List of track gauges

Track gauge
Break-of-gauge - Dual gauge
Gauge conversion (list) - Bogie exchange - Variable gauge
Rail track - Tramway track
by size mm ft′ in″
  Broad
  Brunel 2140 7′ 0¼″
  Indian 1676 5′ 6″
  Iberian 1668 5′ 5⅔″
  Irish 1600 5′ 3″
  Russian 1520 4′ 11⅚″
  Standard (Stephenson) 1435 4′ 8½″
  Narrow/Medium
  Scotch 1372 4′ 6″
  Cape 1067 3′ 6″
  Metre 1000 3′ 3⅜″
  Narrow
  Three foot 914 3′
  Bosnian 760 2′ 5⅞″
  Narrow/Minimum
  Fifteen inch 381 2′ 3″
North America - South America - Europe
edit

Contents

Track gauges by size

See also: List of track gauges by size

Broad gauge

Gauge Country/region Notes
Metric
mm		 Imperial
5,500 18 ft 0 in United Kingdom Magnus Volk's Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway
3,000 9 ft 101⁄8 in Germany / Russia Hitler's Breitspurbahn (never built)
2,438 8 ft 0 in United States Johnstown Inclined Plane, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
2,140 7 ft 0¼in South Africa East London and Table Bay harbour railways
United Kingdom Brunel's Great Western Railway until converted to standard gauge by May 1892,
see Great Western Railway The "gauge war". Also harbour railways at the Isle of Portland (England), Holyhead (Wales), and Brixham.
Isle of Man Port Erin Breakwater Railway.
Portugal (Azores) Ponta Delgada and Horta harbour (due to the use of rolling stock from Holyhead harbour)
2,000 6 ft 6¾ in United Kingdom (Scotland) Cairngorm Mountain Railway - Funicular
1,980 6 ft 519⁄20 in Israel Haifa, Carmelit subway railway line - Funicular
1,945 6 ft 423⁄40 in Netherlands
till 1866		 1839–1866[1] Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij
1,880 6 ft 2 in Ireland Ulster Railway, 1839–1846, re-gauged to 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm)
1,829 6 ft 0 in United States / Canada Erie Railroad until June 22, 1880
Russia Saint Petersburg – Tsarskoe Selo Railway, 1837–1897
India In 19th century, engineers considered this gauge but laid 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm).
1,800 5 ft 10⅞ in Germany Oberweißbacher Bergbahn (funicular section only)[2]
1,750[3] 5 ft 89⁄10 in France Line from Paris to Limours via Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (Ligne de Sceaux), until 1891
1,676 5 ft 6 in
Main article: Indian gauge
1,672 5 ft 55⁄6 in (six Castilian feet) Spain Original gauge (changed to 1,668 mm/5 ft 5 2⁄3 in (Iberian gauge) from 1955 on,[4] still in use at the Barcelona Metro L1
1,668 5 ft 52⁄3 in
Main article: Iberian gauge
1,664 5 ft 5½ in (five Portuguese feet) Portugal Original gauge (changed to 1,668 mm/5 ft 5 2⁄3 in (Iberian gauge) from 1955 on [4]
1,638 5 ft 4½ in United States Baltimore, Baltimore Streetcar System (defunct) [1]
1,600 5 ft 3 in
Main article: Irish gauge
1,588 5 ft 2½in United States Pennsylvania trolley gauge, see
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority subway cars,
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority streetcars
and New Orleans streetcars, Cincinnati[1]
1,581 5 ft 2¼in United States Pennsylvania trolley gauge, see Philadelphia streetcars
1,575 5 ft 2 in Ireland, United States Dublin and Drogheda Railway, 1844–1846, re-gauged to 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), Columbus Ohio streetcar[5]
1,537 5 ft 0½ in United Kingdom London and Blackwall Railway
1,524 5 ft
Main article: Russian gauge
1,520 4 ft 115⁄6 in
Main article: Russian gauge
1,511 4 ft 11½ in Ukraine Kiev tramways - gradually changed to 1,524 mm (5 ft)  in 1920s.
1,495 4 ft 10⅞ in Canada
See also: Toronto subway and RT#Track gauge, Toronto streetcar system#Track gauge, and Toronto radial lines
1,473 4 ft 10 in United States The Midwest - until after the Civil War (Ohio gauge)
1,458 4 ft 92⁄5 in Germany Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe AG
1,450 4 ft 91⁄5 in Germany Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG
1,448 4 ft 9 in England Manchester and Leeds Railway
1,445 4 ft 8⅞ in Brazil Estrada de Ferro do Amapá, Jane's World Railways 1969/1970 edition gives 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in), Line 5, São Paulo metro
Italy Tramway networks in Milan, Turin and Rome, and until 1930 the railway network.
Spain Madrid Metro

Standard gauge - 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

Main article: Standard or international gauge

Medium gauge

Narrow gauge railway with a gauge above 1,000 mm and below Standard Gauge. Although technically narrow gauge these railways are often built to substantial standards, allowing high train speeds and capacity.

Gauge Country/region Notes
Metric
mm		 Imperial
1,432[6] 4 ft 83⁄8 in Hong Kong Island Line (including West Island Line), Kwun Tong Line (including Kwun Tong Line Extension), Tseung Kwan O Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Tung Chung Line
1,422 4 ft 8 in United States Mount Washington Cog Railway, Green Mountain Cog Railway (cog railway in Maine, 1883–1890)
England prior to 1846 (proto standard gauge)
1,416 4 ft 7¾ in Scotland/England List of Tramways in Scotland/ England (Huddersfield Tramway)
1,397 4 ft 7 in Wales Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway
1,384 4 ft 6½ in Scotland various railways in Scotland (prior to 1840)
1,372 4 ft 6 in Japan Keiō Line, Toei Shinjuku Line, Toden Arakawa Line, Tokyu Setagaya Line, Hakodate tramway
Scotland various railways in Scotland (prior to 1840)
Spain Former Spanish colonial gauge
United States originally in Florida (further south than Jacksonville)
1,350 4 ft 51⁄8 in Brazil Santos tramways (closed 1971)[7] and later Santos heritage tramways (1984–86 and 2000–present)[8]
1,245 4 ft 1 in England Middleton Railway (standard gauge after 1881)
1,219 4 ft 0 in Wales Padarn Railway (1842–1961), Saundersfoot Railway (1829–1939)
Scotland Glasgow Subway, Falkirk (1905–1936)
England Furzebrook Railway (c.1830–1957), Redruth and Chasewater Railway (1826–1915)
New Zealand Wellington tramway system: electric trams, system closed 1964.
1,217 3 ft 11⅞ in Sweden
1,200 3 ft 11¼ in Switzerland Bergbahn Rheineck-Walzenhausen (formerly a funicular converted to a cog Railway. Only one EMU-1)
1,188 3 ft 10¾ in Sweden
1,106 3 ft 7½ in Austria From Gmunden in the Salzkammergut to Budweis, now in the Czech Republic.
1,100 3 ft 7⅓ in Brazil The Santa Teresa Tramway in Rio de Janeiro
Germany Braunschweig tram system; former tram systems in Kiel and Lübeck
Italy Former SVIE (Società Varesina per Imprese Elettriche) network around Varese, circa 1903–1955
1,093 3 ft 7 in Sweden The Köping-Uttersberg-Riddarhyttan Railway, 1864–1968. The gauge was by mistake
1,067 3 ft 6 in
Main article: Cape gauge
1,055 3 ft 5½ in Algeria
1,050 3 ft 51⁄3 in Jordan Hejaz railway
Syria
Lebanon & Syria former Beyrouth - Damascus Railway, mostly dismantled in Lebanon
Israel & Saudi Arabia dismantled parts of former Hejaz railway

Metre gauge – 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)

Main article: Metre gauge

Narrow gauge

Narrow gauge railways with a gauge above 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) and below 1,000 mm.

Gauge Country/region Notes
Metric
mm		 Imperial
950 "Italian metre gauge" 3 ft 12⁄5 in Italy One of the gauges formerly permitted by law. Some regional railways.
Eritrea
Somalia Former line Mogadishu to Villaggio
914 3 ft
Main article: Three foot gauge railways
912 2 ft 11⅞ in Georgia The 37 km Borjomi - Bakuriani line
900 2 ft 117⁄16 in Austria Linz urban tramways; Pöstlingbergbahn (converted from metre gauge in 2008–9).
Estonia Vaivara-Viivikonna mine railway; re-gauged to standard gauge during World War II; after the war re-gauged to 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 5⁄6 in).
Germany Mecklenburgische Bäderbahn
Georgia (Abkhazia) New Athos Cave Railway
Indonesia Used by Rendeng sugar mill for sugar cane transport to the mill
Norway This gauge was used by the Germans up to 1945. It was called Feldbahn (field railway) and was used for industrial plants or other temporary uses. In Norway,during the WW2, the Germans built a 15 km long railway between the harbour at Årdalstangen and the industrial plant of Øvre Årda. It was closed down in 1959 and was at that time only used at the iron works. One steam locomotive was lost into the sea, but was refound by divers around 1990. It is now restored and exhibited at Aardalstangen.
Poland Cracow tramways (re-gauged to standard gauge in 1953)
Portugal Lisbon tramways and the former Braga tramways (closed in 1963)
891 2 ft 111⁄10 in (3 Swedish feet) Sweden Many 891 mm (2 ft 11 1⁄10 in) lines were built during 19th and early 20th century by private companies. The state railroad company SJ always used 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge during construction of its own railway lines. SJ later bought most of Sweden's private railroad companies. Some have been converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in). Of all 891 mm (2 ft 11 1⁄10 in) lines that existed, now only the Roslagsbanan (a commuter line going north-east from Stockholm) uses this gauge, and a number of museum railways.
850 2 ft 9.46 in Italy Ponte Tresa-Luino (1924: converted to 1,100 mm (3 ft 7 7⁄16 in) gauge, 1950: closed)

Menaggio-Porlezza (1939: closed)
825 2 ft 8½ in United Kingdom Volk's Electric Railway
802 2 ft 7.57 in Sweden Far behind 891 mm (2 ft 11 1⁄10 in), this was one of the most frequently used narrow gauges in Sweden. The Hällefors-Fredriksberg Railways (1874–1970) in Värmland is one example of where this gauge was used. However, the railways of this gauge never formed much of a network anywhere. None of them remain today.
800 2 ft 7½ in Switzerland Numerous rack and mountain railways
Wales Snowdon Mountain Railway
785 2 ft 69⁄10 in Poland
765 2 ft 61⁄8 in Democratic Republic of Congo Matadi–Kinshasa Railway, until the line was converted into Cape gauge in 1925–1931.[9]
762 2 ft 6 in Australia Victorian narrow gauge lines including Puffing Billy tourist railway east of Melbourne.
Brazil Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas in Minas Gerais state, now operating only a small section between São João del Rey and Tiradentes).
Chile Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia (now 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) )
Estonia Industrial railway in Tamsalu lime factory; during World War I re-gauged to 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) and used as a part of Paide-Tamsalu railway; now dismantled.
Haiti One of two track gauges known to be used in Haiti
India Kalka-Shimla Railway, Kangra valey railway
Japan Abō Forest Train (industrial railway),[10] Kintetsu Utsube Line, Kintetsu Hachiōji Line, Kurobe Gorge Railway, Kurobe Senyō Railway (industrial railway), Sangi Railway Hokusei Line
Sierra Leone
Sri Lanka The Kelani Valley Railway line (now converted to broad gauge)
Taiwan Alishan Forest Railway
United States Omaha Zoo Railroad, Washington Park and Zoo Railway (Portland, Oregon), various logging railways in California[11]
United Kingdom Alford and Sutton Tramway, Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway, Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, Almond Valley Light Railway, Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway, Great Whipsnade Railway
760 2 ft 59⁄10 in
Main article: Bosnian gauge
750 2 ft 5½ in Argentina 48 mi (77.2 km) only of the Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano[12] (now probably 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) ?); La Trochita
Ecuador[12]
Estonia
Greece Rack railway between Diakopto - Kalavryta at northern Peloponnesos
Germany Lößnitzgrundbahn; Weißeritztalbahn; Döllnitzbahn GmbH; Zittauer Schmalspurbahn
Indonesia Used by 6 sugar mill in Java (Bandjaratma, Ceper, Colomadu, Tasikmadu, Pakis Baru and Trangkil). Now only Tasikmadu in use.
Latvia
Lithuania
Norway Aurskog–Høland Line (heritage) and Sulitjelma Line (later converted, then demolished)
Poland
Russia
Switzerland Waldenburgerbahn
724 2 ft 4½ in Wales Glyn Valley Tramway
711 2 ft 4 in England Snailbeach District Railways
700 2 ft 3½ in Denmark Standard gauge for sugar beet railways; none remain.
Indonesia Used by 36 sugar mill in Java. Now only 23 in use.
686 2 ft 3 in Wales Talyllyn Railway, Corris Railway, Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway
Scotland Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway
610 2 ft 0 in Australia Queensland: extensive network of sugar cane tramways
India Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Japan Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train (industrial railway)
Mexico Córdoba and Huatusco Railroad; Cazadero and San Pablo Railroad; Ferrocarril de Hornos
South Africa Port Elizabeth to Avontuur (284 km), Port Shepstone to Harding (122 km) and the Umzinto - Donnybrook narrow gauge railway (150 km)
United Kingdom Many lines
United States Billerica and Bedford Railroad and Edaville Railroad of Massachusetts; 6 Maine railroads: Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad, Bridgton and Saco River Railroad, Monson Railroad, Kennebec Central Railroad, Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway, S. D. Warren Paper Mill; the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum and Boothbay Harbor, Maine support twenty four-inch narrow gauge railroad museums; Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway of Pennsylvania; Gilpin tramway of Colorado; Cripple Creek and Victor Railroad of Colorado; Silver City, Pinos Altos and Mogollon Railroad of New Mexico; "C.P. Huntingdon" commercially manufactured 2 ft  (610 mm) park train rides exist in Roswell, New Mexico and Tucson, Arizona
603 1 ft 11¾in Wales Vale of Rheidol Railway
600
"Decauville gauge"		 1 ft 11⅝in Argentina Rainforest Ecological Train (New system)
Brazil Estrada de Ferro Perus-Pirapora (Closed - part preserved)
Estonia
England Lynton and Barnstaple Railway
France Corsica, Chemins de Fer du Calvados, World War I trench railways
Germany Park Railway Chemnitz[13]
Greece Mt. Pelion Railway
Hungary Almamellék State Forest Railway, Kemence Forest Museum Railway
Indonesia Used by 8 sugar mill in Java (Jatiwangi, Jatibarang, Pangka, Sragi, Cepiring, Soedhono, Tulangan and Pandji). Now only 6 in use.
Latvia
Mexico Ferrocarril de Tacubaya
Namibia Otavi Mining and Railway Company
Poland Żnińska Kolej Powiatowa - a narrow gauge railway running from Żnin via Wenecja, Biskupin to Gąsawa
Portugal Beach railways in Caparica (Almada) and Barril (Tavira)
Sweden once several, a few remaining as museum railways (Munkedal, Mariefred–Läggesta)

Minimum gauge

Main article: Minimum gauge railways
Gauge Country Notes
Metric
mm		 Imperial
597 1 ft 11½ in Wales Ffestiniog Railway, Welsh Highland Railway
578 1 ft 10 3⁄4 in Wales Penrhyn Quarry Railway
558 1 ft 9 31⁄32 in Dominican Republic Transport in the Dominican Republic
500
"Decauville gauge"		 19 3⁄4 in Argentina Tren del Fin del Mundo, Ushuaia - Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego
France Several Decauville railways
United Kingdom
483 19 in Isle of Man Great Laxey Mine Railway
457 18 in United Kingdom Sand Hutton Light Railway, Steeple Grange Light Railway, Crewe Works Railway, Royal Arsenal Railway
United States Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, Los Gatos, California
381 15 in
Main article: Fifteen inch gauge railway

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Railroad Gauge Width". Паровоз ИС. Российский железнодорожный портал. http://parovoz.com/spravka/gauges-e.html. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  2. ^ Rieger, Bernhard (2006-04-23). "Breitspurbahn". http://www.breitspurbahn.de/. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  3. ^ "Écartement des rails" (in French). fr.wikipedia. 2007-11-13. http://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%89cartement_des_rails&oldid=22923110. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  4. ^ a b 1955
  5. ^ Campbell, Alex (2007). "Track Gauge". http://www.columbusrailroads.com/track%20gauge.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-04. 
  6. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named HK; see Help:Cite errors/Cite error references no text
  7. ^ Morrison, Allen (1989). The Tramways of Brazil: A 130-Year Survey. New York: Bonde Press. pp. 134–138. ISBN 0-9622348-1-8. http://www.tramz.com/br/tto/01.html. 
  8. ^ Morrison, Allen (November 1, 2010). "The Tramways of Latin America in 2010". Retrieved 2010-11-09.
  9. ^ Neil Robinson: World Rail Atlas and Historical Summary 7. North, East and Central Africa. 2009.
  10. ^ "安房森林軌道" (in Japanese). ja.wikipedia. 2007-10-10. http://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=安房森林軌道&oldid=15420618. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  11. ^ Elg, Lennart (2003-04-01). "30" Gauge Logging". http://web.telia.com/~u85436044/30inch/index.html. Retrieved 2007-11-29. 
  12. ^ a b Jane's World Railways. 1969–1970. 
  13. ^ "Parkeisenbahnen in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz". http://museum.bahnen-und-busse.de/index.php?kategorie=Parkbahn. Retrieved 2009-08-23. 

External links

General
Broad gauge
Indian 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) • Iberian 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2⁄3 in) • Irish 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) • Pennsylvanian 5 ft 2 1⁄2 in (1,588 mm) • Russian 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 5⁄6 in) • Italian broad gauge 1,445 mm (4 ft 8.9 in)
Standard gauge
4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Narrow/Medium gauge
Scotch 4 ft 6 in (1,372 mm) • Cape 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) • Metre 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Narrow gauge
Italian meter gauge 950 mm (3 ft 1 3⁄8 in) • Three foot 3 ft  (914 mm) • Bosnian 760 mm (2 ft 5 7⁄8 in) • Italian narrow gauge 700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in)
Narrow/Minimum gauge
600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)  • Decauville
Lists
Categories
by country