FAT STOCK SEASON

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 47, 24 January 1938, Page 6

FAT STOCK SEASON

TRAFFIC ON RAILWAY. A BUSY CENTRE. Six goods trains devoted entirely to the requirements of the fat stock traffic passed through Palmerston North last night on their way to Wellington, one carrying meat from the Aorangi and Tomoana works, another meat solely from Aorangi, and four with livestock en route to Wellington, there to be distributed either to the Ngahauranga or Petone works. Estimates taken out to-day for the “Standard showed that 155 trucks, mostly of fat lambs, were included in the total and, taking the average loading of i these at 80 head apiece, the aggregate was well over 12 000 lambs. At 10 a.m. today, the offering for the stock trains to-night was 138 wagon loads, and there were possibilities that that number would increase. One of last night’s trains consisted of 50 wagons. Palmerston North is the junction for supnlies coming forward from the Main Trunk and intermediate districts, southern Hawke s Bay and northern Wairarapa. From central Hawke’s Bay the flow of live stock is toward the Whakatu and Tomoana works, and from further south m the Wairarapa the Waingawa works take their quota. RAPID TRANSIT.

Commencing their run at Ohflkune, the Main Trunk trains collect their complement from as far north as Hihitahi and from the othei areas about Palmerston North there is a steady building up of the trains to be formed here. The great demand in this type of traffic is that it must be all shifted e.ich night, and when the last train commences its 100-mile trip in the vicinity of 2 a.m. each day the yard has been cleared of the last of the fat stock or frozen meat. In addition to the seasonal fat stock business, butter and cheese. must be sent away, and as the shipping facilities are offering (for all cargo boats carrying meat are not especially equipped for chilled beef consignments of the latter pass through on the first of the journey. At this time _ of the year with the pastures having dried up considerably in Central Hawke’s Bav. it is usual for large consignments of store sheep to leave there. Fighty truck loads came to Palmerston North last week, with another 80 the week before. Most of this traffic takes place at the week-ends. In the ordinary course fh'e trams leave this centre for Wellington after 5 p.m. each day carrying goods. At the present time there are eight and, counting the whole weight of the trains the officers at this centre are fac«d with the prospect of providing hn.n.io-e f or about 4000 tons a night. With the improved telephone system which was installed some time nrro, the Palmerston North railway station now has available telephonic _ communication with all other stations in the North Island. Early in the day the transport officer is engaged in collating information from the various districts affecting Palmerston North, showing what is offering for the stock trains each night. With that information he arranges for the requisite hauling power ill engines and for the train crews. , , , With the great flow of traffic toward Wellington it is axiomatic that there is a corresponding stream of empty wagons coming back to take the next south-bound loads. As opportunity offers the empty trucks are worked back to Palmerston North or to centres further away' and balancing trains are also employed to return certain numbers, as the engines must proceed to the middle of the island again. The various stations order their trucks from the district wagon supply officers, Palmerston North supplying those wanted in the Foxton-Woodville sector, while this point is also a distributing centre for a wider area, acting .under orders from Wellington. On the Main Trunk the wagons are controlled from Wanganui or Ohakune. ENGINE LOADS.

One feature of the traffic to-day i« the lessening of the number of trains owing to the introduction of the big K class engines. On the ruling grade between here and Paekakariki the Ab engine (which is familiar to all as that drawing the expresses prior to the appearance of the K model) can handle a load of 440 tons, but the giant K engine steps that up to 830 tons. The load is reduced for the PaekakarikiPukerua Bay grades, but a “banker” engine is frequently brought into play there to assist the train over the steeper section. Because of its position, Palmerston North has extra demands made on it through the seasonal stock traffic, but there are circumstances which assist the officials at this centre to a certain degree. One is the fact that the empty trucks, and the full ones, too, are dealt with in large numbers and do not entail any great amount of breaking up and reshuffling here. They are arriving empty from Wellington at all times through the day, but are promptly sent on again as it is not at Palmerston North that the greatest demand falls for them. Setting in just after Christmas, the fat stock movement lasts with the fine weather and reaches its highest point about now. It is estimated that on the average 700 trucks pass through this centre each week on their way to the Petone or Ngahau ranga freezing works, not taking into account the cool storage wagons for the stores in Wellington or the ship’s side.