Talk:Broad gauge

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[edit] Standardisation

I have standardised the use of measurements in this article so that the Imperial/English measurements are stated first, with metric measurements in parentheses. This is because all of these gauges were originally specified in Imperial units. Metric equivalents are later conversions. It is farcical to be describing the GWR's Broad Gauge in millimeters.

I am much in favor of using metric measurements but when it comes to encyclopedic text, it seems more natural to me to be using the units in which the standards were defined as the primary ones. For one thing, many of the gauges are nearer to 'round' units in Imperial measurements (excluding Standard Gauge, which many suggest comes from a 'round' outside measurement of 5ft, standardizing on the inside track gauge having not yet happened). —Morven 23:24, 6 Feb 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Russian invasion

I am not sure if we should really put a note here about Russian gauge as being chosen to prevent invasion. To my knowledge the standard was adapted not for this consideration; "inability to invade" was a major argument in lobbying the standard, but not the one why it was lobbied in the first place. One of the main proponents of wider gauge was George Washington Whistler, who died in St. Petersburg while developing new standards. In fact, the first Russian railroad had a gauge of 1830 mm (6 ft). At the time of the standard adoption American railroads experimented with wider gauge, and some of the Russian engineers considered greater width to provide better stability. The whole story about wider track being chosen solely for the purpose of defence is widely regarded anecdotal. Cyberodin, 15 Jan 2006

Moreover, Warsaw—Vienna line, Russian Empire's second railroad, and the first one to cross the imperial borders, had 4' 8 1/2" gauge. The fact makes the whole "invasion theory" senseless.--Achp ru 13:15, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ohio Gauge

Should "Ohio Gauge" be a link since it redirects to this page? Skabat169 15:18, 10 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Parochial Attitude?

This article smacks of a "Little Britain" attitude. We are the standard and everything else is broad or narrow with reference to this. The reference to the "Irish Broad Gauge" is factually wrong. The Standard Gauge for the the island of Ireland is set out in an 1846 UK Act of Parliament as 5'3". It is therefore not Ireland's "broad" gauge. Ewanduffy 12:32, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

This may be a parochial attitude, but so far as I know it is the "standard" terminology in the English speaking world. I don't think that I've ever read an Irish book on railways. If I did, would I find that it referred to the Irish gauge as standard gauge and that on the mainland as narrow gauge? I doubt it very much, (but am willing to be shown wrong). There is a big difference between the gauge that is standard for any particular part of the world, and the term "standard gauge" as it is used in railway terminology. If wikipedia were to somehow attempt to avoid this usage of standard gauge, it would not reflect common usage. AdamW 14:49, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Finnish vs. Russian gauge

The article states: "Russia and the other former Soviet Republics use a 1,520 mm (originally 5 ft 0 in (1,524 mm)) gauge while Finland continues to use the 5 ft 0 in (1,524 mm)) gauge inherited from Imperial Russia (the two standards are close enough to allow full interoperability between Finland and Russia)." Two identical gauges are so certainly "close enough" that it seems silly to invoke interoperability. Is one of these data wrong? Eliezg 01:54, 27 September 2007 (UTC)

The statement is absolutely true. Originally, Russian Empire's standard was 1524 mm. In 1960s, a new standard was adopted in the USSR for common railroads and metros, track gauge was reduced to 1520 mm; the new standard did not change the wheelpair geometry. Railway tracks had to be gradually rebuilt to this new gauge, according to common track maintenance schedule. While rebuilding was in progress, the same rolling stock was used on both gauges. This new standard also affected Mongolia (because most part of Mongolian railways belonged to the Ministry of Communication Routes of the USSR), but had no effect on Finland which retained the original standard. Today, Russia and Finland continue to run trains across the border with no wheelpair change.--achp 19:40, 28 September 2007 (UTC)