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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 10 (February 1, 1930)

Current Comments

page 17

Current Comments

A Gracious Acknowledgment.

The annual report of the Wellington Automobile Club states that the Club's thanks are due to Mr. H. H. Sterling, General Manager of the New Zealand Railways, for the courtesy and help he had extended at all times in any applications made to him. At the Club's annual meeting mention was also made of the fact that Mr. Sterling had taken a keen interest in making motoring safe, especially at local crossings.

* * *

Interesting Mountain Railways.

New Zealand possesses many unique mountain railways, but it is in Switzerland and Austria that the most remarkable lines of this character are to be found. Quite recently there has been celebrated the jubilee of the first Alpine railway, directing attention to the wonderful accomplishments of the railway engineer and operating officer in this rugged corner of the globe.

Just seventy-five years ago the first Alpine line—the Semmering Railway—was opened to traffic. The system was constructed by the Austrian Government as part of the important through trunk route between Vienna and the seaport of Trieste. Twenty-six miles in length, the Semmering Railway has a maximum grade of 2.5 per cent. There are fifteen tunnels on the system, innumerable viaducts, and 118 arched bridges. Nineteen regular passenger trains cover this mountain route daily, including several trains-de-luxe and International expresses.

* * *

“Patronise Your Own Railways.”

In travelling, it is the citizens’ duty to patronise their own railways (says “The New Zealander”). Why give the cream of the traffic to private concerns, and the heavy and laborious work to the Firm? Why lessen the earning power of the Firm? Why, while partners, reduce the efficiency and threaten the welfare of the National Firm?

All citizens should school themselves into the larger national life and accept, loyally, the responsibility that is theirs, as partners in the Firm, and (even at the risk of a little inconvenience) support their own Firm, and travel by rail.

* * *

Safety in Rail Travel.

Accurate statistics show that a person is safer on board a train than at home, which speaks more for the security of railroad transportation than of the insecurity of a man's “castle” (says the “Toledo (Ohio) Times,” U.S.A.). Railroad travel is 100 per cent. safer to-day than it was five years ago. Last year there was only one fatality as a result of a railroad accident for every 49,000,000 passengers carried. Five years ago the average was one fatality for each 24,000,000 passengers. When it is considered that only sixteen of the 800,000,000 persons transported on trains in the United States last year were killed, the safety of this mode of travel causes greater wonder. (New Zealand's safety record is 80 million passengers carried during the past three years without one fatality, thus giving our railways, in this respect a foremost place amongst the railway systems of the world.)

* * *

Railway Educational Schemes in Britain.

Three thousand or more employees of the London and North Eastern Railway will participate in the comprehensive scheme of “railway education” which the Company is providing for their salaried staff during the autumn and winter months. The classes are optional, but every facility is given to encourage students to attend.

The scheme, which strongly appeals to the men, includes courses in technical subjects, such as train signalling, passenger and goods accounting (conducted by qualified members of the Company's own staff) and the more advanced subjects of railway law, railway economics, railway operating, and economic geography.

This secondary course is made possible by the co-operation of the Universities of London, Cambridge, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds, Durham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrew's, and Aberdeen, under whose auspices classes are held at most of the important centres on the Company's system.

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A Cathedral-Like Railway Station. St. Pancras Passenger Station, London, Midland and Scottish Railway, London.

A Cathedral-Like Railway Station.
St. Pancras Passenger Station, London, Midland and Scottish Railway, London.