The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 3 (July 1, 1932)
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All the romance associated with the great progressive developments in world civilisation in the last hundred years is linked up at innumerable points with the progress of railways. Whereever the iron trail has been laid settlement and production have followed. The steam from Stephenson's “boiling kettle on wheels” set in motion those great driving powers which have subdued the trackless forest to the needs of mankind, replaced the jungle lair of savage beasts with the peaceful industry of village, farm and town; brought education, understanding, and prosperity to countless thousands; broken down the barriers between small communities, and enabled exchange of commodities to mutual advantage through all the continents and lesser lands of the good round earth.
It is only since steam has been seriously challenged, since there has arisen a motive power not attached to the iron trail and not capable of the service in the general interests of humanity which the railways have given, that the iron horse has faltered in his stride, his backers have lost confidence, his opponents have delighted in his partial desertion—and a blight has fallen upon the world. For the transport war has played an important part in producing the depression. Capital previously safely invested in railways on a large scale, and in all the leading countries, has found the safety margin for investment largely removed through competition by road carriers not playing to the same rules. Ruinous confusion has resulted. In this both sides have suffered, and with them all the related trades and interests. Transport costs have multiplied through excessive competition.
Capital invested in competitive road services has perhaps prospered for a time at the expense of the rail, but it is now in such parlous condition that new capital is frightened away from the business.
All this is part of the railway story in the most difficult period of its history. But it has other and happier periods to record, and is even row once again coming into its own.
The railway story is one of engineering daring in the face of great natural obstacles, of courage in commercial enterprise, of outstanding technical achievement, of highly organised managerial knowledge and skill in providing a constantly improving general utility transport service with which no other land transport method can compare, and above all, of service to the general public in encouraging settlement and developing industry.
The train is the safest method of land transport; it is the most powerful; it has the greatest range of usefulness in regard to what it carries; it is capable of the heaviest loads, and for all general practical purposes provides the quickest transport over long distances. But herculean as this giant of transport is, in the race for business it has had too many handicaps to carry. To show what those handicaps are, to agitate firmly for their removal, to reveal the respective merits and the complementary services which the rail and motor are naturally suited to give, these are all part of the railway story that the public are entitled to hear about. And this story requires constant reiteration and presentation in ever new form, because, in the swirl of commerce and the eagerness of competition, the essential economic soundness of rail transport is liable to be overlooked—to the ultimate detriment of individual and national welfare.