch lines have turntables at the terminus, hut this rail car can be turned at any point owing to a simple, cheap, effective plan worked out by the Chief Mechanical Engineer. The balance point of the coach is carefully ascertained and a plate placed beneath the body to mark flic spot. When the driver wishes lo start the return journey he places a jack beneath the balance point, clamps the springs with clips fixed to the vehicle, makes a few turns on the jack and the coach is then balanced on a small hall hearing turntable attached to the jack. It is easy for one man to turn the coach in two minutes.

This class of rail motor is probably just what is needed for serving scattered districts having light traffic. In any case tile experiment is inexpensive, for the chassis can easily be reconverted to road use if tfie rail ear is found unsuitable for that work. Faster ami heavier traffic calls for a different class of rail motor, and those which have been evolved in older centres cost probably four or live times more than the New Zealand railways latest Ford railster. If it stands up to traffic requirements of small branch lines if should save many of them from being closed.