XN000022-1978-04-01 — Page 5

SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1378

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KCR ADOPTS TRACK WELDING

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THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY IS PRESOING AHEAD WITH ITS FIVE-YEAR IMPROVEMENT PLANS TO REPLACE EXISTING JOINTED TRACK EY WELDED TRACK.

THE FAMILIAR +CLICKÉTY-CLACK+ OF TRAINS RUNNING OVER TRACK JOINTS WILL BE THUS ELIMINATED AND PROVIDE PASSENGERS WITH A SMOOTHER AND QUIETER RIDE.

PART

A SPOKESMAN FOR K.C.R. SAID TODAY THIS IS ONLY OF A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMIE FOR THE TRACK WHICH IS BEING UPGRADED TO ACCOMMODATE THE BETTER, FASTER AND MORE FREQUENT TRAIN SERVICE THE K.C.R. PLANS TO PROVIDE IN THE FUTURE.

HE ADDED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TRACK WELDING SCHEME WILL ALSO REDUCE THE WEAR CN ROLLING STOCK AND THE COSTS OF TRACK MAINTENANCE. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT IT WILL INCREASE THE SAFETY AS MOST RAIL FAILURES CCCUR NEAR TO THE JOINTS.

TO ALLOW FOR THE EXPANSION IN HOT WEATHER, PREVIOUSLY ACCOMMODATED BY THE GAPS BETWEEN THE RAILS, THE NEW RAILS ARE STRETCHED SO THAT THEY ARE AT A LENGTH EQUIVALENT TO THE AVERAGE HIGH TEMPERATURE EXPERIENCED.

THE SYSTEM OF WELDING BEING ADOPTED IS THE THERMIT WELDING METHOD WHICH HAS BEEN IN USE FOR MANY YEARS ON TRAMWAYS AND HAS MORE RECENTLY BEEN APPLIED TO RAILWAYS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

WELDING OF K.C.R. TRACK INITIALLY ON SHORT LENGTHS AND SIDINGS STARTED A YEAR AGO. NOW IT IS EEING EXTENDED TO ALL NEW WORKS.

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