RAILWAY 'BUSES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 March 1926, Page 4

RAILWAY 'BUSES

AN EXPEIU.Mi-aT

WELLINGTON, .March 8,

The Railway Department is about to embark upon a further experiment in its campaign to popularise and assist tlio railways as a means of passenger transport. A good deal lias been done in tlie matter of testing light railroad conveyances, such as the Sentinel •steam car. Clayton steam car, petrol car, and the latest innovation, the'Ford rail ear, which is virtually an iron shod motor ear running on rails. I’ho Railway Board now is making preparations for running motor ’buses in connection with certain lines, which are not proving satisfactory from the point of view of revenue.

The ’buses are to be similar in type to those plying for hire in the city, sealing 2~> to MO pass?ngers. it ml having an emergency door at the rear and four wheel brakes, and to be run as a matter of economy on the “pay as you enter” principle. This is th? first step of its kind undertaken by the Railway Department, and it will be extended according to results achieved by the initial venture. The districts in which it will fie applied will be determined o.n considerations of productiveness and unproductiveness of railway services the public demand and the need for boosting up the use of the railway by the public. Only three ’buses arc being purchased immediately to ply on routes at Oamaru. Christchurch and Dunedin. The Department realises the advantage of a more mobile ’bus unit with its smaller maintenance costs on runs whore frequent stops are made, and this is one of the principal reasons for the decision to employ ’buses on routes where frequency of -toils by passenger trains retards a speedy service and perhaps entails greater cost. The Department is still conducting experiments with the now type of selfcontrolled and self-propelled vehicles recently put into commission. Diflieitlties are being encountered in some respects, but the Railway Board does not despair of surmounting them and adapting the vehicles, as may be found necessary, to efficient service. The Ford car is a very light vehicle, but tests are to lie made with a vie" to seeing if it- is capable of drawing a trailer. The Clayton steam wagon is a self-! outaiued railway carriage with boiler and engine installation in a small compartment at one end, and controllable either from front or rear. It is not yet in commission. It is pposed to put it into service on tlirj Foxton line, and it has been designed as a means of handling passenger traffic on main lines during slack traffic* periods. Possibly the use of a trailer with this v,abide will also be necessary In all cases working costs, suitability for service and other factors are being closely watched, so that results may be accurately gauged before the new types of vehicle nr«s plated on the section for which they mav lie deemed satisfactory.