(f) Number of pigs imported by rail at 1,532,625 was 268,696 more
than the record of 1,263,929 in 1971-72.
4. Imports from China amounted to 1,191,963 metric tons, repre- senting 99.82% of the total goods traffic. This figure exceeded the previous record established in 1971-72 by 140,771 tons. Export tonnage was 1,702 metric tons compared with 681 last year. Goods carried within the Colony amounted to 505 metric tons compared with 957 last year.
5. The number of local passengers carried was 11,145,535, also a new record, and an increase of 851,077 on the previous year's figure of 10,294,458 (see Appendix XVI). 1,259,435 persons travelled to and from China compared with 1,009,992 during the previous year.
6. A sum of $351,229 was spent in restoring damage to Railway property caused by torrential rainstorms in May and June 1972. Blockages of the railway line by mud and water caused interruptions of train services and on 17th and 18th June all traffic was suspended for several hours.
7. There was one serious accident during the year. This occurred on the main line between Mong Kok Railway Station and Hung Hom Signal Cabin at 8.04 p.m. on 28th May, 1972, when a passenger train proceeding from Kowloon to Lo Wu collided with 15 empty goods wagons which were propelled by a locomotive towards Hung Hom. Fortunately there were no injuries to passengers but two Railway employees were slightly hurt.
8. Considerable difficulties continued to be experienced in handling the increasing number of passengers, especially during peak periods and public holidays. In order to improve the passenger service, 40 new carriages were ordered during the year. 28 will replace part of the old rolling stock while the other 12 will be used to lengthen the existing trains or to form an additional train set. An order for a locomotive will be placed next year.
9. The double tracking of the railway line between the new terminal in Hung Hom and Sha Tin has been approved by Government. When this project is completed in mid-1976, it will provide an additional daily capacity of 16,000 passengers in each direction, thus greatly relieving the present congestion in passenger trains, and will enable more goods trains to be run. Other improvements included in this
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