D.—l.

The track is laid with 56 lb, steel rails for seven miles of the distance, on the remainder 35 lb. rails being in use, the intention of the company being to replace these soon with the heavier variety. A level form of ballast is in use, exposing the entire upper surface of the ties, but extending beyond the ends. Water lubrication is practised on the sharpest curves, oil having proved dangerous, causing derailment. Creeping of the rails has been successfully arrested by spiking 10 ft. sections of 2 in. iron pipe on four ties, with one end of the pipe braced against an angle bar: four thousand of these pipes are in use. The maximum speed of trains is eight miles per hour. Safety of operation is helped by the numerous curves, which serve as a check to trains in making the descent. Equipment. The principal equipment of the road consists of four Shay locomotives and eight cars. The locomotives were built by the Shay Locomotive-works of Lima, Ohio. They are 30 tons net weight, and easily haul three loaded cars, the cars having a capacity of eighty passengers each. The steam is applied through three vertical cylinders to a shaft having universal joints which has bevel-gearing connections with the wheels, allowing the locomotive to make the sharpest curves of 70 ft. radius. Crude oil is used for fuel. It is obtained from Bakersfield, Cal., the cost being 80 cents per barrel in the locomotive, this against coal at $9 per ton, four barrels of oil being about equal to a ton of coal. The chief profit of the road lies in this fuel-saving. A round trip requires about 120 gallons of oil with one car, and 150 gallons with three cars. The cars were built by W. L. Holman and Co., 210-212 Fremont Street, San Francisco. They are of seven short tons weight, with seats extending the entire width, and have canopy tops, with curtains for bad weather. From five to ten round-trip trains are run over the Mount Tamalpais Scenic Eailroad every day. They carry a large number of passengers with safety and success. There is no difficulty in keeping the train under full control, accidents being unheard-of. Application to Arthur's Pass. It is my opinion that a survey at Arthur's Pass would prove that a temporary line like that at Mount Tamalpais would be feasible at reasonable cost. A free use of curvature should be made in order to avoid tunnels or other expensive features of construction and to avoid moving ground so far as practicable. It would also, perhaps, be advisable to use one or two short switchbacks to keep the line as near the stream as may be considered desirable, in order to take advantage of easier slopes than those presented at greater heights, and to cheapen the cost. Such a line would be very useful during construction of the summit tunnel. It could be connected with the permanent line at either end and cars could be run through, establishing a regular traffic. If built, it might be found desirable to retain it as a permanent feature of the railway to enable passengers and tourists to view the beautiful scenery of Otira Gorge and Arthur's Pass. I strongly recommend that the survey mentioned be made. I have, &c, The Hon. William Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works, V. G. Bogue Wellington, New Zealand.

APPENDIX A.—TABLES ACCOMPANYING FINAL REPORT. Table I.

Ft. Grade level at Otira common point .. .. .. .. 1,255 Grade level at Bealey common point .. .. .. .. 2,352 •This does not agree with profile, which gives 1 in 44.

65

Name of Line. Length of M G a r x^ u o m Length of East Sat West Approach. Ap p r a O a Ch . Approach. Maximum Grade of West Approach. ■hysical 0! laracteristi ics of alternative Rise and Level of Pall. Summit. jines. Length of Summit Tunnel. 6 § hi S ° h a to Total Length of Line. Percentage curved. Total Curvature. Grade of Summit Tunnel. A Al A 2 A3 A4 B 1 B2 B3 M. ch. 0 45 1 7-5 1 4 1 1-5 1 6-5 2 2-5 2 2-5 2 2'5 lin40 •1 in 40 ♦1 in 40 *1 in 40 *1 in 40 1 in 40 1 in 40 1 in 40 M. oh. 8 8 7 54 7 55-5 7 56 7 55 8 6-5 7 63-5 8 21 Iin37 lin30 1 in 30 1 in 30 1 in 30 1 in 30 lin30 lin30 M. eh. 8 53 8 61-5 8 59-5 8 57-5 8 61-5 10 9 9 66 10 23-5 iDegrees. 13 357 19-5 809 16-5 593 13 419 "T 177 26-5 i 1,160 34 1,407 29 1,315 Ft. 1,189 1,285 1,273 1,273 1,277 1,463 1,463 1,463 Ft. 2,398 2,446 2,440 2,440 2,442 2,535 2,535 2,535 M. ch. 6 0 4 73 4 79 . 5 45 5 24 3 32 3 32 3 32 1 in 37 1 in 36 1 in 33 1 in 33 1 in 33 1 in 33 1 in 33 Iin33 £ 567,000 517,000 525,000 537,000 510,000 512,000 539,000 543,000