SHUNTING ACCIDENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 9 April 1926, Page 3

SHUNTING ACCIDENTS.

REPORT Off INQUIRY BOARD. .WELI,INGTON, April 8,

The Board appointed to investigate shunting accidents on the railways, reports that for the ten years, ending June, 1925, there were 809 accidents, 40 fatal and 180 serious. Of these prior to Carmichael's death at Palmerston Worth, only t"'° fatal accidents were caused by shunting operations, which showed that, with experience and care, the work was not dangerous. During the war, when inexperienced men were employed accidents were lower than in the succeeding year. in recent years there have been too many changes, and. the men engaged were not fitted for the work. Only picked men should bo employed. Gas lighting is unsatisiftctory, and electric lighting and additional fights are recommended. The Board finds the control good, except at Palmerston, but the majority of yards are not effective for the quick handling of traffic. They have been patched too nj u ch. The siding accommodation is insufficient, areas are too congested and, there are other faults. Tho Board makes recommendations for improvement, and also improved foot rests to prevent slipping, and a better system of coupling waggons. Tli e lighting of shunting yards, with a few exceptions, the Board found to bo fairly good, and where electric light had been installed, it has considerably improved the working conditions. When the additional lights recommended have been placed in position and the lighting programme has been completed one of the most serious complaints in regard to the conditions under which shunters are working will have been removed. Gas lighting in yards is generally unsatisfactory’. In some cases it noticed that th e lights were not placed to the best advantage, and the Board consider that in future, when new lights are being installed, members conversant with the working of the yards should bo consulted. On the subject of the layout and proposed layout of shunting ynrds, the Board says that although the layout of a number of the shunting yards is good the majority of them arc not effective for the quick handling of traffic. This has been brought about in some cases by patching yards, instead of reeon structing them, which results in waggons having to be handled several times, with the consequent delay io work and traffic, and increased operating costs. The main difficulty experienced at various centres is lack of sufficient siding accommodation, and want of long roads for receiving and despatching trains.

The traffic has outgrown the capacity’ of the yard s at some centres, and at other places the roads are too short to accommodate the long trains • now handled. The ponsested areas at. some of tho ynrds and the want of suitably’ arranged accommodation for handling waggons have increased the difficulties of shunting, and the risk of accident. Th e demand for the quicker hand.ing of goods maker it essential that the facilities should provide for the handling of traffic through the shunting yards with the least effort and the greatest speed. A number of accidents have occurred through waggons running back or stopping foul, after being kicked off into different roads. When new yards are being designed grades should, if possible b c so fixed, that waggons will gravitate from either end of the yard towards the centre. In the larger yards the shunting layout should be such that all operations' can he carried out without fouling a crossing loop or the main line. I The clearance, from tho shunting ladder or leg to the adjoining siding, m which snace shunters work, should be at least 15 feet, and car sidings should be at 12ft. Before additions or alterat'ons to the layout of- a yard are made, the yard staff should be consulted. The Board reports that- one of the greatest links is the need for hand-coup-ling and uncoupling. Of the BG9 accidents, 211 of them, principally minoi accidents, were due to employees going between vehicles f-or the purpose of attending to the coupling. They recommend that designs a mechanical device which would minimise the need for men going between vehicles should lie investigated. The Board favours first aid tuition for railway men. and considers that men should' be paid at a maximum rate for the time spent in charge of a regular shunting engine, and a shrilling engine gang.