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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 4 (September 1, 1931.)

The Trend of Railway Progress

The Trend of Railway Progress.

One usually pictures the railway system of the future as being formed of a network of electrically worked main-lines with innumerable road motor lines serving as feeders thereto. This is the direction in which most European railways are now moving, and in the main-line electrification field steady progress continues to be recorded. Austria already has some 500 route miles of track operated by electricity, and now comes
Behind The Scenes On The Home Railways. The Main Booking Office, L.M. & S. Railway, Derby, England.

Behind The Scenes On The Home Railways.
The Main Booking Office, L.M. & S. Railway, Derby, England.

the news of the proposed early electrification of the remaining steam-operated mainlines linking Vienna with the surrounding capitals, a move that would enable through electric trains to be run right across Austria, from Geneva and Basle in Switzerland, to Budapest in Hungary.

Single-phase alternating current of 15,000 volts is employed in Austria, and as alternating current is also used on the neighbouring railways of Germany and Switzerland, through working is a relatively simple affair. Some 300 miles of 55 k.v. overhead transmission lines connect the power stations with the railway substations, where the current is stepped down to 15 k.v. Thirteen different types of electric locomotives are utilised for train haulage, fast passenger locomotives being of the 2-6+6-2, 2-6-2, 2-8-2, and 0-4+4-0 types. Much of the route covered by the Austrian Government Railways is of a mountainous character, and immense demands are made upon locomotives. Serious restrictions on speed are imposed by the heavy grades existing, but the electric locomotives are able to haul much heavier loads than the steam machines formerly employed, at almost double the speed hitherto booked.

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“While here at home, in shining day. We round the sunny garden play…”—Robert Louis Stevenson. Our Children's Gallery.—(1) Phyllis and Henry Smith (Wanganui); (2) Charles, Ray, David and Connie May (North Auckland); (3) Doris Haynes (Shannon); (4) Joan Barnes (Dunedin); (5) Audrey and Walter Hall (Wellington); (6) Leslie Charles Mayle (Raetihi); (7) Betty Marlow (Wanganui); (8) Billy Gray (Oamaru); (9) Robert Harrington (Waipukurau); (10) Trevor James Wadsworth (Waipara); (11) Colin Jones (Wanganui); (12) Ngaire Walker (Ngaio); (13) Agnes Clapp (Auckland), Rex Clapp (Wellington), Willie Clapp (Auckland), Patricia Clapp (Auckland) and Georgie Prattley (Paekakariki); (14) Tommy, Velma and Bobbie Read (Paekakariki).

While here at home, in shining day. We round the sunny garden play…”—Robert Louis Stevenson.
Our Children's Gallery.—(1) Phyllis and Henry Smith (Wanganui); (2) Charles, Ray, David and Connie May (North Auckland); (3) Doris Haynes (Shannon); (4) Joan Barnes (Dunedin); (5) Audrey and Walter Hall (Wellington); (6) Leslie Charles Mayle (Raetihi); (7) Betty Marlow (Wanganui); (8) Billy Gray (Oamaru); (9) Robert Harrington (Waipukurau); (10) Trevor James Wadsworth (Waipara); (11) Colin Jones (Wanganui); (12) Ngaire Walker (Ngaio); (13) Agnes Clapp (Auckland), Rex Clapp (Wellington), Willie Clapp (Auckland), Patricia Clapp (Auckland) and Georgie Prattley (Paekakariki); (14) Tommy, Velma and Bobbie Read (Paekakariki).

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