ALL-STEEL TRAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1938, Page 3

ALL-STEEL TRAIN

AIR-CONDITIONED EXPRESS TRIED OUT TRIAL AT MELBOURNE Costing almost £200,000 to build locally, Australia’s first all-steel, all airconditioned express, the “Spirit of Progress,’ was “launched” at Melbourne recently with elaborate ceremonial. Railroad chiefs of other states attended. with Federal and State cabinet ministers to see Premier Albert A. Dunstan of Victoria open a door with a gold key, and hear him declare: “Victoria now has one of the finest passenger trains in the world.” Harold W. Clapp, chief commissioner of the Victorian Government Railways, is responsible for the “Spirit of Progress.” Mi- Clapp was at one time manager and vice president of the East St Louis ' and Suburban railway in America.

Following the ceremony at Speacer Street station, the “Spirit of Progress’ took a large official party on a trial run to Geelong. On the 45 miles journey the train reached a speed of 79

miles aii hour, but it had touched 33 miles an hour on test. ! The Premier, Mr Dunstan, said he |had travelled on most of the important I railways of the world, but had seen nothing to equal the beauty, utility and comfort of the "Spirit of Progress.” The first completely air-conditioned train in the Southern Hemisphere, it represented a great effort to meet the challenge of road transport. The "Spirit of Progress" is designed to speed rail communication between Australia's two largest cities. Sydney and Melbourne, a distance of 190 miles. The Cor-tcn steel cars are 31 tons lighter than the former wooden cars despite the air-conditioning equipment. Floors, sides and roof take their share of the load and give greater strength than wood. As the line has been welded into long lengths, the new rail will be unusually smooth and quiet. Sound has been checked everywhere, the floor being built of aluminium, hair-felt Keystone Corten steel with cork layers in dovetailed grooves, thick cork, wood fibre board, sponge rubbed and rubber lino.

Australia's hardwoods have been, used extensively for interior decoration. Panels of walnut, cedar, jarrah, royal walnut, figured blackwood, silver silkwood and beechwood, contrast with the chrome leather upholstery. Reading lamps for each passenger are independent of the general diffused scheme. Unshatterable glass affords wide panoramas of the rolling countyrside.

The Australian railways are’making a genuine effort to compete with the'r rivals. In passenger traffic, they had to increase speed and comfort or go under, for airliners now span the Continent between daylight and dark.