facilities such as extensions of platforms, erection of overhead bridges, etc., costing $397,541, were also carried out during the year.
33. The Accounts and supporting data are published in Appendices I to V to this report.
MECHANICAL WORKSHOPS
34. All locomotives, rolling stock, electrical and mechanical equip- ment, machinery and plant were maintained to a good standard during the year.
35. Locomotives. Forty-five 5,000 mile inspections, twenty-nine 10,000 mile inspections, eight 30,000 mile inspections, five 60,000 mile inspections and two 120,000 mile inspections were performed on the nine diesel electric locomotives. Locomotive No. 51 had its wheels turned and running gears overhauled. Chrome-plated liners and standard size pistons were fitted to locomotive No. 57. All cylinder liners, pistons and exhaust valves of locomotive No. 55 were renewed. Locomotive No. 53 had its wiring in the control circuits renewed, one traction motor replaced, the commutator of the main generator ground and all injectors overhauled. Three main engine bearings of locomotive No. 59 were renewed. The auxiliary generator of locomotive No. 56 was overhauled. During the year locomotive No. 57 became the second locomotive in this railway fitted with chrome-plated liners. The merit of the chrome- plated liners as against step-sized pistons was fully realized in our experiment which commenced in late 1967. It was, therefore, decided that in the interest of economy, chrome-plating used liners would be accepted as our standard practice instead of reboring them and fitting larger pistons.
36. The availability factor of the diesel locomotives was 90.63% being the highest figure since 1959-60. This was attributable to further improvements in the planned control of work schedules and less major repairs falling due in the period under review. Adequate motive power was made available at all times to cope with the larger volume of traffic which amounted to an increase of 31,227 train kilometres over the previous year.
37. The maintenance cost of the diesel electric locomotives was $0.566 per km. compared with $0.540 per km. in the previous year. The rise was mainly attributed to higher wages.
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