Communications.

The recent activities of the Branch have been very largely concerned with improvements in the communication systems of the Railway by telephone and telegraph operation.

During a number of years, additional points of communication have been required and these were added from time to time to the existing lines, nearly all of which were of the old iron wire type. In the days that these were installed, this was the general practice, but later requirements have demanded line improvements page 13 to take advantage of the modern developments in communications. It is hardly necessary to emphasize how great these improvements have been. The recent introduction of radio to almost every home for instruction or entertainment during the evenings, is one striking instance.

Possibly the most useful among later inventions for communication systems is the Fleming valve and its allied developments.

Another development in reorganising the communication services of the railways is the use of one pair of wires to carry more than one circuit. By this means, superimposed over telephone wires, morse can be operated, and so two channels of communication can be given where only one was the usual practice in the past. Further developments of this system may be used in the future, by introducing the carrier current system, by means of which it is possible to have a large number of telephone conversations travelling at the same time over the same pair of wires.

The general scheme for the installation of selective telephones for train control purposes, approved by the Management some two years ago, is now nearing completion. Some sections are completed and in use, and with the completion of the major scheme this year, many additional facilities will be provided for the efficient operation of trains.

The importance of communications needs no emphasis, as it is by these alone that co-operation in the working of traffic can be efficiently carried out.