LINKED UP AT LAST!

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 194, 6 August 1908, Page 4

LINKED UP AT LAST!

MAIN TRUNK RAILHEADS JOIN. FINAL STAGES OP A GREAT UNDERTAKING. , THE FIRST THIIOI'GU TIULY. Thirty-eight years ago the North Island Mam Trunk railway was suggested by Sir Julius V'ogel as a possibility of tlie future: on Hondav morning, at Mangonui-o-tc-ao bridge.' north of Oliakune, on the central section, the nortliern and southern raillieails, which have been pushed forward so rapidly within the last few years, were limilly joined (says the Wellington Times). ' ' Wellington is thus placed in railway . communication with Auckland—a distance by tlie Main Trunk line of 42(1 miles. The point at which the line ivas joined is 211 miles from Wellington and 215 from Auckland. Manganui-o-tea-ao is one of the many pieces of bridge work on the heavy central section whi-:h skirts the western slope of the greit volcanic chain. Its main pier ofeonerete is 100 ft high, and except for I his and the abutments, the structure is of steel. It was built by Messrs. ,1. Anderson and Co., contractors for the Makatote viaduct.

On Thursday last the Public Works Department's engine ran northwards from lloropilo, lor the Hist time, lo Manganui-o-tea-ao, covering the 'live miles in thirty-live minutes. It then bad to stop at the southern end of the bridge, but tlie contractors promised' 10 have everything ready for crossing by Monday, and the work was done, tlmV completing the linking up () f the great arterial railway lor which the Nortl Island has waiteil so long. A LOT TO BE DONE.

It must not, however, be assumed that through traffic between Auckland and Wellington can commence immediately. Everything has been pushed on during the last few months to give the legislators their promised overland trip to attend the American tleet celebrations in Auckland, but the mere connecting up of rails does not indicate the completion of the line. This will not be done for several months, and it can bo safely taken for granted that the working railways department will not assume control until the beginning of November. The station yards at Horopito, Pokako, and Ohakune'have not yet been completed; in fact, the actual earth formation at Ohakune and Pokako is not finished. Makatote viaduct, the highest structure of the kind on the line, is com-

plcte to the last coat of paint, but this necessary work lias yet lo be done to the Manganui-o-te-ao bridge. INX'OMI'LIiTE WORKS. Ballasting is probably the biggest item next to that of station buildings and cottages yet to be tackled. Two miles of line at Waiouru, on the southern section, are only half ballasted, and this operation has only l>een partly done on tlie stretch of seven miles from Ohakune to lloropito. Several cuttings and embankments are to be widened out to regulation width, and as for station buildings, those at lloropito and P> kako have not been touched. Fifty new ■cottages to be dotted along the line for the use of surfacemen and other employees have also failed to materialise yet, but they will be quickly taken in hand by the large stall' now hurrying the work to completion. Water sunplies for the engines i s another highly important adjunct to the proper working of the railway, and this has yet to be provided at four points. Though the cutting in which the anchorage of the aerial railway used in constructing Makatote viaduct has been broken through to rail level for some little time, recent reports indicated that in railway parlance, it was only a "gullet." otherwise straight sided, and would have to be trimmed off to provide sloping banks before ordinary traffic could run through it. WHEN THE EXPRESS RUNS. The first through railway trip to Auckland will, of course, be that taken by the legislators, leaving Wellington on Friday evening. The public cannot be provided for until another six weeks' work has been done on the permanent way, giving increased safety at a higher speed than can be adopted for the "Par. liamentary Special." Though the timetable has not yet been worked out, it is almost certain that provision, will be made for a two-day journey between Wellington and Auckland.

I'IVE MONTHS AHEAD. 'HIE MINISTER'S PROMISE. - My promise to have the rails connected has been realised nenrlv live months earlier than was anticipated." remarked the Hon. W. ilall-Jones (.Minister of Public Works) to a representative of the New Zealand Times. "This is due to (lie excellent work done bv the officers in charge, and to (he nie'n employed on the construction. We have been favoured wilh lair weather (his winter, taking it all,round. As soon as I got authority to go on wilh tiio works, everything was looked at ahead, and thus we advanced without hindrance.

"The date of the first tlirou-li express! A lot has to be done before the line can be used for ordinary passenger traffic, but as early as possible we will arrange to run passengers through, so as lb avoid the coaching. First of all w;e_ will run the Public Works tram, :.'iving a two days' journey between the two cities, but on the Ist of November we will hand the line over to the Railway Department." THE FIRST THROUGH TRAIN.

At 10.45 p.m. on Friday about two hundred members of Parliament and their friends will leave Wellington in a special train for Auckland, the first train to make the through trip. Stops will only lie made for engine purposes, and it is anticipated that Auckland will lie reached at (i p.m. on Saturday. A dining-car will he included on the 'train, and the time of departure from Wellington will enable the interesting central section to be traversed in daylight, thus enabling the privileged passengers to see lluapehu's lofty peaks at sunrise, and lo gain some idea of the vast area of forest in the Waimarino. Even from the express the travellers will be able to realise what a splendid engineering triumph is the central section, with its dozen miles during which the track is hardly ever away from a cutting, embankment, viaduct, or tunnel. One of the viaducts. Hapuawhenua, had to be built on a curve—an unusual expedient -with bridges—and after passing over it the Parliamentary special will rush through a dark tunnel shaped like the Serpentine. It will net he possible to use the big " X" engines for the run, as these have not yd been completed, and even were they ready the track is not yet in a condition to take these powerful ninetyton locomotives.