In his current review of recent European railway developments our special London Correspondent makes interesting reference to important coming advances in train signalling through the use of wireless waves, and discusses the merits of double and single lines of railway.

Science and Signalling

RADIO is now the plaything of the hour. Broad-casting provides a curious hotch-potch of education and amusement, and, in its own way, is undoubtedly performing valuable service to the community. The utilisation of wireless waves, however, promises to be put to far more serious use in many branches of human activity. In the railway world it seems probable that, before many years have passed, we shall witness extensive utilisation of wireless waves in train signalling on many of the principal main-lines.

As was pointed out by Mr. R. G. Berry, Divisional Signal Superintendent of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, in his recent presidential address to the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers, an invisible air wave can transmit in minute detail, from one end of Britain to the other, a full concert performed in London. It should not, therefore, be beyond the ingenuity of the signal-engineer so to harness this wave that it would do anything required of it. It might light up a signal of a required colour, operate a pair of points, work level crossing-gates or stop a train. It was Mr. Berry's opinion that, within a very short time, many of the present methods of railway signalling would be regarded as crude and primitive. In a recent article appearing in these pages, the writer dealt briefly with the utilisation which is now being made in Germany of the metal selenium in train signalling. This metal, which is peculiarly susceptible to the effects of rays of red light, offers distinct possibilities for simplifying train signalling apparatus. Its properties are at the moment being carefully studied by signal engineers at Home, and here again there seems a likelihood of old methods of train signalling being completely overhauled, thanks to modern scientific research. Whatever developments the future may have in store, one may safely prophesy radical changes in the railway signalling field in the near future.

Track Conversions.

A double track between two cities is undoubtedly of considerable value from the point of view of the railway selling forces. It is problematical, however, whether many double track routes can, nowadays, be fully justified from the traffic aspect. Double tracks are costly to build, maintain and operate, and, on careful examination, there would seem to be many instances where a well-managed single track could, with comparative ease, accommodate all traffic at present handled over double track. Signalling refinements have added enormously to track capacity, and it is a fact that a single track, run on scientific lines, can carry as much and more traffic, both passenger and merchandise, as an ordinary double track run on conventional lines.

The conversion of double into single tracks is not always at first welcomed by railway users, page 38 but experience has shown that where conversions of this kind have been carefully worked out and the public interests studied, equally efficient, and often better, service than was formerly given has been afforded patrons. A leader in conversions to single track is the Great Southern Railway of Ireland. This line, which serves practically the whole of the Irish Free State, and covers much agricultural territory not unlike that served by the New Zealand Railways has recently, through such action, actually given better service while achieving considerable economies in maintenance and operation.

Following the conversion to single track of many unimportant branch routes, the Great Southern is now embarking upon a conversion of this type covering the whole of the main line from Clonsilla Junction, ten miles outside the Dublin terminal, to Roscommon and Ballinasloe, a distance of 168 miles. During peak periods, traffic over this line is mainly in one direction, and it has been found that, owing to this lack of traffic balance, much of the advantage of the existing double track is lost. At every station on the new single track there is being provided a passing place of maximum train length, formed by utilising a part of the adjoining track, while most of the existing lay-by sidings will also be retained. The facilities for traffic handling, therefore, will be increased rather than reduced, and, with the employment of improved signalling on the electric train staff system, it will become possible to provide better train services with a single track than with the existing double line.

Road Competition in Germany.

Road competition continues to worry almost all the railway systems of Europe, and indeed of the whole world. In Britain, and elsewhere on the Continent, many of the railways have come to working arrangements with important firms operating road services, wherein financial interest is acquired by the railways. In Germany, arrangements of this kind were concluded some time ago, and, for a while, appeared to work well. Now, however, the German railways are finding this policy of joint interest an impracticable one, and they have therefore abandoned it. Full liberty of action is now sought for them to operate road services of their own for both passengers and freight, and big developments along these lines are likely.

The total number of motor vehicles in service on the German roads at July 1, 1928, was 933,312, an increase of 29 per cent over the 1927 figure. The position of the German railways in regard to road competition is rendered increasingly difficult for an enormous number of road motors are operated by the Post Office in competition with the railways. These motors total something like 1,500, and in a single year they carry some 50,000,000 passengers. The popular conception of the German railways being backed up by the Government in every branch of their activities thus rudely falls to the ground. The German railways are now run on essentially business lines, and have to encounter severe competition on every hand.

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World-famed Tunnels.

Italian railway operation includes the negotiation of many tunnel sections, especially in the northern portion of the government railway system. Tunnels like the Simplon, the St. Gothard and the Mt. Cenis are world famous. Now their number is to be added to by the construction, at present proceeding, of an 11-mile long tunnel, piercing the heart of the Apennine Mountains.

The new tunnel is almost equal in length to the Simplon, and forms part of the new direct railway route between Bologna and Florence which, it is anticipated, will be opened early in 1931. The precise length of this engineering wonder is 11 miles, 626 yards. The method of construction followed is to drill the tunnel from each side of the Apennine Mountains, north and south, and also through two intermediate vertical shafts. The new Bologna-Florence route is a trifle over sixty miles in length, and will supersede the existing 81-mile route between the two cities. At present three hours are occupied on the run throughout owing to the steep grades. Electric trains will travel over the new route in ninety minutes. In all, the new Bologna-Florence line has thirty tunnels and 41 bridges. Apart from the Apennine tunnel itself, there are the Monte Adone tunnel (4 1/2 miles) and the Setta tunnel (2 miles) encountered en route. On completion of the new Bologna-Florence electric railway, and the conversion to electricity of the Florence-Rome steam route, direct and rapid train service, serving the whole of Central Italy, will be introduced.

A Leader in Electrification.

Switzerland is a leader in the electrification field, and, during the present year, the Swiss Government railways are spending some four million odd francs on electric traction. The routes from Sargans to Coire and from Winterthur to Rorschach, via Romanshorn, were opened to electric traction in May last, while the route from Oerlikon to Schaffhausen was completely electrified towards the close of 1928. This concluded the first stage in the throughout electrification of the Swiss Government railways. Before work is begun on the second stage of the electrification, it is thought desirable to wait a year or two. In the meantime, this year's work includes the important task of replacing the three-phase system of electric traction on the Simplon tunnel and other sections, by the single-phase system. During the present year the Swiss authorities intend to place orders for the supply of eighteen fast electric passenger locomotives, four heavy mountain type electric locomotives; four electric shunting locomotives, and two electric tractors. At the close page 40 of the year the Swiss Government railways will be operating some 500 electric locomotives and motor cars.

In addition to the electrification programme, the Swiss railways have this year set themselves the task of replacing the hand brakes on all goods wagons by automatic compressed air brakes of the “Drolshammer” pattern. The introduction of this equipment will enable freight traffic working to be considerably speeded up, afford increased safety, and eliminate the necessity for employing special brakesmen on freight trains.

Privately Owned Trucks.

The problem of the private owner's wagon continues one of concern for the Home railways. There are, in Britain, approximately 700,000 coal wagons, of which over half a million are owned by colliery proprietors or coal merchants. In addition, a number of wagons which are privately owned are employed for the conveyance of miscellaneous freight traffic. It is in the case of the privately owned coal trucks that greatest difficulty is experienced. All the privately owned trucks have to be returned empty to the point from which they commenced their journey loaded, and the confusion and congestion, to say nothing of waste haulage, which thereby results, may readily be imagined.

Not long ago the Great Western Railway, following the lead set some years back by the North Eastern line, introduced into the South Wales coal trade a number of 20-ton high-capacity coal trucks. These trucks have proved of real service to the trade, and their utilisation has materially simplified the operation of coal trains to and from South Wales. As yet, however, the collieries and merchants fight shy of the high capacity wagon, but by degrees, new equipment is being installed at the pit-heads rendering the use of 20-ton wagons practicable. On the Continent, the use of 20-ton wagons for coal traffic is common in France and Germany, while in the latter country coal and mineral trucks of as high a capacity as 60-tons have found marked favour. As the years proceed, there will, no doubt, be witnessed a steady growth in wagon capacity, and this tendency will be welcomed by all concerned in the movement of traffic.

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