ONE-MAN CARS

Southland Times, Issue 18849, 15 June 1920, Page 7

ONE-MAN CARS

the POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. CR. A. H. MACKRELL’S IMPRESSIONS. FAVOURABLE TO SAFETY VEHICLES. Councillor A. 11. MackroU, who recently returned from a visit pi Australia, made it bis business while there to gather all the available information regarding the "one man as opposed to other types, particulars of irs manufacture and other matters of interest to the ratepayers of Invercargill who possess their several opinions on the manor of reinforcing the town's transport service. Cr. Mackreli has prepared the following report which will be presented at to-nighds meeting of the Town Council c—- . requested by the committee I made investigations regarding the possibility of getting in Australia cither one-man cars built partly or wholly, or a light weight which could be used as a one-man ear. I made, full enquiries in Melbourne and Sydney and also visited Ballarat to see the oneman car in operation there. The following builders are prepared to quote for a car to our specifications: -Duncan and Fraser, of Adelaide, who are a leading firm in Australia, having built nil the Adelaide ears and many of the Melbourne ears. Thev furnished me through Mr Stntan Robertson, manager and engineer of the Melbourne Metropolitan Tramway Trust, with specifications and a blue print of a light weight ear they can build us. The Clyde Engineering Works of Sydney are prepared to quote for building cars. The Me.aiowbank Engineering Works are prepared to quote for building cars. Also Noyes Bros., Melbourne, may quote for cars. I visited Ballarat and was treated most courteously by the management of the tramways there, who gave me all possible information. I travelled on a number of their cars and noted the details of their working. I was greatly struck with the .simplicity of their operation (although these cars are far from up-to-date), also with the way the public adapted themse’ves to the system of dropping the fare or token representing a fare into the box as they entered the car. and I have no hesitation in .saying that no difficulties would be experienced in educating the public of Invercargill to their use. I discussed various points with men operating the cars and they state the work is simple and more interesting than an ordinary motorman’s job. The men are fairly well paid and are quite satisfied with their jobs. One inotonuan I met had been sixteen years in the service and on one oc 'asion had shifted SOO passengers in eight hours single-handed over one full section. This, is considered to be a record. I made general enquiries from various experts who are giving particular attention to one-man ears as a means of reducing the expenses of running tram services to meet the increased warms of the men and general increase in operating costs. No encouragement. was given to the idea of building a light ear for one-man service.-, which is not spt'cinl'y designed for one man operatin', with full safety appliances, such as i!i Bumpy ear as supplied by the Brill Company of America. The following are the names of gentlemen I met and their opinions regarding our tram service and the adoption of the oneman cars:--Mr Pitman llobenson, manager ami engineer of the Mel'mitm'* and Metropolitan Tramway Trust, considers the oneman car will work quite satisfactorily and give us the only chance of milking the service efficient and nay its way. Mr Pix, manager of trie Melbourne Tramways, strongly favours one-man cars for small services such ns ours. Mr C. K. Barlow, of Noyes Bros., Melbourne, and formerly of Christchurch tramways and Sydney tramways, recommends the one-man ear for our use. Mr E. J. Doran, traffic manager for the New .South Wale' Government Tramways - , which include th" Sydney trams. Broken Hill and New-astle tramway services, had just returned from a trip through tile United. Stat“s, where hj" investigated th' - running of the one-man trams, and was, unfortunately, out of town and I did not see him but I was allowed to read his confidential report to the commissioners, in which lie speaks very highly of the one-man ear. He has asked the commissioners to order two Burney cars to see if they will suit one or two outlying lines and the ail-night services in the city. He ultimately expects to order about twelve of these cans from America. Through th? good offices of a friend in Sydney I am. gening a copy of Mr Doran's report. .sen* on to me as soon a.s he returned to town. This should reach me in the coming week.

In vipw of the fact that the- Now South Wales (luvi-rmrnmt hn-« large workshops at Rondwick c:r.; loving 11■ >0 men '.vii-.-n- they buil-l trams, railway carriage-', locomotive-’, et it is significant that, it should order this tvp» >,f car from America in place of building them at its own •workshop. In thi.-'- rojaimi.Mi Mr M, ,L Lacey, os si.-rant works manager at, Ramlwiek (iovr-ni'it-r.; work a hops, who has ju.-t returned fn-i-i a trio round I lie world slates definitely the one-man car cannot be built economically in Australia. Mr 0. N. Neale, assistant (rathe mamig-r to the .Sydney tramways .con vdc-rs oar man cars offer the only sobtrion for making our trams pay. and claim ; in vi-w of America's experience that they will work mo-t satisfactorily. Mr C. W. Brain, e'niei electrical engineer for the New South Wales (invenummt an i in charm of ih>. tramways, eu-.. -tares it is impossible under the cxi-ting conditions to run a small service such as ours with I woman operated trams and make them pay. Mr J. B. Tivey. General Klectric Company, Sydri'-y, and formerly of the Sydney tramways, is quite satisfied that the oneman ear orders the only solution of difficult -rs.

These are briefly the opinions expressed bv Iha 'rent!-ri-n I met and each opinion was given independent ly and pure candiuly. THc-t gentlemen make a eh-e study of tramway services and are the leading men in matters of this kind in Australia. I discussed many points with a number of men in various positions oi the tramway services of Melbourne and Sydney but got no information to differ from the opinions oi the gen'k-men mentioned. Regarding trailers: 1 did not get any favourable reports regarding traders for our service and Mr Tivey. of the General Idleetru- Company, who know- the motors in our present cars, states that they would not suit trailers. My conclusion from opinions gathered is’ that traders will mt .solve our difficulties or suit our service. Regarding the Burney safety car: The representative for this car is at present in New Zealand ami will give us a definite price for them if the Council wishes, and this price I understand will work out a little over £3 (100 per car, being several hundred j omuls less ’ban the price previously estimated and which the Council considered too high. To su m:a rise : I tound in Australia me following-We can get three or four firms to build tram cars to our specifications but not the special Burney ear. The price of Australian made cars will probably he as high if not higher than the Burney' car. That Kn.glish marie cars are difficult to procure and more expensive than Australian made cars. That all the experts interviewed expressed, the one opinion, that in a small service like ours two-man operated ears nr ears of heavy weight would make it impossible under present-day conditions io give an adequate service anti make it pav. That the specially designed Burum,- car will give us an adequate service and one that will pay. That the Burney ear ti'kes onl\ half the power to run it anti a little more than half tg-e wages of an ordinary car. It will give ns faster service and reduce the cost of upkeep of the track, rolling stock, etc. Briefly wc could run twenty Burney cars giving double the servict; we are now getpng --t very little more expense than it takes to run our ten ordinary cars. I strongly favour the adoption of the C - 11,. a salety car as the only way we can ;> f;.ll service ti> tilt? public a.t reasonah's fares and make the trams pay their wry, and not be a tax on the ratepayers.