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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 6 (October 1, 1932.)

Transportation Branch — A Glimpse of the Traffic Operating Side of the New Zealand Railways

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Transportation Branch
A Glimpse of the Traffic Operating Side of the New Zealand Railways
.

The activities of the Transportation Branch of the New Zealand Railways cover a wide range. This Branch is responsible for the operation of train services, communications, railway stations, goods depots, and shunting yards. The operations include the transport of all passengers, parcels and goods traffic from the originating station or depot to destination. The following article gives an account of the organisation which is established to ensure prompt, safe and efficient transport of passengers and commodities.

Transportation is an essential part of the process of production. Coal is not of use when it is underground, but to be a utility it has to be brought to the surface, and then transported to the place where it is to be used. The position is similar with regard to any article that is grown, mined or manufactured. The farmer expends labour in producing wheat or wool, but whatever he produces must be moved to the place where it is required for consumption, and this necessary transportation is part of the process of production. Passengers also require to be conveyed to the place where their labour may be best employed, and in the case of holiday-makers, to the spot where they expect to get the maximum of enjoyment or relaxation.

Railway transportation covers the movement by rail of passengers, parcels, and goods traffic. The branch controlling this movement operates the equipment provided by other branches, and collects the charges for the service performed. The actual movement of the traffic involves (a) the receiving, loading, conveying, and delivering of goods; (b) the working of stations and goods sheds; (c) the marshalling and-breaking-up of trains in shunting yards; and (d) the preparation of time-tables and the running of trains in accordance therewith.

Organisation of the Branch.

Efficient transportation can be secured only by detailed organisation, and by the delegation of responsibility to the various members of the staff, so that no misunderstanding can arise as to the duty of each member. This organisation is under the direction of the Traffic Superintendent, Wellington, and functions through District Traffic Managers. The railway system of the Dominion is divided into seven traffic districts:— Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Ohakune, Wanganui, and Invercargill, with a District Traffic Manager in control of each district. There are five isolated sections: Kaihu, Gisborne, Picton, Nelson and Westport, and the traffic here is worked by the Stationmaster-in-Charge under the supervision of the Traffic Superintendent.

Each District Traffic Manager operates his district by medium of his train running and transport officers, stationmasters and goods agents, with the necessary staff of clerks, foremen, guards, shunters, signalmen, porters, etc. By means of this staff and by personal contact he keeps in close touch with the transportation requirements of passengers and clients. Each stationmaster of necessity comes into close contact with the users of the railway at his station, and is able to advise

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New Zealand Railways Transportation Branch. Top: Mr. J. C. Schneider, Traffic Superintendent; (centre) Mr. F. Herbert, Outdoor Transportation Assistant; (below) Messrs. A. G. Cockroft, J. D. Nash and K. Fanthorpe, members of the clerical staff. (Mr. R. J. A. Stirling, Chief Clerk, absent on leave.)

New Zealand Railways Transportation Branch.
Top: Mr. J. C. Schneider, Traffic Superintendent; (centre) Mr. F. Herbert, Outdoor Transportation Assistant; (below) Messrs. A. G. Cockroft, J. D. Nash and K. Fanthorpe, members of the clerical staff. (Mr. R. J. A. Stirling, Chief Clerk, absent on leave.)

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them as to the best way of despatching or obtaining their goods; and he is able to advise the District Traffic Manager as to the requirements in his district. Every care is taken to ensure that the younger members of the service make themselves efficient in the regulations with regard to charges and general working, so that they will be in a position to give correct and definite information and advice, without hesitation, to the Department's clients. Three examinations have to be passed by these members, and their advancement in the service is conditional on the passing of these examinations. Members are enjoined to show that civility and helpfulness which is the due of all passengers and other clients of the Department. The detailed organisation of the branch, and the hearty co-operation of the staff ensure efficient working of the transportation machine.

The District Traffic Manager is in a position of great responsibility, for in addition to the general supervision of the working of his. district and of the staff, involving as it does the maintenance of that discipline which brings efficiency, he is also the medium by which the general public in his particular district approaches the Department.

Value of Statistics.

It has been found that the statistics compiled in the Chief Accountant's Office in connection with the working of traffic, are of great value to the controlling officer and they are the main check on operating performance. These statistics, based on data extracted from station returns, waybills and guards' running sheets, are elaborate, and are compiled for each four-weekly period and for each year. They are too extensive to describe in detail, but include revenue results from each district for each class of traffic, revenue per passenger journey, per ton, per ton mile, per train mile, and so on; expenditure for each class of work for each district, cost per train mile, per train hour, totaf freight tonnagey passenger journeys, train hours, total engine miles, average train speed, average train load, cost of shunting services, cost of handling goods, cost of operating rail motors, road motors, Lake Wakatipu steamers, and many variations of these statistics.

Some idea of the transport work performed in the course of a year may be obtained from the statistics for one year which, in spite of a time of depression, show as under:—

Total passenger journeys, ordinary 6,503,566
Total passenger journeys, season 12,652,034
Total freight tonnage 5,824,811 tons
Net ton miles 481,943,198
Man hours 12,498,612
Train miles 10,279,538

To move this great volume of traffic, trains are run in accordance with a timetable prepared to meet the requirements of traffic, and the service is increased when necessary by special trains run as directed in special train advices issued by the District Traffic Manager for the district Concerned.

All timetables, before being published, are carefully checked in every detail by a specialised staff, and the timetables are plotted on the train diagrams to ensure the maintenance of proper intervals and of suitable crossing stations. The times provided in the timetable or train advice are checked with the mileage and with the authorised schedule of speeds to ensure that a reasonable running time is allowed.

Signalling Systems and Safety.

Various systems of train protection are in force in the Dominion, and it is only on small and unimportant lines that there is not some mechanical form of train protection.

The Tablet apparatus is the main protective system on single lines of railway. This apparatus works electrically, and only one tablet for any section can be obtained from the instruments at any one time. On double lines the protective systems adopted are the Lock and Block signalling and Automatic signalling. With the Lock and Block system the page 60 starting signal at a station cannot be released until the preceding train has cleared the station in advance. This system is still in use between Heathcote and Christchurch and between Dunedin and Mosgiel, in the South Island. Automatic signalling, however, is the more modern system for double line working. Automatic signalling has also superseded the tablet system on several stretches of single line railway. Train control from central offices is now in operation over a great part of the lines of the Dominion.

The interlocking of signals and points at large stations has contributed largely to the safety of train working, as lias also the equipment of all rolling stock with the Westinghouse automatic air brake.

Rules and regulations are laid down regarding the working of trains and signals, and these are strictly applied, each member being examined annually as to his knowledge of the Rules and Regulations. The motto of the Department is “Safety First,” and every precaution is taken to ensure safe working. The rule books display prominently the following rule:—

“The first and most important duty of every member is to provide for the safety of the public.”

In this matter of safety the Railway Department in New Zealand has built up a splendid record—one of the finest in the world.

Importance of Economy.

But in addition to safety and reliability another factor that has to be kept in view is the necessity for economic working. It is essential that the service be conducted with a minimum of cost. The reduction of goods tonnage due to the present trade depression has been seriously felt by the Department. The law of Increasing Returns applies to the Railway business, and the greater the volume of business, the less the cost per unit. Much of the expenditure is fixed and does not depend upon the volume of business, so that a rise in volume decreases unit costs, while a drop in the volume of traffic increases unit costs.

The present depression has, therefore, had a serious effect on the Railway finances, and unprecedented efforts have had to be made to counterbalance the fall in revenue. In addition to other economies it has been necessary to curtail train mileage in sympathy with the reduction in traffic and in revenue. In making these curtailments great care has been exercised to gauge the requirements of the district concerned in conjunction with the traffic being carried, and curtailments have been made only where it appeared that the least inconvenience would be caused to the users of the Railway.

As an indication of the reductions that have had to be made during the past year, it may be stated that train mileage was reduced by 1,198,986 train miles, or 10.45 per cent. This curtailment has been made without serious inconvenience to our clients.

The advent of the motor vehicle, and the great improvement in road surfacing during recent years, has added to the difficulty in holding traffic and maintaining the service on an economic basis.

The Transportation Branch is continually on the look-out for means of improving the service without undue additional cost, and particularly for ways of accelerating despatch of traffic and giving greater convenience to its clients. In this respect a definite programme of improvement to, passenger carriages is being carried on as funds available permit. A close contact is kept with modern transport developments, such as those in connection with rail motor vehicles, so that any development suitable to the conditions peculiar to this country may be exploited when circumstances are favourable. The service is being constantly overhauled to effect every possible economy in operation that will not detract from the value of the service given, as it is recognised that in this time of economic depression the Transportation industry, like all other businesses, must reduce operating costs to maintain stability in the industry. At the same time the Transportation Branch of the Railways keeps in close touch with the business needs of the community, and is fully alive to the imperative necessity for a safe, prompt, and reliable transport service.