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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 5 (November 2, 1931)

[section]

Looking round the railway situation at the present time, one finds many sound reasons for confidence as to the future. Hard times have demanded a pruning down to bare essentials, but a survey reveals that the railway tree of transport has not been tapped in any vital spot, and there is much evidence of vigorous life. What the railways have been doing is to make themselves better able to cope with whatever conditions the future may have in store.

They are better equipped in motive power, rolling stock and general facilities for the handling of all kinds of traffic than ever before.

Members of the staff generally are fully alive to the advantage of helping personally in any way possible to make more business for the Department. If any railwayman hears of anybody or anything that needs transporting, he is anxious to have the railways employed for the purpose, and does what he can to help. He takes an interest in rates and services.

The railways are now able to put in hand almost any kind of transporting, and to do a complete job.

The “Limited,” which covers the Main Trunk run between Auckland and Wellington in a little over fourteen hours for 426 miles, much of the distance being through difficult country, is an example of the high standard of efficiency attained in operating services on our system. Everything dovetails—there is a steady interlocking at the appointed time of all the related activities that make possible the nightly run of this de luxe service in each direction. Travellers are catered for pleasantly and completely all the way. In the sleeping cars, beds are made at the nominated time, orders for refreshments taken and fulfilled, newspapers distributed, and luggage handled with dependable regularity. In the ordinary cars, good lighting, comfortable seats, and assistance from a qualified staff make for pleasurable travel. Bookstalls and refreshment stations have staffs ready to give immediate attention to a widely varied demand from passengers, and tracks are cleared and signals set to secure prompt running throughout for this fine train.

And the attention bestowed on the “Limited” is typical of the standard set for less important services. Particularly is this so in the matter of safety, for the railways have now completed six successive years without occasioning one fatality amongst their 150 million passengers carried in that time.

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Similarly in regard to goods services, the railways have a very complete organisation and a skilled staff. They maintain a definite and adequate timetable, can handle sudden expansions of traffic, and provide a “through” service where required. Further, they “pay as they go” for all supplies and services, make provision for depreciation, and constantly keep timetables and tariffs under review to provide, on a sound economic basis, the trains necessary for the traffic offering. That is a statement, in general terms, of what the railways are doing.

But what of the railways' competitors? The competition which the Department has to meet is rarely sound. Much of it is founded on high hopes and no business knowledge. Long credit is common, and big losses are constantly reported. A tightening up of credit facilities would leave most of the opposition stranded, for it is clear that few of those whose businesses are mainly dependent upon competition with the railways are financially sound.

The railways are well situated to obtain the full benefit from the inevitable trade revival which will follow the restoration of international confidence, and they are “all set” and in good shape to take full advantage of any improvement in the general transport situation.