How the Railways Could Employ Road Transport.
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PROGRESS entails change and change involves disturbance, which in its turn means readjustment to meet the new conditions. Failure to effect such readjustment in a business which is called upon to face new competition means relegation to a lower sphere of usefulness in public service. The railways are now in the position where the sole command of inland transport has been wrested from them by the newcomer—the motor road vehicle—and their endeavours to secure powers that will result in them being able to use the roads are instigated by the desire either to crush the newcomer with its own weapons or to transfer some of the railway traffic on to the roads.
The case of the railways could be made much more logical if it could be shown (perhaps, by amply safeguarding clauses in their Bills) that there was no intention (hidden or otherwise) to secure the elimination of-a serious competitor, but only to use the road vehicle as a means• for improving the service which the railways render to the community. One of the leaders in the heavy-vehicle industry has recently given his views in the financial Press, his arguments being sound and sensible and worth careful consideration. Railway methods of collection and distribution were based upon the horse, which, of course, had an extremely limited sphere of action. Because of this fact railway stations and goods depots were built at short distances apart and branch lines were laid down, all with a view to giving the passenger the smallest possible distance to walk or ride to the railway and the trader and the merchant the shortest haul for their goods.
The railway companies must now think of distance in the terms of the motor vehicle, which in collection and delivery has an economic working radius of, let us say, 80 miles (for certain classes of work or of goods the distance is much greater). With the motorbus system permeating the land many branch lines could be closed down, and with an improved service of trains on the principal lines considerable passenger traffic could be recovered.
Many of the smaller goods depots could also be closed and the work be transferred to a c15 smaller number .of depots of more importance and with much better facilities for the speedy handling of goods, motor vehicles being used to effect ,collection and distribution over areas of a size that could not have been covered by means of horsed vehicles. In this way enormous economies would be possible, and the logical position would be reached of the railways being used for the long hauls and road transport for the short connections and as feeders. The speed of goods trains could then be improved because of the lessened number of halts for breaking the loads.
There is great scope here for co-operation between road and rail, but it must be evident that road interests are determined that the establishment of adequate safeguards for themselves are a necessary preliminary to negotiation.
A Question that Often Confronts the Haulier.
THERE are, in the natural order of things, always new entrants into the haulage industry, and as each generation has to learn mainly from its own experience and to draw upon the experience of its predecessors the problems that have confronted the one and been solved offer themselves again for golution by the newcomer. Thus the question (to take one very important example) "what is a common carrier and in what way does he differ from a private carrier?" It is easy to explain that the "common carrier" (the term is employed in the Carriers Act of 1830) is a person who, by his general course of action, by implication and not necessarily by a written or spoken adoption, of the term, lays himself open to carry for anybody, anywhere and at any time, all this, of course, being within reason. As such he, like the cab driver who plies for hire, is under certain obligations and is given certain protection. The most important condition as affecting the consignor of goods is the liability imposed upon the "common carrier" for the safety of the goods placed in his charge. The private carrier, on the other hand, is somewhat akin to the owner of a private-hire carriage; he makes separate contracts and accepts such business as is suitable and convenient and he is not responsible for the safety of the goods beyond the need to exercise reasonable care.
Inquiries in the matter have reached us persistently lately, either indicative of the influx of newcomers to haulage or of difficulties arising in connection with the carriage of some particular class of goods. Because of the number of these inquiries (each of which has, naturally, been dealt with by correspondence) we have asked the regular contributor to whom has been entrusted the special study of the problems of the haulier and carrier, " S.T.R.," to discuss the question in his pages, which he proceeds to do this week. His article is a clear exposition of the subject and is worth the study of all who are engaged in carrying goods for other people, and it would be good practice to file it and any subsequent article on this matter.
Economizing Fuel and Increasing • Engine Efficiency.
IN a forthcoming issue we shall deaf at some length with the important subject of fuel economy, and refer to recent progress in carburation. These subjects are of particular interest in view of the increase in the cost of petrol due to the tax, and because there is absolutely no guarantee that petrol will for long remain even at its present price.
The employment of alternative fuels is hardly likely to affect the situation in the near future, for the quantities are so small in comparison with the total consumption, whilst progress in other directions, such as in the development of the Diesel motor, cannot be taken into account as an important factor for some considerable time.
We are convinced that in at least 50 per cent. of cases carburetters are blamed for heavy fuel consumption when: the defect can be ascribed to other causes. Progress in carburation has perhaps not received the credit which is due to the makers of the, various instruments concerned. Actually, it has been great, and the modern device is far more accurate in operation and less liable to give trouble than its prototypes of only a few years ago.
It is obvious, however, that much has still to be learnt on the subject. There appears to be very little co-ordination of ideas between socalled experts. One insists that the fuel should be vaporized most thoroughly, another that there should be as little vapour as possible, the mixture entering as a fog. This is only one Instance of many divergences, and the theories cannot all be correct. However, the petrol engine is long-suffering and will usually give excellent results on comparatively indifferent mixtures, but to obtain the greatest efficiency, not only in fuel consumption but in power output per unit quantity of fuel, careful design and the utilization of correct principles are essential.