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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 4 (August 1, 1928)

First Joint Air-Rail Service Announced

page 39

First Joint Air-Rail Service Announced

Forecasts of the early establishment of joint passenger service by railways and air transportation companies have been brought much nearer to realization recently. As reported in the “Railway Age,” the Transcontinental Air Transport, Inc., has been organized by interests identified with the Pennsylvania, the National Air Transport, Inc., the Wright Aeronautical Corporation, the Curtiss Aeroplane and Engine Company, the Ford Motor Company, and others. Although not financially interested, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway will co-operate in the traffic arrangements. Under the proposed schedule, passengers, by riding trains at night and changing to airplanes during the day, will complete the journey between New York and Los Angeles in approximately 48 hours, reducing the time required to make the same trip entirely by railway train more than 36 hours.

This, states the “Age,” is a logical development and one which was not at all unexpected. The public response to the establishment of air passenger service has been remarkable. Almost from the start the demand on the part of travellers for passage on the air lines has been regularly much greater than the limited facilities for passenger transportation offered by nearly all such lines. Large though the United States is, the centres of population between which there is considerable travel and which are separated by much more than one night of train travel are relatively few. On account of this fact, and also on account of the fact that rates for passenger transportation by air are of necessity under present conditions rather high, it has been felt that the passenger business of the air lines would be slow in developing. On the contrary, it is already overtaxing their facilities.

The Napier express, travelling at 40 miles per hour, near Otaki.

The Napier express, travelling at 40 miles per hour, near Otaki.

It is probably true, however, that the number of passengers who can and will travel by airplane at this time, if opportunity is offered them, is still comparaticely small. It is limited to a large extent by the present high cost of air transportation. More important is the feeling among the public in general that, in spite of evidence to the contrary, air travel is still unsafe. Whether it is safe or unsafe makes little difference; the important point to the transportation man is that a large proportion of the public thinks it is unsafe. The same thing was thought of the railway train a hundred years ago.

To overcome this apprehension of air travel in the public's mind, no more constructive step could be taken than to establish joint rail and air service sponsored by leading railway companies. The public has faith in the ability and safety of the railways. The fact that railways have given their backing to air transportation and thus tacitly testified to their faith in its safety, should go a long way in changing the public's state of mind. Through travel by train at night and by airplane during the day will be much more comfortable, and in the present state of the development of facilities for night flying, will be much more safe. It is a step in advance of allrail travel, but not too long a step.

The joint rail-air service should attract considerable patronage from the start. As it proves its dependability it will attract still more passengers. When more passengers are carried rates can be reduced, and when rates are reduced still more passengers will be attracted, and so on. Thus, the way is being paved for air travel in the United States on a large scale.

The intended flight of Kingsford Smith and his companions from Australia to New Zealand is being planned with the kind of thoroughness that should ensure success. If the flight proves successful it will focus public attention on air travel here much more than in the past, and may ultimately lead to the establishment of joint rail and air services for inter-island communication.