As part of a plan to increase the usefulness of the AD.60-class Beyer-Garratt locomotives, the New South Wales Railways have made some modifications and tests with one of these engines, No. 6015.
     The modifications consist of transferring weight from the bogies to increase driving wheel axle loads from 16 tons to 18 tons, and of boring the cylinders out from 19.25 to 19.875 inches diameter by reducing the thickness of the liners with which the cylinders have been provided.
     The rated tractive effort has been increased from 59,600lb. to 63,000lb., and tests have been made in freight train operation on the northern line between Enfield and Broadmeadow.
     On October 1 last, a test was made from Enfield to Broadmeadow with a load of just under 650 tons from Enfield to Hornsby, and 680 tons thence to Broadmeadow. Running times were maintained without overtaxing the capacity of the modified locomotive. Normal loads for each of the sections concerned are, respectively, 600 and 650 tons.
     Another test was made on October 2, in the return direction from Broadmeadow to Enfield, when the load was 1180 tons. Again there was no difficulty working this load, and the existing running times were readily observed on all sections. No. 6015 was assisted up the bank from Hawkesbury River to Cowan by a 40-class diesel-electric locomotive in front, and a standard 50/53-class freight locomotive pushed up in the rear. The 5.3-mile section was completed in 22 minutes (average 14.3 m.p.h.), as against the time currently allowed for it of 27 minutes (11.7 m.p.h.). The present load for Beyer-Garratt locomotives from Broadmeadow to Enfield is 850 tons, and with this load the train is pushed up the 1-40/54 grade from Hawkesbury River to Cowan by a standard freight locomotive.
     A test was conducted some years ago with a 60-class locomotive hauling 1075 tons from Broadmeadow to Hawkesbury River assisted by steam locomotives in front and in the rear. The temperature conditions in the cab of the 60-class locomotive, however, were such that a ruling was given that no steam locomotive was to precede a Garratt locomotive through the tunnels — thus restricting the load hauled to 850 tons as mentioned. The load of 1180 tons on the test is believed to be the heaviest worked up the Cowan bank.
     From these tests it would appear that it is quite possible to materially enhance the capacity of the Beyer-Garratt locomotive for heavy freight train working. Any locomotive of this class so modified could be permitted to run, not only between Enfield and Broadmeadow but also on lines on which the 57-class locomotives are allowed to work. It will therefore be interesting to watch future developments, in the numbers of the class altered in this way and the performance recorded when tests are made on other sections of the lines.
     The scope for modifying in the way indicated would be confined to locomotives not needed for branch line working, where the altered weight distribution would be unacceptable.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, January, 1958

     For the second consecutive year, the large Adelaide Departmental Store, Myers, ran "Santa Special" trains on a number of Metropolitan lines between Monday, November 2, and Friday. November 29.
     Each special train was hauled by a 750 class steam locomotive; the number of cars on the trains varying from eight on the Bridegwater line to ten on the North Gawler line.
     The "Santa Special" worked from Marino on Monday; Smithfield on Tuesday: Bridgewater on Wednesday; Outer Harbour on Thursday: and North Gawler (serving all stations to Smithfield) on Friday. A further ten car train ran from North Gawler, stopping at all stations to Salisbury, on Friday, December 6 to meet the heavy demand.
     A special fare of 2 shillings for adults and 1 shilling for children applied from all stations to Adelaide.
     The locomotive and cars were suitably decorated, and Father Christmas travelled on each of the trains.

Reprinted from Railway Transportation, January, 1958

     The effect of colour-light signals in the blackout is much more glaring than under normal conditions when there is a considerable amount of other light in their neighbourhood, and has, we believe, thrown rather a strain on some drivers, especially on dark nights and on routes when such signals occur at short intervals. The double yellow especially, appears extraordinarily glaring, and the question arises acutely as to the advisability of reducing the intensity of the lights at night. There have been those who for long have contended that it is wrong to show the same powerful lights by night as in bright sunlight because, with a very strong light, the perspective effect is impaired and it becomes hard to judge how far off the signal is. In some countries the voltage of colour-light signals is reduced at night in clear weather, but this is more easily done when the aspects are such that there is no inconvenience felt if a yellow light has a tendency to look redder than usual. There is room for a device which would enable the intensity of colour-light aspects to be reduced-and hence the glare softened—at will, without affecting the colour value of the beam, and controllable from neighbouring stations or signal boxes, possibly by some code control system not necessitating the running of additional wires, or very few. Perhaps the present conditions will lead to the production of such equipment.

Reprinted from The Railway Gazette, 12 January, 1940

     With the rise of dictatorships in the great Western European States, almost the entire length of France's land frontiers adjoins the frontiers of potentially hostile States. France is the last of the powerful democracies in this part of Europe. Excepting the small States of Belgium and Switzerland, France's neighbours are the dictator countries of Germany, Italy, and now, with Franco at the helm, Spain. But, a few hours away across the English Channel is the friendly might of a rapidly arming Britain.
     France is the most westerly State of Central Europe. The present area of France (exclusive of Algeria, in Africa) is 212,895 square miles, with a population of 41,905,968 (inclusive of Alsace and Lorraine). France has always been attractive to foreigners, of whom 2,453,000 live there.
     The monarchical system of government was overthrown by the French Revolution, and the First Republic endured until the great Napoleon founded the First Empire in 1804. There have been two or three attempts made since 1804 to restore the monarchy, but these have always been defeated.
     The head of the Republic is the President, elected for seven years by the National Assembly of the two houses of the Legislature, the Senate of 314 members, and the Chamber of Deputies of 615 members elected by direct vote for four years. Members of the legislature receive 62,000 francs a year (about £380), and travelling facilities over the railways.
     Chief crops produced in France are potatoes (between 14,000,000 and 15,000,000 tons a year), wheat (about 7,000,000 tons) and oats (approximately 4,500,000 tons).
     Forestry is an important industry, the principal forests being those of the Ardennes, Compiegne, Fontainbleau and Orleans, consisting chiefly of oak, birch, pine, beech, elm, chestnut and the cork tree in the South of France.
     France is world-famous for her wines, as the names of such vintages as Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Chablis, and many others will testify. In a recent year 955,000,000 gallons of wine were produced. Following closely upon wine making is the production of cider, of which the annual out-put is slightly over 625,000,000 gallons. The livestock totals are:—Cattle, 15,600,000; sheep, 9,700,000; pigs, 7,000,000; and 2,744,000 horses.
     French mineral resources include coal, pig iron, copper, lead, silver, antimony, and salt. Under Article 50 of the Treaty of Versailles, the coalfields of the Saar Basin were ceded to France for 15 years. Readers will readily remember the dramatic incidents associated with the taking of a plebiscite to determine whether the people of the Saar would return to Germany. This was the chief condition of the transfer of the Saar. At the end of the 15 years the inhabitants of that area were allowed to decide for themselves whether they would remain under French control or return to the dominion of their Fatherland. They went back to Germany
     Leading manufacturers are in the metal trades, jewellery, cabinet work, carving, pottery, glass, chemicals, dyeing, paper making, woollens, carpets, linen, silk and lace. Sardine fisheries and the culture of oysters are also a source of considerable wealth to the country.      Railways and defence go hand in hand the world over. For that reason it needs no apology here to introduce a few informative lines on France's defences.
     The National Army of France consists of the Metropolitan Army, the Colonial Army, the Gendarmerie and Republican Guard, and of the partly native armies of Algeria, Morocco and Tunis. Experience gained in the Great War has caused the construction of a vast series of trenches along the frontiers, behind the trenches being a chain of fortresses, the system being known as the Maginot Line. The peace strength of the French Army is 700,000.      Since 1st January, 1938, the system of the former Eastern, Northern, P.L.M., Paris-Orleans, Midi, Alsace-Lorraine, and French State railways have been merged in the French National Railways Company. The company was formed by a Decree of 31st August, 1937, to amalgamate all main line railways in France. This Decree provides for the former independent companies to remain in existence as financial entities until 1955, which is the average period when their concessions expire. They have been allotted 49 per cent. of the shares in the National Railways Company, and will distribute the dividends thereon to their own shareholders. When the companies are dissolved in 1955, their shareholdings in the French National Railways Company will be divided among the proprietors. The remaining 51 per cent. of the shares belong to the French Government, which nominates fifteen members to the Board. Twelve more are nominated by the present railway companies, four are appointed by the railwaymen, and two are persons "who have rendered eminent railway service." From 1955 the twelve representatives of the companies will be replaced by six directors, nominated by their shareholders, which will reduce the strength of the Board from its present thirty-three members to twenty- seven.      The territories of the former seven main- line railways have been divided among five divisions as follows:—Northern Division (formerly Northern Railway), Eastern Division (Eastern and Alsace-Lorraine Railways), South-Eastern Division (P.L.M. Railway), South-Western Region (P.O. and Midi Railways), and Western Region (State Railways). Following are brief particulars of the constituent units of the French National Railway Company:—
     Receipts for 1937 were approximately £74,350,000 (Australia, £11,500,000).
     Mileage controlled by the French National Railway Company totals 26,685 (Australia, 27,899 miles).
     Despite Australia's slightly greater mileage, both the revenue collected and the rolling stock in use on the French National Railways gives a clear idea of the tremendous business done. The Company's locomotives number 19,400 (Australia, 3,607); coaching vehicles, 32,400 (Australia, 7,818); other stock, 521,000 (Australia, 84,000).
     Besides the seven great French railways systems, another very important railway organisation has been merged into the French National Railway Company. Established in 1919 by the principal French railways with a view to standardising various rolling stock designs and details, this organisation serves as a technical "clearing-house," preparing and co-ordinating preliminary designs for new locomotives and stock. It has charge of the Vitry locomotive testing plant constructed in 1933 by the combined main line companies, and of the four dynamometer cars with which the companies conduct their road tests. Among its duties it undertakes special studies for certain administration, such as the War Office, the Post, Telegraph, and Telephone Departments, the Colonial Office, and Light railway and Colonial railway administrations. In addition, it to some extent controls specifications for materials, and issues a monthly bulletin dealing with the work carried out during the previous four weeks, and giving particulars of amendments to specifications.      The International Union of Railways is further evidence of the leading part played by France in European railway affairs. This Union, of which the four British groups are members, was promoted in response to a wish expressed at the International Economic Conference at Genoa in 1922, that the Administrations of the French Railways should convene a conference of technical representatives of the railways of Europe and of countries in rail communication therewith, with a view to taking the necessary measures for the re-establishment of International traffic in a manner at least as satisfactory as before the Great War.
     The work of the Union is confined to the study of administrative or technical questions, and it takes no active part in railway management, working or construction. Decisions taken by the General Assembly are submitted for the approval of the various Governments in cases where the railways are State-owned, and to the individual companies where the railways are not owned by the State.

Reprinted from S.A.R. Officers' Magazine, July, 1939

     The British National Coal Board has on trial a switcher which works on the same principle as a child's "push-and-go" toy. It is an electrogyro locomotive, and power is obtained from two large flywheels which rotate at speed and store energy which is converted into electric power and used to drive the locomotive.
     The locomotive needs a boost about every 30 minutes, and to "recharge" the flywheels takes about 2½ minutes. At a charging station a collector pole is swung out pneumatically, connecting the locomotive with four bare contact rails. These do not become alive until a pilot circuit through the switcher closes a contactor in the charging station. The gyros are then run up to near synchronous speed, at which 18 K.W.H. of energy are stored; and of this about 12 K.W.H. are used. The charging mast is swung back and then the locomotive can move off. The kinetic energy is reconverted into electrical form and supplied to two traction motors which drive the switcher.
     The gyros run in an atmosphere of hydrogen at reduced pressure. This means that it takes nearly 11 hours for a gyro to come to rest from maximum speed whereas air at normal atmospheric pressure would stop the gyro in only 4 hours. The hydrogen also reduces the loss of gyro rpm at signal stops and traffic hold-ups.
     The 4-wheeled locomotive is 23 feet 7½ inches long and weighs 33¾ tons. It's working in a surface yard, but the basic idea behind the development of the gyro engine is for use below ground in coal mines. If the trials are successful a flameproof gyro locomotive will be considered.
     The electrical equipment was produced by the Swiss Oerlikon concern and the mechanical parts were built in Britain by Sentinel (Shrewsbury) Ltd.

Reprinted from Trains, August, 1958

The new tanker, being built in Comeng's Granville Workshops, to carry liquefied petroleum gas throughout New South Wales.

     The largest rail tanker to be used on Australian railways is at present being built in the Comeng plant at Granville in New South Wales.
     The 26,400 gallon tanker is being built for Boral and will be used for the transportation of liquefied petroleum gas.
     It will be 30 per cent. larger than the biggest tankers at present operating on Australian rail systems — the 20,500 gallon tankers being used by the Commonwealth Railways on the Transcontinental run.
     The Boral tanker will be 76 ft. long and almost 10 ft. in diameter. It will be of underframeless construction which will allow a "drop centre" for greater capacity.
     It has been designed so that the tank itself is the major structural component of the unit. The tank will be mounted on three-axle bogies.      The underframeless construction has also allowed a tare weight of only 51.2 tons compared with a product weight of 57.7 tons.
     It will have a design pressure of 255 lb./sq. in. which will allow it to operate, under the most extreme climatic conditions with a wide safety margin.
     In accordance with the latest overseas practice with a car of this type, Comeng engineers subjected the tanker to the stress relieving process.
     The huge size of the tanker will allow bulk handling techniques to be employed in loading and discharging.
     It will be used by Boral to deliver LPG from the Matraville refinery to country distribution centres at Newcastle, Wodonga, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga, Goulburn and eventually Broken Hill.
     Boral have bulk handling equipment already installed at these centres.

Reprinted from The Railwayman, February, 1968

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