PETROL TRACTION.
The Sydney Daily Telegraph supplies interesting particulars about the increasing use of petrol for traction, and conaiders there is a big field ahead of it unless many experts are sadly astray in their calculations. It h interesting to note that only a fcjw weeks ago the Victorian Government landed two petrol trains which are to be used on their lines in outlying districts, and the Queensland Government has also intimated its intention of purchasing several. The experiment of the Victorian Railway Commissioners is 'being closely watched all over Australasia, and, if it proves successful, the other States, including New South Wales, are practically certain to follow their lead and run petrol' trains. In America petrol trains have been running for some considerable time, and doing excellent work, and it is only reasonable to assume that if the trains'are successful in America they should be also in Australasia, The petrol tram car is economic as well as attractive, in appearance. The MesH, files to hand show that a -now system of tramwavs was recently found necessary at Heysham. The directors of the company which control the line from MorecamW Borough to the strawberry gardens at Heysham realised that expensive horse haulage was impos-sible,-and attention was therefore-direct-ed to some new form of haulage. After some thought and discussion, it was decided to introduce an altogether new type of car—one driven by petrol and running on tram lines. Much interest was created in the scientific and engineermg world by the appearance of the petrol tram car. It is of the singledecked type, of 35 horse-power, and has seating accommodation for 37 passengers. Other details concerning it are as follows:—The transmission is from the four-speed gear box through universal .joints to a gear case on one of the axles The two axles are connected together by a roller chain, and the axle gear-case contains heavy spur and bevel gears, and reverse gear, the whole runnng in oil on ball bearings. The -ordinary pattern tramway hand-brake is fitted, and a largo diameter external band pattern foot brake is fitted immediately behind the gearbox. The car, which ig completely controlled by the driver, from either end at will, is built up of angle irons and timber on the usual tramway practice. The <body is well finished, all the. s,de windows being made to raise andlmver by screw operating gear. The length of the car over collision fenders is *auge 4ft B%ln, wheel-ba !e Bft weigh from a dynamo driven from the engine.' of 30 miles an ,hour w j th ease. In its trial trips. ,w,th full loads, it fairly romped up all the Ml ls . i t tra vrf ß eight Se in°V f"r, 0f P etrol ' <". a * any rate, of a penny per mile for tut! S„ch a car presents many attractive features, and it is, therefore, not surprising to find many English firms turning their attention tolhe petTol
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 248, 19 April 1912, Page 4
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487PETROL TRACTION. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 248, 19 April 1912, Page 4
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