Tbe Wellington and Dianawatu Railway Company's Cars.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 5, 4 June 1885, Page 2

Tbe Wellington and Dianawatu Railway Company's Cars.

The Wellington and Manawatu Rail* way Company are vigorously prosecuting the work ot putting together the passenger cars which have been received to their order from the shops of the Gilbert Car Manufacturing Gomparfy, Troy, U.S. Sixteen carriages hayel been put together and are now ready onjthe rails for running, while the remainder are being proceeded with as rapidly! as possible. The cars are not only extremely handsome, but are fitted up m a style which reflects credit not only oh the makers, but also on the liberality of tbfe railway company. Externally the carriages are finished off m a moss eloborate manner, and the coach-nainter has certainly excelled himself m the way he has ornamented the sides. The cars are of four descriptions, viz., first-class, second-class, smoking composite carriages, and composite first and second-claßß carriages. They are all of equal length, viz., 41ft., the height m the clear being 7ft. The first-class passengercars are particularly comfortable, and are capable of seating (as also are h the secondt-elasa) The wood is light, something' simtlwM&f maple, \vith mahogany ;panels Jiighly polished, and the' ceilings painted and relieved with scroll work. Each window is fitted ,with a double louvre shutter. The von. ' tilation is most perfect* aa in'^adjKtion to the ordinary windows there are top;lightS:not only above each window but also over the doors leading* to the platform.' Large kerosene lamps are placed at oither.ond of the enr, eacU having two burners, the 'lamps beihfg-'fixturits and : fed from a well m the centre, thus doing away with the necessity" of ~tßß lamp* man haying to run along the roof of the carriage. The seats, which are reversible, run transversl^ across* the cars, leaving a good broad gangway between the vows from platform to platform. The seats and back-rests -for the first-class carriages are upholstered with red mor. occo leather, with 'springs. Foot-racks are provided*,' and instead of the oldfiiahipned stuffy arm-rests their nlace has 'Heen supplied by metal'alnlsf'flHie hatracks, &c., are also ot nickel plate. Each ' car,: whether; first ot, is supplied Vith-'a ''filter for -wtrt^ivinirrors, 4e. The only difference between the first and second class cars is that the seats m the latter': named are stuffed insteadjof hav-"irig-springs, "arid am cohered. wiUL American leather,, .and the floors are bare instead. , of beingjaid down wi|;ji linoleum, while there is also' sbrae' shgfit modification m. the .interior, decorations. The carriages are stated to bV ''extremely steady when m notion, j and owing to the slight vibration, no difficulty is experi- ' ehced m maintaining a conversation m s, subdued tone of voice.., The wood nsed m construction has all been thoroughly , well seasoned, and the consequence is that there is a total 'absence 'or the rattling of the window 'sashes, &c, so disagreeable to a traveller, especially on a ■'long journey-." ■ > ''& decided ] improvement has also been adopted oby the makers through the introduction at -'Trhat are known as " doad wood buffers," which contain within themselves spiral springs, which on a train coining to a standstill give, thus doing away with the disagreeable bump so often experienced. A chock spring runs through every carriage, and connects with a going on the engine just .above the gauge glass, and the slightest touch- of the line strikes the gotig and at oneo attracts, the driver's attention. The carriages ride oh two sets of bogies, each set having four wheels. The wheels, which were manufactured by Barnum & Salisbury, Connecticut, are cast iron, and instead! of. Saving tyres they are chilled.. The wheels require no keying to the axle, but are pressed on to ' the axle by aforce^qual to 35 tons pressure. The rolling stock possessed by the . Wellington and, Manawatu jailway is certainly equal to that possessed by any line m the colonies. — Wellington paper.