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Track gauge

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Track gauge is the width between two rails that trains use. All train vehicles must be compatible with a particular gauge to run on rails.

Narrow gauge[edit | edit source]

Narrow gauge railways have a smaller distance between two rails.

  • Miniature ridable railways can measure between 3.5" and 20" (90-510 mm) in gauge. Sometimes these are known as 'minimum gauge'.

Usually narrow gauge tracks will be at least 20" (510 mm) wide. Some common narrow gauges:

  • 2' (610 mm) or 600 mm - used on smaller, mainly industrial railways
  • 2'3" (690 mm) - used on coal railways in the United Kingdom for a long time
  • 2'5.5" (750 mm), 2'5.9" (760 mm) and 2'6" (762 mm) - common gauge on tourist railways. 760 mm is sometimes known as 'Bosnian gauge'.
  • 2'11" (900 mm) and 3' (914 mm)
  • 3'3.4" (1000 mm) - known as 'metre gauge' common in South-East Asia, India and Brazil
  • 3'6" (1067 mm) - used in Japan, Indonesia, South Africa and New Zealand
  • 4'6" (1372 mm) - formerly used in Scotland, now used only in Japan on a few lines

Standard gauge[edit | edit source]

Standard gauge is the most common track gauge throughout the world, measuring 4'8.5" (1435 mm). Similar gauges are sometimes used, such as 4'8.2" (1429 mm) in Washington DC, 4'8.9" (1445 mm) in Madrid, and a wide 4'10.9" (1495 mm) in Toronto.

Broad gauge[edit | edit source]

Broad gauge tracks are wider than standard gauge. Some common broad gauges:

  • 4'11.9" (1520 mm) and 5' (1524 mm) - used in Russia and former Soviet countries.
  • 5'3" (1600 mm) - used in parts of Australia, Brazil, and Ireland. Known as 'Irish gauge'
  • 5'5.8" (1668 mm) - used in Spain and Portugal. Known as 'Iberian gauge'
  • 5'6" (1676 mm) - widest gauge in common use. Used in India, as well as for BART in San Francisco.