Track gauge

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Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a gauge of Template:4ft8in, which is known as the standard or international gauge. Gauges wider than standard gauge are called broad gauge, those smaller than standard narrow gauge. Some stretches of track are dual gauge, with three (or sometimes four) parallel rails in place of the usual two, to allow trains of two different gauges to share the same track. The term break-of-gauge refers to the situation at a place where different gauges meet.

History

Britain

The Standard gauge of Template:4ft8in was chosen for the first main-line railway, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR), by the British engineer George Stephenson, because it was the de facto standard for the colliery railways where Stephenson had worked. Whatever the origin of the gauge it seemed to be a satisfactory choice: not too narrow and not too wide.

Brunel on the Great Western Railway chose the broader gauge of Template:7ft partly because it offered greater stability and capacity at high speed, but also because the Stephenson gauge was not scientifically selected. The Eastern Counties Railway chose five-foot gauge, but soon realised that the lack of compatibility was a mistake and changed to Stephenson' gauge.

In 1845 a British royal commission recommended adoption of Template:4ft8in as standard gauge, and in the following year Parliament passed the Gauge Act, which required that new railways use standard gauge. Except for the Great Western Railway's broad gauge, few main-line British railways used a different gauge, and the last Great Western line was finally converted to standard gauge in 1892.

There were also a large number of narrow gauge lines such as the following shown on the 1904 Railway Clearing House Railway Atlas:

Southwold Railway - Template:3ft
Ffestiniog Railway - Template:1ft11.5in
Croesor Tramway - Template:2ft
Welsh Highland Railway - Template:1ft11.5in
Talyllyn Railway - Template:2ft3in
Corris Railway - Template:2ft3in
Welshpool & Llanfair Railway - Template:2ft6in
Vale of Rheidol Railway - Template:1ft11.5in
Lynton and Barnstaple Railway - Template:1ft11.5in
East Cornwall Railway - Template:3ft6in - later converted to standard gauge
Pentewan Railway - Template:2ft6in

See the main article British narrow gauge railways

United States

Originally a variety of gauges were used in the United States and Canada. Some railways, primarily in the northeast, used standard gauge; others used gauges ranging from Template:4ft to 6 ft (1829 mm). Given the nation's recent independence from the United Kingdom, arguments based on British standards had little weight. Problems began as soon as lines began to meet and in much of the northeastern United States standard gauge was adopted. Most Southern states used 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge. Following the American Civil War, trade between the South and North grew and the break of gauge became a major economic nuisance. After considerable debate and planning, most of the southern rail network was converted from 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge to 4 ft 9 in (1448 mm) gauge, then the standard of the Pennsylvania Railroad, over two remarkable days beginning on May 31, 1886. The final conversion to standard gauge took place gradually as track was maintained. In modern uses certain isolated occurrences of non-standard gauges can still be found, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area, with 5 ft 6 in (1676 mm) gauge.

Russia

In the 19th century, Russia chose a broader gauge. It is widely believed that the choice was made for military reasons, to prevent potential invaders from using the Russian rail system. Others point out that no clear standard had emerged by 1842. Engineer Pavel Melnikov hired George Washington Whistler, a prominent American railroad engineer (and father of the artist James McNeill Whistler), to be a consultant on the building of Russia's first major railroad, the Moscow – St Petersburg line. The selection of 1.5 m gauge was recommended by German and Austrian engineers but not adopted: it was not the same as the 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge in common use in the southern United States at the time. Now Russia and most of the former Russian Empire, including the Baltic states, Ukraine, Belarus, the Caucasian and Central Asian republics, and Mongolia, have the Russian gauge of 1520 mm, 4 mm narrower than 5 ft (1524 mm), though rolling stock of both gauges is interchangeable in practice.

Finland

Finland, which was a Grand Duchy under Russia in the 19th century, uses 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge. Upon gaining independence in 1917, much thought was given to converting to standard gauge, but nothing came of it.

Iberian peninsula

The main railway networks of Spain and Portugal were constructed to gauges of six Castilian feet (1672 mm) and five Portuguese feet (1664 mm). The two gauges were sufficiently close to allow inter-operation of trains, and in recent years they have both been adjusted to a common "Iberian gauge" (ancho ibérico in Spanish, bitola ibérica in Portuguese) of 1668 mm. Although it has been said that the main reason for the adoption of this non-standard gauge was to obstruct any invasion attempts coming from France, it was in fact a technical decision, to allow for the running of larger, more powerful locomotives in a mountainous country.[1]

Since the beginning of the 1990s new high-speed passenger lines in Spain have been built to the international standard gauge of Template:4ft8in, since it is intended that these lines will cross the French border and link to the European high-speed network. Although the 22 km from Tardienta to Huesca (part of a branch from the Madrid to Barcelona high-speed line) has been reconstructed as mixed Iberic and standard gauge, in general the interface between the two gauges in Spain is dealt with by means of gauge-changing installations, which can adjust the gauge of appropriately designed rolling stock on the move.

(former) British Empire and Commonwealth

Australia

In the 19th century, Australia's three mainland states adopted standard gauge, but due to political differences a break of gauge 30 years in the future was created. After instigating a change to 5 ft 3 inch (1600 mm) agreed to by all, New South Wales reverted to standard gauge while Victoria and South Australia stayed with broad gauge. Three different gauges are currently in wide use in Australia, and there is little prospect of full standardisation, though the main interstate routes are now standard gauge.

Canada

In Toronto the Toronto Transit Commission subways and streetcars use 1495 mm (4 ft -10⅞ in) gauge, making their equipment incompatible with all other city transit systems. The two major transcontinental railways, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific both use the standard gauge. Until 1873 the Grand Trunk Railway [2] and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad used 5ft 6in (1676 mm) gauge.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, the Mass Transit Railway uses 1432 mm gauge, 3 mm narrower than standard gauge. A new railway line across the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, an extension to the 1432 mm gauge Tung Chung Line. This 3 mm difference should cause no more problems than the 4 mm difference causes between Russia and Finland nor that the former 8 mm difference did between Spain and Portugal, both mentioned above.

Asia

Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka inherited a diversity of rail gauges, of which 1676 mm was predominant. Indian Railways has adopted Project unigauge, which seeks to systematically convert most of its narrower gauge railways to the 1676 mm.

Asia

Afghanistan

Afghanistan is in an interesting position, because it is at the crossroads of Asia and is virtually without railways. Should it decide to build any, the choice of gauge will be complicated by its being surrounded by three different gauges. Iran to the west uses standard gauge, as does China to the east; to the south, Pakistan uses 1676 mm gauge, while to the north, the central Asian republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan use 1520 mm gauge.

The People's Republic of China

Most of the railway network of the People's Republic of China is standard gauge.

Caribbean

Haiti

See also: Railroads of Haiti

Haiti has had two different gauges on its railroads. 130 km of rural line between Port-au-Prince, Saint-Marc, and Verrettes (1905–about 1960s) used Template:3ft gauge. Tramlines in Port-au-Prince (1878–1888 and 1896–1932), which was the first known track in Haiti, and a total of 80 km of rural line west to Léogâne and east to Manneville (1896–1950s(?)) used Template:2ft6in gauge. Totaling over 100 km of track, the plantation railroads in the north and north-east most likely used Template:2ft6in. There were at least four separate isolated lines. The story of the demise of one Haitian railroad is that it was sold and physically picked up, put on ships and sent off to Asia during the Papa Doc period (approx 1957–1971). Others may have been used on the plantation tracks in the north and north-east of Haiti. The CIA fact book suggests that in the 1990s there were only 40 km of abandoned track left(?).

South America

Argentina and Chile use 1676 mm gauge, Brazil 1600 mm. Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Peru use standard gauge. In Brazil one line, the Estrada de Ferro do Amapá North of the River Amazon has 1440 mm gauge. In the past a few lines in Northern Chile had also 1435 mm gauge, as the only international railway from Arica (Chile) to Tacna (Peru) a bit more than 60 km has still 1435 mm gauge. The El Cerrejón Coal Railway and Venezuelan Railways are also 1435 mm.

Narrow gauge

In many areas a much narrower gauge was chosen. While narrow gauge generally cannot handle as much tonnage, it is less costly to construct, particularly in mountainous regions. Plantations such as for sugar cane and bananas are appropriately served by narrow gauges such as 2 ft (610 mm), as there is little through traffic to any other systems.

(former) British Empire and Commonwealth

Australia

Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and parts of South Australia adopted 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) gauge to cover greater distances at lower costs. Most industrial railways are built to 2ft gauge. Three different rail gauges are currently in wide use in Australia, and there is little prospect of full standardisation.

Canada

Prince Edward Island used narrow gauge, then mixed or dual gauge until 1930, standard gauge until abandonment, and Newfoundland used narrow gauge. New Brunswick used narrow gauge until the 1880s, after which standard gauge prevailed. In all these cases the narrow gauge was 3ft 6in (1067 mm). The White Pass and Yukon Railroad uses 3ft 0in (914 mm) gauge.

New Zealand

New Zealand adopted narrow gauge Template:3ft6in due to the need to cross mountainous terrain in the country's interior. This terrain has necessitated a number of complicated engineering feats, notably the Raurimu Spiral. There are 1787 bridges and 150 tunnels in less than 4,000 km of track. Around 500 km of this track is electrified.

Asia

The People's Republic of China

Some of the railway network of the People's Republic of China is metre gauge.

Southeast Asia

The railways of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia are predominantly Template:1m gauge. The proposed ASEAN Railway would be a standard-gauge or dual-gauge, using both metre and standard gauge regional railway networks, linking Singapore at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam to the standard-gauge railway network of the People's Republic of China. Indonesia's railways are predominantly Template:3ft6in.

Japan

Except for the high-speed Shinkansen lines, all of Japan Railway group's network is narrow gauge, built to a gauge of Template:3ft6in.

Taiwan

Taiwan started to build up railway in Qing dynasty using Template:3ft6in gauge. Japanese colonial government, which ruled from 1895 to 1945, contiuned using Template:3ft6in. The systems is under Taiwan Railway Administration, now. The new Taipei Rapid Transit System and the metro system under construction in Kaohsiung are standard gauge. The Taiwan High Speed Rail (HSR) scheduled to be completed in 2006 will also be standard gauge. An isolated Template:2ft gauge line on the east coast was regauged to Template:3ft6in when the line was interconnected.

Africa

The railways of South Africa and many other African countries, including Angola, Botswana, Congo, Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe, use Template:3ft6in gauge, sometimes referred to as Cape gauge. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have Template:1m gauge lines.

Caribbean

Haiti

For Haitian railroad gauges, see above under Haitian railgauge history.

South America

Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile have Template:1m gauge lines. Colombia and Peru have 914 mm gauge lines.

Dual gauge and adjustable axles

Dual gauge allows trains of different gauges to share the same track. This can save considerable expense compared to using separate tracks for each gauge, but introduces complexities in track maintenance and signalling, as well as requiring speed restrictions for some trains. If the difference between the two gauges is large enough, for example between Template:4ft8in and Template:3ft6in, three-rail dual-gauge is possible, but if the difference is not large enough, for example between Template:3ft6in and Template:1m, four-rail dual-gauge is used. Dual-gauge rail lines are used in the railway networks of Switzerland, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, North Korea, Tunisia and Vietnam.

Africa

Template:1m and Template:3ft6in gauges are too close to allow three-rail dual gauge
Template:1m and Template:3ft6in gauges can be used together, with four-rail dual gauge - note the third (useless) 1267mm gauge.
Template:1m and Template:3ft6in gauges can be used together with four-rail dual gauge, with bonus standard gauge

Africa is particularly affected by gauge problems, where railways of different gauges in adjacent countries meet.

Gauge rationalisation in Africa is facilitated since four-rail dual gauge of Template:1m and Template:3ft6incontains a hidden gauge, which can be made to be standard gauge Template:4ft8in . The four-rail system reuses and doubles the effective strength of the old light rails, which might otherwise have only a low value reuse as fenceposts.

Variable gauge axles

Variable gauge axles, developed by the Talgo company and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles company in Spain, enable trains to change gauge with only a few minutes spent in the gauge conversion process. The same system is also used between China and Central Asia, and Poland and Russia. Both China and Poland are standard gauge, while Central Asia and Russia are 1520 mm gauge.

Possible reasons why the VGA system is not more widely used could include:

Marketing and/or economics
Unfamiliarity.
Conservatism.
From standard to narrow gauge, not enough space between the wheels to accommodate the mechanism, especially to Template:3ft gauge.

Future

Further standardization of rail gauges seems likely, as individual countries seek to build inter-operable national networks, and international organizations seek to build macro-regional and continental networks. National projects include the Australian and Indian efforts mentioned above to create a uniform gauge in their national networks. The European Union has set out to develop inter-operable freight and passenger rail networks across the EU area, and is seeking to standardize not only track gauge, but also signaling and electrical power systems. EU funds have been dedicated to convert key railway lines in the Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia from 1520 mm gauge to standard gauge, and to assist Spain and Portugal in the construction of high-speed rail lines to connect Iberian cities to one another and to the French high-speed lines. The EU has also developed plans for improved freight rail links between Spain, Portugal, and the rest of Europe.

High Speed

All high-speed rail systems around the world have been built using or planning to use standard gauge, even in countries like Japan, Taiwan, Spain and Portugal where most of the country's existing rail lines use a different gauge. Once standard gauge high-speed networks exist, they may provide the impetus for gauge conversion of existing passenger lines to allow for interoperability. All high speed lines have adopted 25 kV AC as the standard electrification system, except Germany, Sweden and Switzerland (15 kV AC) and the first high speed lines in Italy (3000 V DC). Also, parts of the French and Dutch high speed lines operate with 1500 V DC and parts of the Belgian and Spain high speed lines with 3000 V DC.

Mining

Mining railways with little interconnection with other lines also tend to choose standard gauge so as to use off the shelf equipment, especially of the heavy duty kind.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is planning a Trans-Asian Railway that will link Europe and the Pacific, with a Northern Corridor from Europe to the Korean Peninsula, a Southern Corridor from Europe to Southeast Asia, and a North-South corridor from Northern Europe to the Persian Gulf. All the proposed corridors would encounter one or more breaks of gauge as they cross Asia. Current plans do not call for widespread gauge conversion; instead, mechanized facilities would be built to move shipping containers from train to train at the breaks of gauge.

Kenya-Uganda-Sudan proposal

A proposal was aired in October 2004 to build a high-speed electrified line to connect Kenya with southern Sudan. Kenya and Uganda use 1000 mm gauge, while Sudan uses 1067 mm gauge. By choosing standard gauge for the project, the gauge incompatibility is overcome. A bonus is that Egypt, further north, uses standard gauge. Since the existing narrow gauge track is quite likely of a "pioneer" standard, with sharp curves and low-capacity light rails, substantial reconstruction of the existing lines are needed, so gauge unification would be sensible.

Early origins of the standard gauge

There is a story that rail gauge was derived from the rutways created by war chariots used by Imperial Rome, which everyone else had to follow to preserve their wagon wheels, and because Julius Caesar set this width under Roman law so that vehicles could traverse Roman villages and towns without getting caught in stone ruts of differing widths. A problem with this story is that the Roman military did not use chariots in battle. However, an equal gauge is probably coincidence. Excavations at the buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum revealed ruts averaged 4 ft 9 in (1448 mm) center to center, with a gauge of 4 ft 6 in (1372 mm). The designers of both chariots and trams and trains were dealing with a similar issue, namely hauling wheeled vehicles behind draft animals.

A more likely theory why the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) measurement was chosen is that it reflects vehicles with a 1524 mm (5 ft) outside gauge. Italy defined its gauges from the centres of each rail, rather than the inside edges of the rails, giving some unusual measurements.

Ambrussum has some extant Roman chariot tracks.

another exemple is after Qin Shihuang unified China,he started to make the starndard gauge length for the carriage and chariot.

External links

General

Jane's World Railways (hard copy)
A history of track gauge by George W. Hilton
Path Dependence in Spatial Networks: The Standardization of Railway Track Gauge
The Standardization of Railway Track Gauge
Railroad Gauge Width site

Europe

A complete list of Russian and other ex-Soviet Narrow Gauge railways.
European Railway Agency: 1520 mm systems (issues having to do with the participation of 1520/1524 mm gage countries in the EU rail network)

India

The Indian Railways FAQ: Gauges

US

The Days they Changed the Gauge in the U.S. South