CO129-559-1 Canton - Hankow Railways 15-1-1936 - 23-6-1936 — Page 35

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and trenches. The longest tunnel of the entire system,

approximately 1,400 feet in length, occurs in this section.

The Nan Hsiung River has been crossed with one 60-metre

steel truss, one 18-metre and one 10-metre girder. The

opening of this 32-mile section has given impetus to the

coal and salt traffic, the activities of salt distributors

in Lok Chong having diminished considerably due to the rail

facilities provided.

8. There has been a considerable drop in the receipts

of the line compared with last year. I was informed that

the traffic had dropped 33%, goods being affected to the

extent of 40% and passengers 20%.

9. As regards future proposals for increasing the

efficiency of the Southern Section, I understand that 4 new

powerful engines of the 4-8-4 type with 40,000 lb tractive

effort and 16 carriages are arriving shortly, and that more

funds are to be spent on re-sleepering. The problem of

accommodating both the new and the old stock is an acute

one at this juncture and cannot be solved for some time

owing to the congestion at Wong sha. Sai Chuen station at

the 2 mile is to become a Passenger Terminal and a Freight

Terminal is to be constructed at the 4 mile (near the

Cement Works)

ambitious scale and modern Locomotive and other Repair Shops

will be erected there. This latter proposal may well form

the raison d'etre for the connecting link with the Canton-

Kowloon Railway. In this connection, many of the Railway

officials informed me gratuitously that this link was

necessary to enable the system to function effectively.

III. THE CONSTRUCTION SECTION FROM LOK CHONG

TO CHU CHOW

This Freight Terminal is planned on an

10.

The Construction Section is 252 miles in length

with Administrative Headquarters at Heng chow on the Siang