The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1885. ACCIDENTS TO. EXCURSION TRAINS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 109, 13 April 1885, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. MONDAY, APRIL 13, 1885. ACCIDENTS TO. EXCURSION TRAINS.

Within the last few days there have been two remarkably narrow escapes from serious railway disasters overtaking excursion trains m New Zealand. One was m the North Islann and the other m the South. The , first occurred on an excursion train running from Wellington to Masterton, when a carriage became derailed,, and a dreadful catastrophe nearly had to be recorded. We learu that had the speed not been promptly, checked; and the train brought to a \ standstill a much more serious misadventure than the Itimu tak a casuality must have taken place. As it was the passengers were very much alarmed, and naturally so. It is, however, exceedingly fortunate that no worse befel them. In the other occurrence of a similar kind alluded to the telegram informs us that the train, had about 1000 passengers on board, and at a very bad part of the line the brake gave way, and several carriages left the rails. This also was an excursion train, on the Otago main trunk line, and it makes one shudder to attempt to realize the possible results had the accident been of a more serious nature than fortunately was the case. Now, these two narrow escapes to excursion trains, occurring within a few days of each j other, should furnish grounds for. a most thorough and exhaustive official inquiry. Excursion trains have »nly just recently I een inaugurated, and if the public haw not the fullest confidence m the management of our railways as a guarantee for the safe con- ! veyance of passengers, it cannot lie expected that the trains will be very liberally patronised. When people go out on pleasure trips by railway with their wives and families or friends and relatives, they do not wish to have the impression always on their mind* that au accident is very prove to oocur, and that m taking their pleasure they are incurring a serious ri.sk to life and limb. It is a very unpleasant presentiment to occupy the minds of excursionists on pleasure bent, that they may never return , alive, or that they may be mangled arid maimed to such an extent that death would have been preferable. Yet from the occurrences briefly referred to above, it is iolear that such are by no means improbable contingencies. To our mind the Otago case is the most inexplicable. We are told that the «* broke gave way, and that m consequence s&voral carriages left the rails. The guard then jumped off and fortunately was seen by the driver, who fancying something was wrong palled up the train a» soon as he could, and so managed to avert a disaster most fearful even to contemplate. But to our mind the question, is did the broke first give way, or did the carriage* first leave the line, and so cause the brake to give way ? We think the latter by far the more probable. And was there only one brake to this long excursion train ffonveying 1000 passengers 9 Surely there m cause for inquiry here. It is an admitted fact that many of our New Zealand railways are among the most dangerous m the world, having very steep grades—in many cases lin 35 — and at the same time with curves of only a radius of five chains. This fealrre accounts to a very large extent for the slow rate of travelling normally achieved, and which probably is ns fast as is consistent with wifety. The 'next question that naturally arise is are the brakes and other appavatus i m efficient as they should be 1 We very much fear such is not the case. Indeed, we are inclined to believe that the appliances for averting the occurrence of accidents, even m our best colonial lines partake very much of a primitive and •old-fashioned character. All these considerations point m the one direo* tion viz., the imperative necessity for railway reform m every detail. What is the use of effecting" reform* by which a larger amount of passenger , traffic will bo brought about, if our railway appliances and management I are so notoriously inefficient and nnreliable that the heavier the traffic the greater the risk of accident.