Observer21

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Full Name: The New Zealand Railway Observer

Issue Number: 21

Issue Date: June 1947

Volume and Number: 4/3

Pages: 52

Page Range: 33-84

Cover Image: n.a.

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CONTENTS

Society Notes

Question Time

Q1. What is the purpose of the Drifting Valve as mentioned in 'To Arthurs Pass on the Footplate'

Answer. By allowing a small amount of wet steam into the cylinders when the regulator off, it prevents unwanted material getting in to the cylinders via the Snifters.

Q2. Why did the 3 Garratt locomotives prove unsuccessful in service.

Answer. The designer (Mr. S. G. Lynde) was too ambitious in specifying a 6 cylinder loco, it should have been 4 cylinder, which would have resulted in a smaller lighter loco better suited to its working environment.

Q3. What is the principle underlying the operation of automatic points on a tramway

Answer. Technically they are electrically operated by the motorman depending on whether he is drawing power or not when the tram moves under an insulated portion of the overhead.

Q4. Does anyone know which was the first engine in New Zealand to carry cast brass number plates

Answer. No-one knew, the use of cast brass number plates became standard practice following the 1890 re-numbering, but V_class_loco's were known to have them in 1885

Q5. What is the meaning and purpose of the lettering on the headstocks of wagons.

Answer. It relates to the dimension of the drawbars but details not known

Q6. Was it possible to get a summary of work in hand as part of the post war rehabilitation

Answer.(partial) 3,000 La_class_wagons on order from Britain, new freight wagons coming out of workshops here, 7 electric loco's and multiple unit stock for the Hutt Valley, 35 new Ja_class_loco's for the South Island, 20 more Ka_class_locos being converted to oil burning in the North Island, The Rimutaka Deviation is just getting restarted, a considerable quantity of rails and fastenings just landed from Belgium, The Turakina Deviation was nearing completion, pushing on with replacing 70lb rail with 85lb on important lines and replacing 56lb with 70lb on secondary lines, installation of CTC in several areas, the introduction of Diesel-electric locos a considerable number of passenger cars with better seating, improvements to station buildings.

Q7. What is purpose of fitting the ballast block on the leading bogie of Ab_class_loco's, Q_class_locos, and Wab_class Loco's

Answer. it appears to be triggered by a number of South Island derailments and of broke trailing truck springs. The ballast block is an attempt to improve the weight distribution

Q8. again asked why the brake van could not be placed at the front of the train to protect passengers in case of collision

Answer. No change from previous answer even with factor of the nuisance posed by soot and dust from the loco always getting in the fist car.

ARTICLE. The possibility of accelerating and improving railway passenger services in New Zealand

• The current types of passenger trains
  • Long Distance Express passenger trains
  • Local passenger trains
  • Suburban passenger trains
  • Mixed Trains
  • Goods Trains with car attached
• Passenger comfort
  • Long-distance 2nd class is cramped, unsuitable for night journeys.
  • The newly designed seating will have to wait for the new 60ft cars now on order from the Workshops
  • Track quality not as good as it was
• Frequency of Service
  • A general deduction is that at least 200 passengers are required to economically run a train
• Puctuality
  • A punctual service is more essential than a necessary fast service
  • From an official survey, 20% on time 24% 1 - 10 min late 26% 11- 30min late, 22% 31 - 60 min late and 10% over 60min late
• Speed
  • basic train speeds have not increased for over 20 years
• Speeding up of railway Passenger Services
  • Deviations, Grade and Curve easements