| Track gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| By transport mode | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By size (list) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change of gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By location | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This list presents an overview of railway track gauges by size. A gauge is measured between the inner faces of the rails.
| Gauge | Country | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Imperial | ||
| 3 mm | 0+0⁄12 in Model gauge 3 mm (0.118 in) | Scale 1⁄40 in (0.635 mm) to 1 ft (305 mm). 2⁄75 in (0.677 mm) to 1 ft (305 mm). 2 mm to 1 m. Scale ratio 1:450 (Japanese 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge). 1:480 (Standard gauge). 1:500 (Standard and broad gauge). Models at N, Z, Ze and T gauges. See T gauge | |
| 4 mm | 0+0⁄16 in, Scale | 4 mm to 1 ft, Scale 4 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:76.2. See EM gauge | |
| 6.50 mm | 0+0⁄26 in Model gauge 6.5 mm / 0.256 in | Scale 1.385 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:220. See Z scale | |
| Model gauge 7.06 mm (0.278 in). Scale 1.385 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:87.1. See H0f gauge | |||
| 7 mm | 0+0⁄28 in, Scale | Scale 7 mm per foot. Scale ratio 1:43.5. [1] See ScaleSeven | |
| 7.06 mm | 0+0⁄28 in, Scale | HOn2. Model gauge 7.06 mm (0.278 in). Scale 3.5 mm to 1 foot. Scale ratio 1:87.1. See HOn2 | |
| 9 mm | 0+0⁄35 in, 9 mm (0.354 in) | Scale ratio 1:148 (United Kingdom) | |
| Model gauge 9 mm (0.354 in). Scale 4 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:76. See OO9 | |||
| Model gauge 9 mm (0.354 in). Scale 3.5 mm to 1 ft (305 mm).Scale ratio 1:87. See H0e | |||
| British N gauge. Model gauge 9 mm (0.354 in) Scale 2 1/16mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:148. See British N gauge | |||
| 9.42 mm | 0+0⁄37 in, 9.42 mm (0.371 in) | 2 mm to 1 ft, Scale ratio 1:152.4. See 2 mm scale | |
| 12 mm | 0+0⁄47 in Model gauge 12 mm (0.472 in) | Scale 5.5 mm to 1ft. Scale ratio 1:55. 5.5 mm to 1 foot scale (1:55.4 or 1:55). See 5.5 mm scale | |
| Scale 5.5 mm to 1ft. Scale ratio 1:55. 5.5 mm to 1 foot scale (1:55.4 or 1:55). See 00n3 | |||
| Scale 1⁄10 in (2.54 mm) to 1 ft (305 mm).Scale ratio 1:120 See TT scale | |||
| Model gauge 12 mm (0.472 in). HOn3½ scale. Scale 3.5 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:87. See HOn3½ gauge | |||
| H0m gauge. Model gauge 12 mm (0.472 in). Scale 3.5 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:87 See H0m gauge | |||
| 12.7 mm | 0+0⁄48 in, Model gauge 12.7 mm (0.5 in) | Scale 6.35 mm to 1 foot. Scale ratio 1:48. See On2 gauge | |
| 14 mm | 0+0⁄55 in Model gauge 14 mm (0.551 in) | Scale 7 mm to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:43.5. See O14 | |
| 16.5 mm | 0+0⁄65 in Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in) | 3.5 mm Scale 3.5 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:87 (world) 1:80 (Japan). 0+0⁄14 in, 1:87 scale (3.5 mm to 1 foot). See HO scale | |
| See On30 gauge Finescale standard Rail transport modelling Rail transport modelling scales | |||
| 4 mm to 1 ft (00 scale 1:76), (3.5 mm to 1 foot), Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in) 16.5 mm 0+0⁄65 in. See OO gauge | |||
| Scale 3.5 mm to 1 foot. Scale ratio 1:87.1. See Proto:87 | |||
| Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in). Scale. 5.5 mm to 1ft. Scale ratio 1:55. 5.5 mm to 1 foot scale (1:55.4 or 1:55). See 5.5 mm scale | |||
| Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in). Scale 4 mm to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:76.2. See OO gauge or OO scale | |||
| Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in). Scale 7 mm to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:43.5. See O16.5 | |||
| Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in). Scale ratio 1:22.5 – 1:29. Typical models built are between 1:20.3 and 1:24, or up to 1:29. See Gn15 | |||
| Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in). Sn3½. Scale 3⁄16 in (4.8 mm) to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:64. See Sn3½ | |||
| Model gauge 16.5 mm (0.65 in). Scale 4 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:76.2. See 4 mm scale | |||
| 18.83 mm | 0+0⁄74 in Model gauge 18.83 mm (0.741 in) | Scale 4 mm to 1 ft (305 mm). Scale ratio 1:76.2. See Protofour or P4 | |
| 22.4 mm and 23 mm | 0+0⁄88 22.4 mm 0.883 in Model gauge and 0+0⁄91 23.0 mm 0.905 Model gauge | Scale 3⁄16 inch to 1 foot. Scale ratio 1:64. See S scale or S gauge | |
| 32 mm | 0+1⁄26 in, 32 mm (1.26 in) | British: 7 mm to 1 ft (7 mm to 304.8 mm, 1:43.5); Continental Europe: 1:43.5 and 1:45; American: 1⁄4 in to 1 ft (6.35 mm to 304.8 mm, 1:48). See O scale or O gauge | |
| Model gauge 32 mm (1.26 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7. See SE scale | |||
| 0+0⁄35 in Model gauge 32 mm (1.26 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7 and 9 mm 1:34. See P34 | |||
| 0+0⁄35 in Model gauge 32 mm (1.26 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7 and 1:20.3. See F scale | |||
| 0+0⁄35 in Model gauge 32 mm (1.26 in). Scale 16 mm to 1 foot. Scale ratio 1:19.05. 1:19. See 16 mm scale or SM32 | |||
| 45 mm | 0+1⁄77 in 45 mm (1.75 in) | G gauge Scale ratio 1:22.5 See G scale or G scale, G gauge, large scale | |
| Model gauge 45 mm (1.772 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7. See SE scale | |||
| Model gauge 45 mm (1.772 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7. 1/2 1:24. See H scale | |||
| Model gauge 45 mm (1.772 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7. 1:20.3. See F scale | |||
| Model gauge 45 mm (1.772 in). Scale 7⁄8 in to 1 ft. Scale ratio 1:13.7. 1:19. See 16 mm scale or SM45 | |||
| Denmark | Model railways (Gauge 1, H0, N): It may sound like a joke, but Denmark is home to some of the world's largest model railways (e.g. Modelbane Europa in Hadsten). They run on everything from 45 mm (Gauge 1) to 9 mm (Gauge N). | ||
For ridable miniature railways and minimum-gauge railways, the gauges are overlapping. There are also some extreme narrow-gauge railways listed. See: Distinction between a ridable miniature railway and a minimum-gauge railway for clarification.
Model railway gauges are covered in rail transport modelling scales.
| Gauge | Country | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Imperial | ||
| 89 mm | 3+1⁄2 in | See 3+1⁄2 in (89 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 121 mm | 4+3⁄4 in | See 4+3⁄4 in (121 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 127 mm | 5 in | See 5 in (127 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 145 mm | 5+7⁄10 in and 5+45⁄64 in | Denmark | Brandhøjbanen dk , at Hedeland veteran railway dk , Hedeland, Hedehusene, Høje-Taastrup. Mixed gauge: 5 in (127 mm), 5+7⁄10 in (145 mm) and 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) gauges are all in use on this model-miniature railway., [2] [3] there is also one at Denmark’s railway museum in Odense, [4] [5] [6] one at the Tramway Museum Skjoldenæsholm, Jystrup, Ringsted, [7] and many other model-miniature railways in Denmark [8] [9] [10] [11] and Model lane Europe, Hadsten, Favrskov [12] and many others. [13] [14] [15] [16] |
| 184 mm | 7+1⁄4 in | See 7+1⁄4 (184 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 190.5 mm | 7+1⁄2 in | See 7+1⁄2 in (190.5 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 210 mm | 8+1⁄4 in | See 8+1⁄4 in (210 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 229 mm | 9 in | See 9 in (229 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| England | Railway built by minimum-gauge pioneer Sir Arthur Heywood, later abandoned in favor of 15 in (381 mm) gauge. | ||
| 240 mm | 9+7⁄16 in | See 9+7⁄16 in (240 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 241 mm | 9+1⁄2 in | See 9+1⁄2 in (241 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 260 mm | 10+1⁄4 in | See 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| Denmark | For private use and smaller gardens and amusement parks. The smallest "public" tracks: 260 mm and 311 mm. In some private gardens and smaller parks there are passenger-carrying miniature trains that run on: 10 ¼ inches (260 mm) and 12 ¼ inches (311 mm). These are exact copies of real trains, but in 1:4 or 1:5 scale. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark. | ||
| 267 mm | 10+1⁄2 in | England | Beale Park miniature railway |
| 305 mm | 12 in | See 12 in (305 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. | |
| 310 mm | 12+13⁄64 in | Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark. |
| 311 mm | 12+1⁄4 in | Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark. |
| Wales | Fairbourne Railway | ||
| 340 mm | 13+3⁄8 in | Netherlands | Ridable miniature railway in DierenPark Amersfoort [17] |
| 350 mm | 13+25⁄32 in | Netherlands | Collection Decauville Spoorweg Museum [18] |
| 356 mm | 14 in | United States | See 14 in (356 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways and Chicago Tunnel Company (during construction process). |
| 368 mm | 14+1⁄2 in | United States | John J. Coit's Seaside Park Miniature Railway and Long Beach and Asbury Park Railway |
| 381 mm | 15 in | See 15 in gauge railways. | |
| 400 mm | 15+3⁄4 in | Denmark | Specialized "dog tracks" in dairies. Some of the very old dairies and slaughterhouses had tracks as small as 400 mm to 500 mm. They were used for small trolleys that moved heavy milk jugs or meat between rooms. The rails were often laid directly into the tiled floor, and the carts were pushed by hand. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark. |
| France | Agricultural field railways (Decauville portable track) | ||
| 406 mm | 16 in | United States | See 16 in (406 mm) gauge ridable miniature railways. |
| 419 mm | 16+1⁄2 in | Canada | See 16+1⁄2 in (419 mm) gauge ridable miniature railway. |
| England | Berkhamsted Gasworks Railway [19] | ||
| 432 mm | 17 in | England | Long Rake Spar mine, underground mine railway [20] |
| 450 mm | 17+23⁄32 in | Czech Republic | Industrial railways [21] |
| England | Littlethorpe Potteries, hand-worked line connecting clay pits to pottery [22] | ||
| 457 mm | 18 in | Australia | National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide |
| England | Crewe Works Railway, Horwich Works Railway, Royal Arsenal Railway, Sand Hutton Light Railway, Steeple Grange Light Railway | ||
| United States | Eastlake Park Scenic Railway, Venice Miniature Railway and Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad | ||
| 470 mm | 18+1⁄2 in | United States | Travel Town Museum miniature railway |
| 480 mm | 1+6⁄9 | Denmark | 480 mm = 1ft 6.9in mm. 480 mm – The smallest factory tracks. Below the 500 mm limit, there are examples of very small tracks inside factory buildings (e.g. bakeries, chemical factories or small foundries). Here, 480 mm tracks were used to push small carts with raw materials through narrow doors. These tracks were often recessed into the floor so that people would not trip over them. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 483 mm | 19 in | Isle of Man | Great Laxey Mine Railway |
| United States | Swanton Pacific Railroad | ||
| 485 mm | 1+7⁄09 | Denmark | 485 mm = 1ft 7.09in. 485 mm – The "Impossible" Industrial Width.This measurement has been found in the basements under some of the oldest industrial buildings in Copenhagen (including around the old breweries and machine factories). Use: These were tracks intended for very small, flat wagons (lutters), which were only intended to transport heavy items (such as cast iron or filled barrels) from an elevator to a machine. The track is so narrow that a grown man can almost have both feet on the outside of the rails. |
| 495 mm | 19+1⁄2 in | England | Ayle Colliery mine railway, Athole G. Allen Ltd. Closehouse Barytes Mine railway [20] |
Railways with a track gauge between 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) and 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge.
| Gauge | Country | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Imperial | ||
| 500 mm | 19+3⁄4 in | Argentina | Tren del Fin del Mundo, Ushuaia – Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego |
| Austria | Geriatriezentrum Am Wienerwald Feldbahn | ||
| Denmark | Specialized "dog tracks" in dairies. Some of the very old dairies and slaughterhouses had tracks as small as 400 mm to 500 mm. They were used for small trolleys that moved heavy milk jugs or meat between rooms. The rails were often laid directly into the tiled floor, and the carts were pushed by hand. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| France | Several Decauville portable railways, Chemin de Fer Touristique du Tarn, Petit train d'Artouste | ||
| Hungary | Mining railways in Pilisszentiván (defunct), Törökszentmiklós brick factory | ||
| 508 mm | 20 in | England | Great Woburn Railway situated in Woburn Safari Park; and North Bay Railway near Scarborough
|
| Russia | Krasnoyarsk Child Railway | ||
| United States | Confusion Hill | ||
| 510 mm | 1+8⁄08 in | Denmark | 510 mm = 1ft 8.08in. 510 mm – The secret basement passages in Stevnsfort. In the deep, nuclear-proof passages in the Cold War Museum Stevnsfort, tracks of exactly 510 mm were used. Function: It was an extremely narrow gauge, used for the small wagons that had to transport heavy shells from the ammunition depots to the large gun turrets. 510 mm (instead of 500 mm) was chosen to ensure that the wagons did not get stuck in the sharp turns underground. |
| 520 mm | 20+15⁄32 in | Denmark | 520 mm and 580 mm – The "homemade" brickworks dimensions. In the smaller brickworks, especially in Southern Jutland and Zealand, you sometimes see gauges such as 520 mm or 580 mm. The reason: Many small works bought used axles from horse-drawn carriages or early cars and built their own tippers. The gauge was therefore determined by how wide the axles they happened to have. This meant that they had their own isolated. |
| Germany | Several mine railways. Origine: from 1 ft 8 in preußische Zoll = 523.2 mm. [23] | ||
| 530 mm | 1+8⁄87 in | Denmark | 530 mm = 1ft 8.87in. 530 mm – The secret tunnels under Copenhagen. This measurement was found in the technical drawings for the logistical tunnel systems under some of Copenhagen's older hospitals and public buildings (such as the old Municipal Hospital). The corridors were so narrow that neither 500 mm nor 600 mm equipment could be used effectively. Small trolleys were therefore specially manufactured for 530 mm tracks, so that they could pass the supporting columns with only a few millimeters of clearance. |
| 533 mm | 21 in | England | Pleasure Beach Express |
| 540 mm | 1+9⁄26 in | Denmark | 540 mm = 1ft 9.26in. 540 mm – Small basement tracks. In large historical buildings in Copenhagen (e.g. under the old post office or large hospitals) tracks of exactly 540 mm have existed. These were used for small wagons that carried coal, garbage or mail through the narrow basement corridors, where every centimeter counted. |
| 550 mm | 21+21⁄32 in | Denmark | Mønsted Kalkgruber, in a former limestone quarry, railway is preserved. 550 mm – The "French" industrial gauge. Although 500 mm and 600 mm were standard, examples have been found of smaller industrial tracks (especially at dairies and smaller factories in the late 19th century) that ran at 550 mm. This was often due to the import of French or Belgian industrial wagons that used this gauge. They were used to transport milk churns or raw materials over short distances between buildings. Narrow-gauge railways in Europe |
| Germany | Mine railways in Mayen | ||
| 557 mm | 21+15⁄16 in | Dominican Republic | Transport in the Dominican Republic |
| 560 mm | 22+1⁄16 in | Denmark | 560 mm – Small basement tracks in dairies. In addition to 500 mm and 550 mm, there are examples of 560 mm tracks in basements under large Copenhagen dairies (such as Enigheden). These were used for small wagons that drove heavy milk jugs through narrow aisles, where every centimeter counted to make room for both wagon and man. |
| Germany | Salt mine railway in Berchtesgaden [24] | ||
| 570 mm | 1+10⁄44 in | Denmark | 570 mm = 1ft 10.44in. 570 mm – The "wide" basement track. In the basements under some of Copenhagen's older industrial buildings (e.g. the old breweries in Vesterbro), remnants of 570 mm track have been found. Function: It was a hybrid between 500 mm and 600 mm, used for heavy barrels. By laying the track at 570 mm, standard 600 mm wheelsets could be used that had been worn down to fit the narrower track. |
| 575 mm | 22+5⁄8 in | Germany | Iron ore mine railways in Bad Ems and Ramsbeck [25] |
| 578 mm | 1 ft 10+3⁄4 in | United States | Lakeside Amusement Park & San Francisco Zoo |
| Wales | Penrhyn Quarry Railway | ||
| 580 mm | 22+27⁄32 in | Austria | Wolfsegg Traunthaler Kohlenwerke in Ampflwang im Hausruckwald [26] |
| Denmark | 520 mm and 580 mm – The "homemade" brickworks dimensions. In the smaller brickworks, especially in Southern Jutland and Zealand, you sometimes see gauges such as 520 mm or 580 mm. The reason: Many small works bought used axles from horse-drawn carriages or early cars and built their own tippers. The gauge was therefore determined by how wide the axles they happened to have. This meant that they had their own isolated. | ||
| Hungary | Mining railways in Dorog (defunct) | ||
| 590 mm | 1+11⁄23 in | Denmark | 590 mm = 1ft 11.23in. 590 mm – The "tight" industrial width. Within the 600 mm family, there are examples of tracks in closed factory facilities laid with exactly 590 mm. This was done to force small internal roller tables to run completely stable and without play through very narrow passages between machines. |
| 597 mm | 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in | See 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways 2 ft gauge railways in Australia 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways in the United Kingdom 2 ft 6 in gauge railways in the United Kingdom 2 ft gauge railroads in the United States 2 ft 6 in gauge railroads in the United States | |
| 600 mm | 1 ft 11+5⁄8 in | ||
| 603 mm | 1 ft 11+3⁄4 in | ||
| 610 mm | 2 ft | ||
| 620 mm | 2 ft 13⁄32 in | Denmark | 620 mm – A local variant. Although 600 mm and 610 mm were standard for industrial railways, there are examples of Jutland brickworks that ran on 620 mm. This was often due to locally manufactured wagons, where there had been a bit of "cheating" with the measurements, or where there was a deliberate desire for more clearance in the curves to avoid derailments with heavy clay wagons. Skewed gauges in amusement parks. 610 mm (2 feet): Although 600 mm is standard for industrial tracks, 610 mm is often found in amusement parks (e.g. formerly in Legoland or Djurs Sommerland) because their trains were ordered from American or British manufacturers (e.g. Chance Rides or Severn Lamb), who built to foot/inch measurements. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Slovenia | Cave railway in the Postojna Cave [27] | ||
| 622 mm | 2 ft 1⁄2 in | Wales | Penrhyn Quarry Railway, until 1879 |
| 630 mm | 24+13⁄16 in | Denmark | 630 mm – The "wide" 600 mm track. When constructing the large lignite deposits in Søby, which supplied fuel to the Copenhagen power plants during and after the war, the tracks were often laid with a width of 630 mm. Function: The lignite was heavy and wet, and the soft surface often caused the tracks to shift. By laying the rails 3 cm wider than the standard 600 mm, the carriages were given "room" to move without getting stuck in the temporary tracks that lay directly in the mud. 630 mm and 640 mm – The Jutland "home gauges". In the Jutland bog farms and smaller brickworks, there were tracks with gauges of 630 mm and 640 mm. Why: This often happened when a local blacksmith made the wagons himself. If you used recycled axles from old horse-drawn carriages or trucks and welded them for rail use, the gauge was dictated by the length of the axle rather than by international standards. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Germany | Brickworks in Zehdenick [28] | ||
| 640 mm | 2+1⁄2 in | Denmark | 640 mm = 2ft 1.2in. 630 mm and 640 mm – The Jutland "home gauges". In the Jutland bog farms and smaller brickworks, there were tracks with gauges of 630 mm and 640 mm. Why: This often happened when a local blacksmith made the wagons himself. If you used recycled axles from old horse-drawn carriages or trucks and welded them for rail use, the gauge was dictated by the length of the axle rather than by international standards. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 650 mm | 2 ft 1+19⁄32 | Brazil | [29] |
| Denmark | 650 mm – The rare brickworks variant. While 600 mm was standard, there are archives from smaller brickworks in Southern Jutland that ran at 650 mm. This often came from equipment purchased in northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein), where individual local factories had their own standard to ensure that customers were forced to buy spare parts from them. Multi-gauge track (Combination gauges). "Loose" gauges (Contractor tracks). During large earthworks (e.g. the excavation of the Odense Canal or the Copenhagen Free Port), "flying tracks" were used: Track width at will: You often used what you had. This meant that on the same construction site you could find tracks of both 600 mm, 620 mm and 650 mm. Since the wagons were small and were pulled by horses or hand power, the few centimeters difference did not matter as long as the wagons stayed on their "own" rails. This is perhaps the most interesting. Denmark has had tracks that technically had multiple gauges at once by laying a third or fourth rail: 1,435 mm + 1,000 mm: Seen in port cities (such as Rønne and Helsingør), where both the national network (standard gauge) and the local narrow gauge (meter gauge) were running on the same sleepers. 1,435 mm + 600 mm: Used on large construction sites and at certain industrial plants, so that the small tippers and the large freight trains could use the same embankment. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| Mozambique | [29] | ||
| 655 mm | 2 ft 1+25⁄32 in | Germany | Schlebusch-Harkorter Coal Railway[ citation needed ] |
| 660 mm | 2 ft 2 in | Denmark | 660 mm – A rare East Jutland variant. There are records from smaller machine factories in the Aarhus area in the early 1900s that used 660 mm for internal transport wagons. It was stronger than the small 600 mm tracks and allowed the transport of heavy engine parts between workshops without taking up as much space as a real railway. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Germany | Industrial and mine railways in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate | ||
| Japan | Yamanashi horse-drawn tramway | ||
| Wales | Cwt y Bugail quarry | ||
| 675 mm | 2+2⁄57 in | Denmark | 675 mm = 2ft 2.57in. 675 mm – The "German" field hospital gauge. During the German occupation, small roller tracks were built at several large field hospitals (including in Jutland). Prefabricated German frames were used, which were worn or crooked, and ended up with an effective gauge of 675 mm. It was used to roll stretchers and supplies between the barracks, where neither 600 mm nor 700 mm equipment fit perfectly. |
| 682 mm | 2 ft 2+27⁄32 in, 2+2⁄85 in | Denmark | 682 mm = 2ft 2.85in. 682 mm – A Maritime Specialty. This extremely specific measurement is noted in historical records for small shipbuilding. Application: It was used for small "trolleys" (carriages on rails) inside workshop halls, where the space between cast columns dictated a measurement that was neither 600 mm nor 700 mm. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 686 mm | 2 ft 3 in | See List of 2 ft 3 in gauge railways | |
| 690 mm | 2+3⁄17 in | Denmark | 690 mm = 2ft 3.17in. 690 mm – The "tight" beet track width. Although 700 mm was the standard for the large beet tracks, there are archives from smaller private beet track facilities on Lolland, where the track was laid with exactly 690 mm. By making the track 10 mm narrower, some engineers believed that the light wagons would run more stably and "wobble" less on the soft field embankments. However, this meant that they could not borrow equipment from the large sugar factories without changing the wheels. |
| 693 mm | 2 ft 3+9⁄32 in | Sweden | 28 Swedish inches. [30] Several railways. |
| 700 mm | 2 ft 3+9⁄16 in | Denmark | The Roebanerne (The Jutland and Lolland systems). Although 700 mm was popular, the enormous Lollandske Roebaner actually ran on 600 mm. It was one of Denmark's largest private railway networks, connecting the fields with the sugar factories in Nakskov and Nykøbing Falster. Common for sugar beet or sugar cane railways and peat railways. Hedeland veteran railway is preserved dk . [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43]
|
| England | Biwater Pipes and Castings [67] | ||
| France | Chemin de fer d'Abreschviller | ||
| Hungary | Pálházi State Forest Railway (1888-1947, rebuilt to 760 mm) | ||
| Indonesia | Once used by 36 sugar mills in Java, only 23 still in use. | ||
| Latvia | Used in some peat railways | ||
| Netherlands | Used in industrial, peat, and field railways | ||
| St. Croix, US Virgin Islands | Bethlehem Old Work, U.S. Virgin Islands, Estate Bethlehem’s Sugar Industry, St. Croix [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] | ||
| 710 mm | 2+3⁄95 in | Denmark | 710 mm = 2ft 3.95in. 710 mm – The "loose" sugar variant. Although 700 mm was the standard for the large beet railways on Lolland, there are examples of smaller, private branch railways laid with 710 mm. Many of these tracks were laid directly on the field roads without proper ballast. By laying the rails 1 cm wider than the wheels of the wagons, the trains were prevented from derailing when the track inevitably gave way a little in the soft autumn snow. |
| 711 mm | 2 ft 4 in | England | Snailbeach District Railways |
| 714 mm | 2+4⁄11 in | Denmark | 714 mm = 2ft 4.11in. 714 mm – The "Precise" British Heritage. This measurement is found on smaller marl railways in Central Jutland. Background: This corresponds to exactly 2 feet 4 inches (28 inches). While many British systems were 2 feet (610 mm), some specific suppliers of agricultural equipment used this strange width. A few Jutland farms bought these ready-made rail sets, which today only exist as rusty tracks in the ground. |
| 715 mm | 2+4⁄15 in | Denmark | 715 mm = 2ft 4.15in. 715 mm – The "wide" tipper gauge. In certain Jutland brown coal deposits (e.g. in Søby) archive tracks laid with 715 mm have been found. The reason: The tippers were often bought second-hand from different countries. By laying the rails with 715 mm instead of 700 mm, it was possible to run both 700 mm and 710 mm wheelsets on the same track without them getting stuck when the wagons were heavily loaded with wet brown coal. |
| 716 mm | 2 ft 4+3⁄16 in | Denmark | 716 mm – The "wide" British contractor legacy. During the major earthworks at Ballerup and Herlev in the 1940s, contractors used equipment that had been purchased second-hand from surplus stocks after World War I and II. History: Some of the British "War Department" rails were actually 2 feet 4 inches (711 mm), but due to wear and re-fitting on Danish sleepers, they were measured as 716 mm in the technical records. It was a unique hybrid that only existed in the years when the dams towards Ballerup were built. |
| Poland | Dobre Aleksandrowskie –Kruszwica railway [81] (operating tourist railway) | ||
| 720 mm | 2+4⁄35 in | Denmark | 720 mm = 2ft 4.35in. 720 mm – The "German" clayware standard. This measurement is found at a few brickworks in Southern Jutland. History: After 1864 and until 1920, much of the industry in Southern Jutland was built according to German standards. While most Danish brickworks used 600 mm or 700 mm, some works used the less common German standard of 720 mm because they bought ready-made machinery and wagons from manufacturers in Holstein. |
| 724 mm | 2 ft 4+1⁄2 in | Wales | Guest Keen Baldwins Iron and Steel Company Ltd.: Briton Ferry Steelworks, [82] Glyn Valley Tramway |
| 725 mm | 2+4⁄54 in | Denmark | 725 mm = 2ft 4.54in. 725 mm – The "crooked" contractor's gauge. This gauge was seen in large dam and canal construction projects in the late 19th century. It was a hybrid gauge that arose when trying to run equipment from two different manufacturers (e.g. a German 700 mm machine on tracks that had become a bit too "loose" due to wear), or when the track was deliberately widened to make room for very large flanges on heavy tippers. 725 mm – The "wide" beet track variant: Found on a few smaller farm tracks on Lolland. It was a deliberate "mistake" where the rails were laid 25 mm wider than the normal 700 mm in sharp bends to prevent the long beet wagons from "biting" into the rails. |
| 737 mm | 2 ft 5 in | England | St. Michael's Mount Tramway [83] |
| 740 mm | 2 ft 5+1⁄8 in | Denmark | 740 mm – The local sugar variant. Although most beet railways ran on 600 mm or 700 mm, there are examples of smaller, private beet railways on Lolland where 740 mm was used. This was often because they had bought used undercarriages from Austria-Hungary, where 760 mm was standard, but had "tightened" them a bit to make them fit local rail profiles. 740 mm – The "tight" track. Although 700 mm and 785 mm were the major standards, there is documentation of 740 mm on smaller, private branch lines on Lolland-Falster. The reason: It was an attempt to create a "universal gauge" where both 700 mm and 750 mm carriages could be used on the same track, if a little extra "sway" was accepted. It was never a success, as the trains often derailed, and the target quickly disappeared again. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Luxembourg | Minière et Métallurgique de Rodange mine railway [84] | ||
| 750 mm | 2 ft 5+1⁄2 in | See 750 mm gauge railways | |
| Denmark | 750 mm (The "German" contractor standard). Although 700 mm and 785 mm were the most common in Denmark, 750 mm has been used for certain large construction projects. This was often due to renting or buying equipment directly from Germany, where 750 mm was a very common standard. They were used temporarily for earthmoving and typically disappeared again when the project was over. Contractor's Track (The Removable Tracks). When the large Danish railways were built in the 19th century, temporary tracks were laid to move soil away. 750 mm: This was a very common German standard (e.g. in Saxony) in which Danish contractors often purchased equipment. It is very similar to the 700 mm and 785 mm we have talked about, but the extra 5 centimeters meant that the equipment could not be run on the other tracks. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 760 mm | 2 ft 5+15⁄16 in | Bulgaria | Origin: 1⁄2 Austrian fathom See Bosnian gauge Bosnian-gauge railways Septemvri –Dobriniste narrow railway |
| Denmark | 760 mm – "Bosnian gauge" in Denmark. This is a very common standard in Eastern Europe and the former Austria-Hungary. In Denmark it is seen as contractor gauge. When used steam locomotives were purchased from Germany and Austria during the interwar period for large construction projects (such as dam construction or large road projects), this gauge was included. However, it only survived as long as the project lasted. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| Romania | Transylvanian mining railway | ||
| 762 mm | 2 ft 6 in | See 2 ft 6 in gauge railways | |
| 765 mm | 2 ft 6+1⁄8 in | DR Congo | Matadi–Kinshasa Railway, converted to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) 1925–1931. [85] |
| Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 775 mm | 2 ft 6+1⁄2 in | England | Jee's Hartshill Granite Quarry [86] |
| Germany | Bombergbahn , a funicular in Bad Pyrmont | ||
| 780 mm | 2+6⁄71 in | Denmark | 780 mm – The precise German mining standard. Although Faxe Kridtgrav used 785 mm, smaller plants have been found at the Jutland brown coal fields that ran on 780 mm. This was often due to the import of finished "rail frames" (track pieces that had been welded together in advance) from German mining suppliers, who used 780 mm as their standard measurement. |
| 782 mm | 2+6⁄79 in | Denmark | 782 mm = 2ft 6.79in. 782 mm – The "tight" Faxe variant. Although Faxe Limestone Quarry is famous for its 785 mm and 791 mm, there are technical records from the oldest parts of the quarry (around the 1860s) where the track was laid with exactly 782 mm. The reason: This corresponded to 2.5 Danish feet (313.85 mm x 2.5 = 784.6 mm), but the rails were pulled 2 mm closer together to counteract the enormous side pressure from the heavy lime wagons in the sharp bends at the bottom of the quarry. |
| 785 mm | 2 ft 6+29⁄32 in | Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Europe and Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark. Hjerl Hede museum (Frilandsmuseum) peat railway is preserved, 785 mm 2 ft 6+29⁄32 in and 791 mm 2 ft 7+5⁄32 in gauges are both used on this railway. [87] 785 mm – The "German" contractor gauge. Although we have mentioned 785 mm in connection with Faxe, it was on the Vestvolden that this gauge was really used on a large scale as a contractor's track. History: The contractors (among others Glud, Werner and Winkel) imported large quantities of equipment from Germany (especially from the company Orenstein & Koppel), where 785 mm was a widespread industry standard. Over 30 kilometers of track were laid along the embankment to move the enormous amounts of earth (over 3 million cubic meters!). It was a much stronger gauge than the ordinary 600 mm "toy tracks", and it was necessary to carry the heavy steam locomotives. 785 mm: This was the primary "heavy" construction gauge, which was used for the large steam locomotives and tippers that moved enormous amounts of earth to make way for the new double track. This gauge was a widespread German industry standard (Orenstein & Koppel), which the Danish construction companies (including Wright, Thomsen & Kier) preferred for larger construction projects, because the equipment could carry heavier loads than the lighter 600 mm tracks. 600 mm: Alongside the heavy tracks, the classic "light" 600 mm tracks were used for smaller tasks. These tracks were quicker to lay and move manually and were used for internal transport of materials, tools and smaller amounts of ballast around Ballerup Station itself and at the new power plants. These two widths – 785 mm for the large movements and 600 mm for flexible work – were the indispensable auxiliary tools that made it possible to transform the Ballerup Line into a modern S-Bahn. Special details from the 1949 project: Rail-mounted tamping machines: A unique detail from this project was the use of large, rail-mounted tamping machines that ran on the contractor's tracks to pound the surface hard and firm before the permanent 1,435 mm tracks were laid. Temporary operation: While these narrow gauge trains were working on the new trackbed, normal passenger steam train service (Frederikssund Line) was still running on the existing single track right next to it. Combination tracks (3- and 4-rail tracks). These are the most fascinating "gauges" because they contain several measurements at once: 1,435 mm + 785 mm: Has existed at Faxe Kalkbrud, where the large freight trains and the small lime trains shared the same track body to save space. 1,435 mm + 1,000 mm + 600 mm: In certain factory areas, complex systems with 4 rails have been used, so that everything from tippers to large locomotives could run on the same track. 785 mm – "The heavy contractor standard". This was the absolute main gauge during the earthworks towards Ballerup in the 1940s. Application: The contractor companies (such as Wright, Thomsen & Kier) used this gauge for the large steam locomotives and 5 m³ tipper wagons. They moved the enormous amounts of earth needed to expand the old single-track steam railway to the wide, modern S-Bahn route. 785 mm, It was the most robust narrow gauge available. When the high dams at Skovlunde, among others, had to be built, the pressure from the earthmoving vehicles was so great that the ordinary 600 mm tracks would have sunk or broken. 600 mm – "The light aid". Alongside the heavy 785 mm tracks, 600 mm tracks were used directly inside the station areas themselves (especially Ballerup and Herlev). Application: These tracks were used for the smaller "motor carriers" and hand-pushed wagons that transported cement and tiles to the new, high S-train platforms. The 600 mm rails were so light that two men could move an entire section in a few minutes, which was necessary when working close to the moving trains. |
| Germany | Origin: 2+1⁄2 Prussian feet Bröl Valley Railway | ||
| Poland | Silesian Interurbans, Upper Silesian narrow gauge railways | ||
| 790 mm | 2+7⁄1 in | Denmark | 790 mm = 2ft 7.1in. 790 mm – The "worn" rampart width. In the military records from the maintenance of the West Rampart tracks (Vestvolden), the measurement is 790 mm. The detail: It was discovered that the heavy earthmoving vehicles were dragging the 785 mm wide tracks crooked. Instead of straightening them all the time, it was decided in some places to leave them at 790 mm, as long as the running wheelsets could still carry them. This became a de facto standard for the most heavily loaded bends on the rampart. |
| 791 mm | 2 ft 7+5⁄32 in | Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark and Narrow-gauge railways in Europe. Faxe Jernbane in southern Zealand, 791 mm 2 ft 7+5⁄32 in and 785 mm 2 ft 6+29⁄32 in, 2½ feet (785 mm) both gauges were used at Faxe Jernbane and Faxe limestone quarry, none remains, only a few materials and trains from Faxe Jernbane and Faxe limestone quarry remains for preservation on Hedeland veteran railway dk . [88] [89] |
| 800 mm | 2 ft 7+1⁄2 in | See 800 mm gauge railways | |
| Denmark | 800 mm – The "German" industrial gauge. Although 785 mm was the Faxe standard, there are examples of exactly 800 mm on smaller industrial plants and brickworks that bought their equipment from specific factories in the Ruhr district of Germany. It was rare in Denmark, but has existed on closed factory areas where there was no need to connect to other lines. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 802 mm | 2 ft 7+9⁄16 in | Sweden | Far behind 891 mm (2 ft 11+3⁄32 in), one of the most common narrow gauges in Sweden, for example the Hällefors–Fredriksberg Railways (1874–1970) in Värmland. Never formed much of a network, none remain. |
| 810 mm | 2+7⁄89 in | Denmark | 810 mm = 2ft 7.89in. 810 mm – The Contractor's Track at the Copenhagen Embankment. During the major earthworks to demolish the Copenhagen embankment and build the parks in the late 19th century, the use of 810 mm has been recorded. It was a "bastard gauge" that arose when worn-out British 2-foot rails (610 mm) were used and rebuilt with longer spacers to be able to move heavier earth movers. It disappeared as soon as the park facilities were completed. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 813 mm | 2 ft 8 in | England | Winnal Gasworks Railway [90] |
| Wales | Rhosydd Quarry, a counterbalance weight for a 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) gauge incline; | ||
| 820 mm | 2 ft 8+9⁄32 in | Denmark | 820 mm = 2ft 8.28in. 820 mm – The "strong" lime width. In addition to the well-known dimensions in Faxe, smaller lime pits and works have used 820 mm for internal conveyor belts on rails. Function: This dimension was used for very short, steep sections, where wagons were pulled up with winches. The extra width compared to 800 mm gave a marginally better weight distribution when the wagons were hanging on a steep slope. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Germany | Prince William Railway Company, Wuppertal-Vohwinkel–Essen-Überruhr railway, converted to standard gauge. | ||
| 825 mm | 2 ft 8+1⁄2 in | Denmark | 825 mm – The "heavy" contractor gauge. This gauge was used for some of the major earthworks in the late 19th century, especially for the construction of the Copenhagen Frihavnen. Heavy equipment had been purchased from German manufacturers who experimented with making narrow gauge slightly wider in order to be able to carry heavier loads of excavated harbor bottom without tipping over. It disappeared again as soon as the harbor was completed. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| England | Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway (a vehicle that ran on two parallel 2 ft 8+1⁄2 in (825 mm) gauge tracks, billed as 18 ft (5.5 m) gauge), Furzebrook Railway and Volk's Electric Railway | ||
| 830 mm | 2+8⁄68 in | Denmark | 830 mm = 2ft 8.68in. 830 mm – The "wide" industry standard. This gauge was used on some of the heaviest brickyard lines in Southern Jutland (e.g. at Egernsund). They were running very large clay wagons, and 600 mm was simply too flimsy for the heavy, wet clay. A German standard of 830 mm was therefore chosen, which provided more stability on the soft embankments. |
| 838 mm | 2 ft 9 in | England | Seaton Tramway, Volk's Electric Railway (former gauge) |
| Japan | Nankai Railway (former gauge, converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in gauge) | ||
| 840 mm | 2+9⁄07 in | Denmark | 840 mm = 2ft 9.07in. 840 mm – The "wide" marl variant. During the reclamation in West Jutland, where marl tracks were used to transport calcareous soil, some contractors used 840 mm. This gauge was chosen because surplus equipment from German mines was used, which ran on this specific width, which allowed very heavy but short wagons. |
| 850 mm | 2 ft 9+15⁄32 in | Denmark | 850 mm – The rare Jutland marl gauge. During the large land reclamation projects in Jutland, where marl (fertilizer) was transported to the fields, 850 mm was used in some places. It was a special "strong" narrow gauge type that could carry the heavy marl wagons better than the flimsy 600 mm tracks, but which was still cheaper to lay than the real railway tracks. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Italy | Ponte Tresa-Luino (1924: converted to 1,100 mm (3 ft 7+5⁄16 in) gauge, 1950: closed) Menaggio–Porlezza railway (1939: closed) | ||
| 860 mm | 2 ft 9+7⁄8 in | Germany | Alsen´sche Portland-Cementfabrik KG in Itzehoe [91] |
| 876 mm | 2 ft 10+1⁄2 in | England | Biwater Pipes and Castings [92] Cattybrook Brickworks railway [19] |
| 880 mm | 2 ft 10+21⁄32 in | Germany | Bayerisches Moor- und Torfmuseum, [93] Peat museum (operating) |
| Norway | Industrial railway in Stokke | ||
| 889 mm | 2 ft 11 in | England | Miller Engineering & Construction Ltd. Sandiacre depot [94] |
| Germany | Schlebusch-Harkorter Coal Railway[ citation needed ] | ||
| 891 mm | 2 ft 11+3⁄32 in | Denmark | 891 mm (3 Swedish feet): Although it is the Swedish standard for narrow gauge, we have had a few tracks in Denmark (especially in connection with ports or construction work) that used this measure if the equipment was purchased second-hand from Sweden. 891 mm – The Swedish "tripod" (Roslagsbanan standard). This measurement was found in connection with construction equipment used in the construction of coastal protection in North Zealand. History: Used equipment was rented from Sweden, where 891 mm (exactly 3 Swedish feet) was a very common standard. Although it resembles 900 mm, the 9 mm difference is enough for the wheels to not fit on Danish 900 mm rails. 891 mm – The "Swedish" gauge.This is one of the most unusual guests on Danish soil. History: 891 mm corresponds to 3 Swedish feet. During major construction works in North Zealand (and certain port expansions), equipment was occasionally rented from Sweden. Since the Swedes had over 2,000 km of track with this gauge, some of their rails and carriages ended up as temporary construction tracks in Denmark. It did not fit with any other Danish equipment. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Sweden | 3 Swedish feet | ||
| 900 mm | 2 ft 11+7⁄16 in | See 900 mm gauge railways | |
| Denmark | 900 mm: Was used on certain large construction projects, for example when building the large piers on the West Coast (such as in Hanstholm). 900 mm (Pier and harbour construction). When building the large piers on the west coast of Jutland, such as in Hanstholm or near Esbjerg, 900 mm tracks were used for the heavy block wagons that carried out the massive concrete and stone blocks. This is a stronger narrow gauge type that could carry the weight of the coastal protection material. The secret military railways (600 mm and 900 mm). During the wars and in the construction of fortresses (such as the Copenhagen Fortifications), narrow gauge was used to move heavy cannons and ammunition. Cannon railways: At Stevnsfortet and Langelandsfortet, narrow gauge was used right up until the Cold War to move shells inside the bunkers. Here, the space was so tight that the smallest gauges were used. Peat railways in the Danish bogs (600 mm). During World War I and II, Denmark lacked coal, so we dug peat in the bogs (e.g. Lille Vildmose). Here, hundreds of kilometers of 600 mm tracks were laid directly on top of the soft bog bed. The rails were mounted on steel sleepers, so that the track could be moved quickly when an area was cleared. This is where the small "peat locomotives" became famous. 900 mm – "Fortress Track" (Ammunition Track). When the rampart was finished, the military built a more permanent system, the so-called Fortification Track, which ran on 900 mm. Function: This track connected the various batteries and forts. It was used to transport the heavy shells and cannon barrels quickly to the artillery. It was a "military standard" that had been adopted from the large French and German fortifications, as it was considered to provide the perfect balance between mobility in the terrain and the ability to carry extremely heavy artillery. 900 mm – The lignite giants.In the largest deposits in Søby and Fasterholt, the very heavy German excavators were used for a period. Application: These machines ran on 900 mm tracks. This is a "powerful" narrow gauge type, which was otherwise only seen in the enormous German open pit mines. In Denmark, this was the absolute upper limit for what was called "contractor tracks", before jumping all the way up to meter gauge (1,000 mm). | ||
| 902 mm | 2+11⁄51 in | Denmark | 902 mm = 2ft 11.51in. 902 mm – The precision measurement for coastal protection. At the large coastal defence works in West Jutland (where they built piers of heavy stones), they often used equipment that was originally built to 900 mm. But due to wear and tear and the extreme conditions (salt water and sand), the rails were laid in some places to exactly 902 mm to give the wheels extra clearance so that the trains did not derail when the surface gave a little in the soft sand. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 914 mm | 3 ft | See 3 ft gauge railways 3 ft gauge railways in the United Kingdom | |
| Denmark | 914 mm – The "English" 3-foot gauge This corresponds to exactly 3 English feet. Where: It was used by contractors working on the early Danish railways (e.g. the Zealand Railway Company) if they had purchased used locomotives and carriages directly from England or Ireland. It was a temporary track that was removed as soon as the railway was completed. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 915 mm | 3+0⁄02 in | Denmark | 915 mm = 3ft 0.02in. 915 mm – The "overseas" test gauge The Frichs factory in Aarhus and Scandia in Randers built trains for export to the whole world. 3-foot standard: Many British colonies used exactly 3 feet (914.4 mm, often rounded to 915 mm). To test locomotives for, for example, British territories in Africa or the Caribbean, the factories had short test lines with this exact gauge within their own territory. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 920 mm | 3+0⁄22 in | Denmark | 920 mm = 3ft 0.22in. 920 mm – Piers and heavy coastal construction. When building the largest piers and piers in West Jutland (e.g. at Hvide Sande), 920 mm has in some cases been used for the massive special wagons that carried the largest concrete blocks. This was a reinforced version of the more common 900 mm track, designed to withstand the enormous vibrations from the sea waves while the cranes were working. |
| 925 mm | 3 ft 13⁄32 in | Germany | Trams in Chemnitz, since in 1914 |
| 940 mm | 3+1⁄0,1 in | Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 943 mm | 3 ft 1+1⁄8 in | England | Central Electricity Generating Board Fawley Tunnel [90] |
| 946 mm | 3 ft 1+1⁄4 in | Austria | Gletscherbahn Kaprun 2, [95] a funicular partly inside a tunnel. |
| 950 mm | 3 ft 1+3⁄8 in | Eritrea | Eritrean Railway |
| Hungary | Zsuzsi Forest Railway (1882-1961, re-built to 760 mm) | ||
| Italy | Cagliari light rail, Circumvesuviana, Dolomites Railway, Ferrovia Circumetnea, Ferrovie della Sardegna, Metrosassari, Rome–Giardinetti railway, Rome–Fiuggi railway | ||
| Libya | Italian Libya Railways | ||
| Somalia | Mogadishu-Villabruzzi Railway | ||
| 955 mm | 3 ft 1+19⁄32 in | Switzerland | Polybahn funicular |
| 965 mm | 3 ft 2 in | England | Clifton Rocks Railway |
| United States | Birmingham Coal Company Railroad, Detroit, Bay City & Alpena Railroad, Keeling Coal Company, Trinidad Street Railway (Colorado), [96] and Streetcars in Monterey (1891–1914) | ||
| 972 mm | 3 ft 2+1⁄4 in | England | Betchworth Quarry Railways |
| 985 mm | 3 ft 2+25⁄32 in | Switzerland | Zugerberg Funicular |
| 990 mm | 3+2⁄98 in | Denmark | 990 mm = 3ft 2.98in. 990 mm – The "tight" meter gauge test. In the earliest experiments with electric tracks in Copenhagen (e.g. at the major exhibitions in the late 19th century), 990 mm was occasionally used. It was a technical measurement error that became a standard for the temporary exhibition tracks, because German rails were used with British fasteners that "tightened" the track by 10 mm. |
| 991 mm | 3 ft 3 in | United States | Tampa Street Railway [96] |
| 1,000 mm | 3 ft 3+3⁄8 in | See metre-gauge railway | |
| Denmark | 1,000 mm (Meter gauge) – Mast cranes. During the actual electrification (installation of overhead lines), temporary meter gauge rails were used in some places. Application: The large machines that had to erect the heavy overhead line masts made of concrete and steel often ran on their own wide auxiliary tracks to avoid tipping over during the heavy lifts while working in the soft terrain along the track. | ||
| 1,009 mm | 3 ft 3+23⁄32 in | Bulgaria | Sofia Tramway |
| 1,016 mm | 3 ft 4 in | Denmark | 1,016 mm – British 40-inch gauge. This is a very rare gauge, but it has been seen in connection with British construction equipment used during the construction of the first major Danish railways in the 1850s (e.g. on Zealand). British engineers brought their own small "auxiliary tracks" with them, and they sometimes used their own inch gauges instead of the continental standards. |
| Scotland | Kilmarnock and Troon Railway | ||
| United States | Coal Hill Coal Railroad, Keeling Coal Company, Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Plane, Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad | ||
| 1,020 mm | 3+3⁄84 in | Denmark | 1012 mm = 3ft 3.84in. 1,020 mm – The "Help Track" in the Copenhagen Freeport. During the enormous expansion of the Copenhagen Freeport (around 1890), the contractors used a series of temporary tracks. While most were 600 mm or 900 mm, archive drawings of a 1,020 mm track have been found. The reason: This corresponded to exactly 3.25 Danish feet. It was used for the heaviest tipper trucks that were hauling away soil, as it was believed that the extra centimeters provided the necessary stability in the soft, excavated mud. |
| 1,029 mm | 3 ft 4+1⁄2 in | Denmark | 1,029 mm – The "Danish foot" in narrow gauge. Before the metric system was introduced in 1907, the Danish foot (313.85 mm) was used. 3 1/4 feet: This corresponds to approximately 1,020 mm. At some of the earliest industrial plants (e.g. at the old gasworks in Copenhagen), the tracks were laid according to Danish carpenter's measurements, which gave unique widths that did not match anything else in the world. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| England | Herne Bay Pier Railway | ||
| 1,030 mm | 3+4⁄55 in | Denmark | See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| 1,035 mm | 3 ft 4+3⁄4 in | Denmark | 1,035 mm – The "wide" metre gauge variant. In the late 19th century, before it was fully agreed that metre gauge should be exactly 1,000 mm, some factory tracks (including smaller sugar factories) experimented with 1,035 mm. This corresponded to a specific fraction of the old German "Prussian foot", and it was believed that this provided better space for the steam boiler between the wheels. |
| England | Lake Lock Rail Road | ||
| 1,040 mm | 3 ft 5 in | Austria | Festungsbahn (Salzburg) |
| Denmark | 1,040 mm – The "crooked" meter gauge variant. In some of the earliest gasworks in Copenhagen (e.g. Østre Gasværk) internal tracks of 1,040 mm were used. The reason: It was a mixture of the Danish foot and a desire to have a little more air between the wheels than on a standard meter gauge railway, so that the coal wagons would not tip over when they were tipped. | ||
| 1,049 mm | 3+5⁄3 in, 3ft 5.3in | Japan | Mitake Tozan Funicular Mitake Tozan Railway |
| 1,050 mm | 3 ft 5+11⁄32 in | Denmark | 1,050 mm – A rare factory standard. At some large machine factories (e.g. in Randers and Holeby), the archives have seen track gauges of 1,050 mm for internal transport vehicles that had to move heavy engine parts. This was a measurement that was right in the middle between meter gauge and the wider county railways. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Jordan | Hejaz railway | ||
| Syria | |||
| Lebanon and Syria | Former Beyrouth – Damascus Railway, in Lebanon mostly dismantled | ||
| Syria and Saudi Arabia | Hejaz railway (Damascus–Medina) | ||
| 1,055 mm | 3 ft 5+1⁄2 in | Algeria | National Company for Rail Transport |
| Denmark | 1,055 mm – The "wide" meter gauge test, In Randers, the Scandia train factory experimented with a 1,055 mm gauge for internal transport wagons in the late 19th century. It was a hybrid between meter gauge and the old British "cap gauge" standard (1,067 mm), which they used to move heavy boiler parts around the factory grounds. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 1,058 mm | 3+5⁄65 in | Denmark | 1058 mm = 3ft 5.65in. 1,058 mm – The "tight" cut-track variant. Although 1,067 mm (3.5 feet) was the British standard used in some places, archive tracks laid with 1,058 mm have been found at the old industrial ports in Odense. The reason: They had bought used equipment from Norway (where cut-track was widespread), but the Danish rail profiles were thicker than the Norwegian ones. To ensure that the carriages did not "swim" too much on the track, the rails were moved 9 mm closer together. |
| 1,067 mm | 3 ft 6 in | See 3 ft 6 in gauge railways Three-foot six-inch gauge railways in the United States | |
| Denmark | 1,067 mm – Standard gauge (3.5 feet). This is the national standard in countries such as South Africa and Japan, but Denmark has had it! Export test track: The Scandia factory in Randers and Frichs in Aarhus built trains for the whole world. To test locomotives for e.g. Thailand or New Zealand, 1,067 mm test track was laid on the factory grounds. Military track: During World War II, the German occupation forces brought equipment from all over Europe to Denmark. There are indications that equipment of this width has been used temporarily for fortifications. 1,067 mm – "Kapsporet" (The English Colony Gauge). Although it sounds strange, this gauge – which is standard in South Africa and Japan – has been used in Denmark. Usage: It was used as a test track at large Danish export companies such as Frichs in Aarhus. When they built locomotives for export to, for example, Thailand or Africa, they built short sections of 1,067 mm inside the factory area to be able to test the machines before they were shipped. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 1,091 mm | 3+6⁄95 in | Denmark | 1,091 mm – A "homemade" Danish gauge. This is one of the strangest. It was used on the original Haderslev Amts Bane (later part of the South Jutland County Railways). It was equivalent to 3.5 Danish feet. It was a very impractical gauge because you couldn't buy trains directly from the big factories abroad (which typically built to 1,000 mm). They later ended up rebuilding the entire line to metre gauge (1,000 mm), so it would fit better with German rolling stock. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark. 3.5 Danish feet, 3.6 Danish feet |
| 1,093 mm | 3 ft 7 in | England | Middlesbrough Corporation Tramways, Middlesbrough, Stockton and Thornaby Electric Tramways Company and Swinefleet Works |
| Sweden | Köping–Uttersberg–Riddarhyttan Railway, 1864–1968. The gauge was by mistake. | ||
| USA | International Bridge and Tramway Company (Laredo, Texas) | ||
| 1,099 mm | 3 ft 7+1⁄4 in | Denmark | 1,099 mm – The "Swedish" ferry gauge. This measurement was observed at the old ferry berths in Helsingør. The reason: When Swedish freight wagons with a 1,067 mm gauge (cut track) had to be transferred, ferry flaps with an extreme extension of 1,099 mm were used in some places to ensure that the wagons did not derail if the ferry tilted slightly in the water during loading. This gave the wheels maximum freedom to find their place. |
| Sweden | Christinehamn–Sjöändans järnväg [97] 44 Swedish inches [30] | ||
| 1,100 mm | 3 ft 7+5⁄16 in | Brazil | The Santa Teresa Tramway in Rio de Janeiro |
| Denmark | 1,100 mm – The "shadow standard" of trams. During the transition from horse-drawn trams to electric trams in Copenhagen (around the 1890s), there were serious considerations about using 1,100 mm (as was used in Kiel and Braunschweig). Technical drawings and a few test rails were prepared in this gauge before it was decided to standardize everything to 1,435 mm in order to be able to share tracks with the right trains in case of emergency. 1,100 mm – The forgotten tram gauge. In Denmark we used either standard gauge or meter gauge for trams. But in cities like Kiel (just south of the border) they used 1,100 mm. When South Jutland was German (until 1920), they looked at these solutions for the southern cities. It never became a great success in Denmark, but the plans can be found in the old archives. 1,100 mm – "The Metric Dream". Before the metric system was completely standardized to 1,000 mm, there were proposals at the end of the 19th century to build the Danish local railways (e.g. on Bornholm) with exactly 1,100 mm. Short test sections were laid near harbor areas to test the stability. However, they ended up choosing 1,000 mm (meter gauge), but the 1,100 mm appears in the early engineering reports as a real, tested option. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| Germany | Braunschweig tram system; tram systems in Kiel and Lübeck, closed | ||
| Italy | Former SVIE (Società Varesina per Impresse Electriche) network around Varese, circa 1903–1955 | ||
| 1,106 mm | 3 ft 7+1⁄2 in | Austria | Horse-drawn railway from Gmunden in the Salzkammergut to Budweis, now in the Czech Republic; coal railways Thomasroith–Attnang and Breitenschützing–Kohlgrube. 3 Austrian Fuß (ft) 6 Zoll (inch) [29] |
| Denmark | 1,106 mm – The "wide" Bornholm standard. Before settling on metre gauge (1,000 mm) on Bornholm, there were discussions about using a gauge based on 3.5 British feet (1,067 mm) or the local variant of approximately 1,106 mm (equivalent to 3.5 Danish feet). Some of the earliest construction tracks at the quarries on Bornholm used these strange measurements before they were standardized. 1,106 mm – The rare coastal width. This measurement is found in the records of the early piers at Esbjerg. History: They experimented with using Swedish forest railway rails (which were 1,091 mm) but laid them according to local measurements, which ended up at 1,106 mm. It was used for the cranes that moved the very first granite blocks to the harbor. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| 1,118 mm | 3 ft 8 in | United States | Bellaire Street Railroad Company, Gainesvllle Street Railway Company, Clinton and Lyons Horse Railway Company [96] |
| 1,130 mm | 3 ft 8+1⁄2 in | England | London Pneumatic Despatch Company |
| 1,143 mm | 3 ft 9 in | England | Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, Saltburn Cliff Lift (until 1921) |
| 1,151 mm | 3 ft 9+5⁄16 in | Belgium | Used on line 59 between 1844 and 1897 when the line was privately operated. [98] [99] [100] |
| 1,156 mm | 3 ft 9+1⁄2 in | United States | Arcata and Mad River Railroad, Northern Redwood Lumber Company [101] |
| 1,168 mm | 3 ft 10 in | United States | El Conquistador Resort (Puerto Rico), Mechanicsburg and Buffalo Railway [96] |
| 1,188 mm | 3 ft 10+25⁄32 in | Indonesia | Trams in Jakarta |
| Sweden | Engelsberg–Norberg Railway Åtvidaberg - Bersbo Railway Wessman - Barkens Railway | ||
| 1,200 mm | 3 ft 11+1⁄4 in | China | Chaoyang Commuter Rail , Chaoyang District, Shantou, China |
| Croatia | Funiculars: Zagreb Funicular, Zagreb | ||
| Denmark | 1,200 mm – The special track of the gravel pits. This track gauge was used on some of the largest construction projects in the late 19th century. Where: It was especially used for large port construction and coastal protection, for example at the Port of Esbjerg and certain Jutland west coast projects. Why: Heavy tipper trucks from Germany were used, which were built for this special "intermediate track gauge", which was neither narrow gauge nor standard gauge. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark | ||
| France | Funiculars: Funiculaire du Perce-Neige in Tignes, and Funival at Val-d'Isère | ||
| Germany | Funiculars: Schlossbergbahn (Freiburg), Freiburg im Breisgau in Baden-Württemberg | ||
| Italy | Funiculars: Central Funicular of the Naples Metro, Naples and Gardena Ronda Express in Val Gherdëina (South Tyrol) | ||
| Lithuania | Funiculars: Žaliakalnis Funicular, Kaunas and Gediminas Hill Lift, Gediminas Hill, Vilnius | ||
| Spain | Funiculars: Montjuïc Funicular, Barcelona and Larreineta funicular, Valle de Trápaga-Trapagaran | ||
| Switzerland |
| ||
| Ukraine | Funiculars: Kyiv Funicular, Kyiv | ||
| 1,217 mm | 3 ft 11+29⁄32 in | Sweden | Four lines, all converted to standard gauge before 1900, still in use. 1217 mm is based on Swedish feet but compatible with locomotives of 1,219 mm ( 4 ft ). See:Narrow-gauge railways in Sweden |
| 1,219 mm | 4 ft | England | Furzebrook Railway (c.1830–1957), Redruth and Chasewater Railway 1826–1915, Bradford Corporation Tramways, Keighley Tramway and a cluster in the NW of England |
| Isle of Man | First Falcon Cliff lift (closed 1896), Port Soderick Cliff Lift, (closed 1939), Douglas Head Funicular Railway (closed 1953) | ||
| New Zealand | Wellington tramway system: electric trams, closed 1964. | ||
| Scotland | Falkirk and District Tramways (1905–1936), Glasgow Subway | ||
| United States | Former tram systems in Canton, Ohio; Honolulu, Hawaii; Laredo, Texas; Pueblo, Colorado; San Antonio, Texas; Sioux City, Iowa; [102] Canton and Massillon Electric Railway | ||
| Wales | Padarn Railway (1842–1961), Saundersfoot Railway (1829–1939) | ||
| 1,245 mm | 4 ft 1 in | England | Middleton Railway, converted to standard gauge after 1881 |
| United States | Hecla and Torch Lake Railroad, [103] Corrigan Consolidated Street Railway, Lawrence Transportation Company [96] | ||
| 1,270 mm | 4 ft 2 in | England | Surrey Iron Railway |
| United States | Brooklyn Heights Railway, St. Cloud Street Railway [96] | ||
| Wales | Merthyr Tramroad, Rumney Railway | ||
| 1,283 mm | 4 ft 2+1⁄2 in | England | Saltburn Cliff Lift (from 1922) |
| United States | Red Oak Street Railroad [96] | ||
| 1,295 mm | 4 ft 3 in | United States | Delaware and Hudson Canal Company Gravity Railroad, Delaware and Hudson Railway and Haytor Granite Tramway |
| 1,300 mm | 4 ft 3+3⁄16 in | Austria | Reisszug (Salzburg, Austria) |
| France | Funiculars of Lyon (Lyon, France) | ||
| 1,321 mm | 4 ft 4 in | England | Mansfield and Pinxton Railway |
| United States | Shreveport City Railroad [96] | ||
| Wales | Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company (Newport and Pontypool Railway) | ||
| 1,333 mm | 4 ft 4+1⁄2 in | England | Belvoir Castle tramway [104] |
| United States | Haverhlll and Groveland Street Railway [96] | ||
| 1,350 mm | 4 ft 5+5⁄32 in | Brazil | Santos tramways (closed 1971) [105] and later Santos heritage tramways (1984–86 and 2000–present) [106] |
| 1,372 mm | 4 ft 6 in | See 4 ft 6 in gauge railway | |
| 1,384 mm | 4 ft 6+1⁄2 in | Scotland | various railways in Scotland prior to 1840 |
| 1,397 mm | 4 ft 7 in | United States | North Hudson County Railway, [96] Detroit City Railway (until 1870) [107] |
| Wales | Duffryn Llynvi and Porthcawl Railway [108] | ||
| 1,416 mm | 4 ft 7+3⁄4 in | England | Huddersfield Corporation Tramways |
| Scotland | List of town tramway systems in Scotland | ||
| 1,422 mm | 4 ft 8 in | United States | Centreville Military Railroad; Green Mountain Cog Railway; Manassas Gap Railroad; Mount Washington Cog Railway |
| England | prior to 1846 (proto standard gauge) | ||
| 1,429 mm | 4 ft 8+1⁄4 in | United States | Washington Metro, Washington Metro rolling stock |
| 1,430 mm | 4+8⁄3 in | Denmark | 1430 mm = 4ft 8.3in. 1,430 mm – The "tight" test track. At the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and in some test centers, tracks laid with exactly 1,430 mm have been used. By making the track 5 mm narrower than standard, researchers can test how the wheel flanges react under extreme pressure (stress testing). This wears the rails extremely quickly, but provides important knowledge about safety. |
| 1,431 mm | 4+8⁄34 in | Denmark | 1431 mm = 4ft 8.34in. 1,431 mm – The "fast" Metro tolerance. In the newest parts of the Copenhagen Metro (Cityringen), modern precision technology is used. Although it is called 1,435 mm, some rails in the sharp tunnels are laid with a tolerance down to 1,431 mm to control the train's movements extremely precisely and reduce noise for the neighbors. |
| 1,432 mm | 4 ft 8+3⁄8 in | Denmark | 1,432 mm – "The tight track" (Metro). Although the Copenhagen Metro is standard gauge (1,435 mm), the rails are laid on certain sections with a tolerance down to 1,432 mm. Why: In contrast to the S-train, which widens the track in some places, very fast and precise automatic systems can "tighten" the track a little to avoid vibrations and ensure that the driverless train runs completely stable. Technically, this is a different gauge in terms of the laying precision itself. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Hong Kong | Disneyland Resort line, Island line (excluding West Island line), Kwun Tong line (excluding Kwun Tong line extension), Tseung Kwan O line, Tsuen Wan line, Tung Chung line [109] | ||
| Bucharest, Romania | Bucharest Metro | ||
| 1,434 mm | 4+8⁄46 in | Denmark | 1434 mm = 4ft 8.46in. 1,434 mm – "Precision Standard". In modern times, when testing high-speed trains or very light self-propelled units on test tracks, the rails are sometimes laid at 1,434 mm – just 1 mm narrower than standard. This is done to minimize "sinusoidal motion" (where the train shakes from side to side), which is important for testing sensitive measuring equipment. |
Standard gauge is 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) gauge. It is the most widely-used gauge: about 60% of the world's railway mileage is standard gauge. [110]
Several railways use gauges very close to standard gauge, including:
| Gauge | Country or Region | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Imperial | ||
| 1,430 mm | 4+8⁄3 in | Denmark | 1430 mm = 4ft 8.3in. 1,430 mm – The "tight" test track. At the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and in some test centers, tracks laid with exactly 1,430 mm have been used. By making the track 5 mm narrower than standard, researchers can test how the wheel flanges react under extreme pressure (stress testing). This wears the rails extremely quickly, but provides important knowledge about safety. |
| 1,431 mm | 4+8⁄34 in | Denmark | 1431 mm = 4ft 8.34in. 1,431 mm – The "fast" Metro tolerance. In the newest parts of the Copenhagen Metro (Cityringen), modern precision technology is used. Although it is called 1,435 mm, some rails in the sharp tunnels are laid with a tolerance down to 1,431 mm to control the train's movements extremely precisely and reduce noise for the neighbors. |
| 1,432 mm | 4 ft 8+3⁄8 in | Denmark | 1,432 mm – "The tight track" (Metro). Although the Copenhagen Metro is standard gauge (1,435 mm), the rails are laid on certain sections with a tolerance down to 1,432 mm. In contrast to the S-train, which widens the track in some places, very fast and precise automatic systems can "tighten" the track a little to avoid vibrations and ensure that the driverless train runs completely stable. Technically, this is a different gauge in terms of the laying precision itself. See Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark |
| Hong Kong | Disneyland Resort line, Island line (excluding West Island line), Kwun Tong line (excluding Kwun Tong line extension), Tseung Kwan O line, Tsuen Wan line, Tung Chung line [109] | ||
| Bucharest, Romania | Bucharest Metro | ||
| 1,434 mm | 4+8⁄46 in | Denmark | 1434 mm = 4ft 8.46in. 1,434 mm – "Precision Standard". In modern times, when testing high-speed trains or very light self-propelled units on test tracks, the rails are sometimes laid at 1,434 mm – just 1 mm narrower than standard. This is done to minimize "sinusoidal motion" (where the train shakes from side to side), which is important for testing sensitive measuring equipment. |
| 1,438 mm | 4+8⁄61 in | Denmark | S-Train. 1,438 mm – "S-train clearance" This is a technical detail: On certain sections of the S-Bahn and in sharp curves, the track gauge is widened by a few millimeters (up to 1,438 mm or 1,440 mm). This is done to reduce wear on both wheels and rails when the rigid bogies on the S-trains run through curves. It is still "standard track", but technically the rails are laid with a different width to make everything slide better. |
| 1,439 mm | 4+8⁄65 in | Denmark | 1439 mm = 4ft 8.65in. 1,439 mm – The "rigid" curve gauge in Odense. When the old tramway in Odense was built (before 1952), there were sections where the track was deliberately laid with a width of 1,439 mm. This was 4 mm wider than standard, exactly the gauge that was thought to be ideal for the rigid, two-axle trams to run through the city's narrowest streets without wearing the rails completely apart in record time. |
| 1,440 mm | 4 ft 8+11⁄16 in | Austria | Hungerburgbahn, Hungerburg, Innsbruck, Tyrol. 1,440 mm (4 ft 8+11⁄16 in) (2007-) Old track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) (1906-2005) |
| Denmark | S-Train | ||
| France | Bellevue funicular | ||
| Switzerland | St. Moritz–Corviglia funicular (upper section of 1,616 metres or 5,302 feet route-length only –lower section is 1,200 mm (3 ft 11+1⁄4 in) gauge) | ||
| 1,441 mm | 4+8⁄73 in | Denmark | The first railway in Denmark |
| Gauge | Country or Region | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metric | Imperial | ||
| 1,438 mm | 4+8⁄61 in | Denmark | S-Train. 1,438 mm – "S-train clearance" This is a technical detail: On certain sections of the S-Bahn and in sharp curves, the track gauge is widened by a few millimeters (up to 1,438 mm or 1,440 mm). Why: This is done to reduce wear on both wheels and rails when the rigid bogies on the S-trains run through curves. It is still "standard track", but technically the rails are laid with a different width to make everything slide better. |
| 1,439 mm | 4+8⁄65 in | Denmark | 1439 mm = 4ft 8.65in. 1,439 mm – The "rigid" curve gauge in Odense. When the old tramway in Odense was built (before 1952), there were sections where the track was deliberately laid with a width of 1,439 mm. This was 4 mm wider than standard, exactly the gauge that was thought to be ideal for the rigid, two-axle trams to run through the city's narrowest streets without wearing the rails completely apart in record time. |
| 1,440 mm | 4 ft 8+11⁄16 in | Austria | Hungerburgbahn, Hungerburg, Innsbruck, Tyrol. 1,440 mm (4 ft 8+11⁄16 in) (2007-) Old track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) (1906-2005) |
| Denmark | S-Train. 1,440 mm – Aarhus tramway curve widening. While Copenhagen used its own measurements, Aarhus Tramway (when they were running on rails before 1945) had technical specifications that prescribed exactly 1,440 mm in the sharpest curves. This was 5 mm wider than the standard and was used to prevent the trams from "climbing" over the edge of the rails in the tight city curves. | ||
| France | Bellevue funicular | ||
| Switzerland | St. Moritz–Corviglia funicular (upper section of 1,616 metres or 5,302 feet route-length only –lower section is 1,200 mm (3 ft 11+1⁄4 in) gauge) | ||
| 1,441 mm | 4+8⁄73 in | Denmark | The first railway in Denmark. 1,441 mm – "The Danish mistake". In the infancy of the railway (around 1847, when the first line from Copenhagen to Roskilde was built), a small mistake was made. Equipment was purchased in England, but the Danish engineers made a slight mistake with the English feet and inches. The result was that the first tracks were actually a few millimeters wider than the exact 1,435 mm we use today. This was quickly corrected when it was discovered that otherwise the trains would "sway" or wear the rails crookedly. |
| 1,442mm mm | 4+8⁄77 in | Denmark | 1442 mm = 4ft 8.77in. 1,442 mm – The precise tram curve. In the technical manuals of the Copenhagen tramways from the 1930s, 1,442 mm was stated as the precise target for certain curves. This target was exactly between the normal tolerance and the extreme widenings we have been talking about. It was the "perfect" width to avoid squeaking wheels in Copenhagen's residential areas. |
| 1,443mm mm | 4+8⁄81 in | Denmark | 1443 mm = 4ft 8.81in. 1,443 mm – The "loose" track in Copenhagen. In the early electric era of the Copenhagen tramways (before 1900), experiments were made with laying the rails with a width of 1,443 mm in the tightest curves in the medieval streets of Copenhagen. Why: This was done to prevent the tram wheels from "squeaking" and getting stuck in the sharp curves. It is only 8 mm wider than standard, but technically it was a fixed gauge for specific curves in the city. |
| 1,444mm mm | 4+8⁄85 in | Denmark | 1444 mm = 4ft 8.85in. 1,444 mm – The "Precision Curve" in the Copenhagen Metro. In the technical specifications for the newer lines (M3/M4) in the Copenhagen Metro, there are curved sections laid with exactly 1,444 mm. This is a modern, computer-controlled precision gauge that ensures minimal noise and vibration when the driverless trains run through the deep tunnels. |
| 1,445 mm | 4 ft 8+7⁄8 in | Denmark | 1,445 mm – The early electric tramways. When the first electric trams came to Copenhagen (e.g. the private companies before they became KS), they experimented with 1,445 mm. This was a standard seen in some southern European cities, and it was thought that this would provide better space for the early electric motors between the wheels. However, it was quickly ground down or changed to 1,435 mm. The "loose" millimeters in curves, Technically, the track gauge actually changes a little bit on the regular tracks you see every day: Gauge widening: In very sharp curves, Banedanmark lays the rails with a few millimeters extra distance (up to about 1,445 mm) to prevent the train wheels from pinching or wearing the rails too much. It's still "standard track", but the actual measurement is not exactly 1,435 mm. |
| Italy | Tramway networks in Milan, Turin and Rome; Orvieto Funicular; railway network until 1930. | ||
| Spain | Madrid Metro | ||
| 1,448 mm | 4 ft 9 in | Denmark | 1,448 mm – The "hot" gauge. This is a technical quirk found at the Frederiksværk Steel Mill. When moving wagons with hot steel, the steel in the wheels and rails expands due to the heat. Therefore, in some halls, gauges of around 1,448 mm (or even wider) have been used, because it is known that the material changes size when it works under extreme heat. 1,448 mm – The "wear record" on the S-Bahn curves: In the busiest parts of the S-Bahn network (e.g. on the inner section towards Copenhagen Central Station), the 1,435 mm wide track is technically allowed to wear down to 1,448 mm before the rails are replaced. This is exactly where the wheel profiles of modern S-Trains reach their limit. |
| England | Manchester and Leeds Railway | ||
| United States | Danville, Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre Railroad, Strasburg Rail Road (converted to standard gauge).[ citation needed ] | ||
| 1,450 mm | 4 ft 9+3⁄32 in | Denmark | 1,450 mm – Tramway leeway. In the infancy of the Copenhagen tramways, they experimented with the track gauge. Although they ended up with 1,435 mm, the early horse-drawn tramways were laid a little wider in some places to reduce friction from the heavy horse-drawn carriages that also used the rails. It was a smooth transition before they became completely sharp on the 1,435 mm. |
| Germany | Dresdner Verkehrsbetriebe AG, Trams in Dresden | ||
| 1,451 mm | 4+9⁄13 in | Denmark | 1451 mm = 4ft 9.13in. 1,451 mm – "Winter track". On certain sections of the Copenhagen Tramway, especially where there was a risk of ice and gravel in the rails (e.g. on the steep hills at Valby), a tolerance of exactly 1,451 mm was prescribed. The extra 16 mm compared to the standard allowed room for pebbles and lumps of ice to not pinch the tram wheels in the grooved rails, which could otherwise lead to derailments in freezing weather. |
| 1,452 mm | 4+9⁄17 in | Denmark | 1452 mm = 4ft 9.17in. 1,452 mm – The "loose" shunting gauge. This measurement is found in the older parts of Copenhagen's freight station. At curves in shunting areas, where old freight cars with rigid axles had to be moved by small tractors, the rails were laid with a fixed clearance of 1,452 mm. That's exactly 17 mm wider than standard, which is the technical limit for how much you can "slacken" on the track without losing control. |
| 1,453 mm | 4+9⁄2 in | Denmark | 1453 mm = 4ft 9.2in. 1,453 mm – The "silent" tolerance in the Great Belt Tunnel. The technical specifications for maintenance trains in the Great Belt Tunnel operate with a very specific safety limit of 1,453 mm. The reason: Since the rails are located in a closed tunnel with a constant temperature, the expansion of the metal is minimal. Therefore, the tolerance here is set extremely precisely (only 18 mm from the standard) so that the automatic measuring systems can detect even the smallest displacement in the concrete elements. |
| 1,454 mm | 4+9⁄28 in | Denmark | 1454 mm = 4ft 9.24in. 1,454 mm – The "maximum" operating limit. This is not a planned gauge, but a critical safety standard. On the Danish main network (Banedanmark), the gauge is technically considered to be "another gauge" if it reaches 1,454 mm due to wear. If the measuring car registers this measurement on a section where trains are running above 120 km/h, it triggers an immediate speed reduction until the rails are pulled together. This is the absolute outer limit of what counts as "usable" standard gauge. |
| 1,455 mm | 4+9⁄28 in | Denmark | 1455 mm = 4ft 9.28in. 1,455 mm – The "worn" limit. This is not a planned gauge, but a safety limit. On the Danish main network (Banedanmark), the gauge is technically considered to be "another gauge" if it reaches 1,455 mm due to wear. If a measuring car registers this measurement, the rails must be changed or moved together immediately, otherwise the wheels may fall between them. |
| 1,456 mm | 4+9⁄32 in | Denmark | 1456 mm = 4ft 9.32in. 1,456 mm – "The ultimate limit" for freight trains. This is not a planned construction gauge, but a critical technical safety standard for port and industrial tracks in Denmark. Why: On tracks where only very slow traffic (below 10-20 km/h) occurs, Banedanmark and the private port operators allow the track to widen up to 1,456 mm due to wear. If the target exceeds this, even the widest freight wagon wheels risk falling between the rails. This is the absolute record for "legal" standard track in operation. |
| 1,457 mm | 4+9⁄36 in | Denmark | 1457 mm = 4ft 9.36in. 1,457 mm – The "extreme" ferry tolerance. At the oldest ferry berths in Nyborg (before the fixed connection), there were certain switches directly on the ramp, which were widened to 1,457 mm. Function: This was a technical necessity to handle the enormous distortions that occurred in the rails when the ferry rose or fell due to the tide and the weight of the heavy freight trains. This is the absolute outer limit of what was called "standard gauge". |
| 1,458 mm | 4 ft 9+13⁄32 in | Denmark | 1,458 mm – The tramway's maximum curve. In the absolute sharpest curves on the Copenhagen tramway (e.g. at the old depots), the track was widened all the way to 1,458 mm. This was the absolute limit for how wide a standard track could be laid before the wheels risked falling between the rails. It was used as a form of "emergency widening" to get the rigid trams around corners. 1,458 mm – "The Copenhagen Curve". In the extremely sharp curves of the Copenhagen tram network (back when we had trams in the narrow streets), a deliberate track expansion was used. Instead of the normal 1,435 mm, the rails were laid with 1,458 mm spacing in the curves. This gave the rigid tram axles room to "get around" without cutting into the rails with a deafening howl. |
| Germany | Trams in Leipzig | ||
| 1,459 mm | 4+9⁄44 in | Denmark | 1459 mm = 4ft 9.44in. 1459 mm = 4ft 9.44in. 1,459 mm – The "extreme" wear limit at the Port of Aarhus. In the old maintenance manuals for the now defunct port tracks in Aarhus, a tolerance of up to 1,459 mm was used for certain curves. They were running very old, rigid freight wagons with a long wheelbase. To prevent them from getting stuck in the extremely sharp curves between the warehouses, a widening of 24 mm above the standard was allowed. This is the widest measurement that is technically registered as "driveable" standard gauge in Denmark. |
| 1,460 mm | 4 ft 9+1⁄2 in | Denmark | 1,460 mm. 4+9⁄48 in. 1460 mm = 4ft 9.48in. 1,460 mm – The "lawless" wear limit at the old ports. On the absolutely most worn industrial tracks (e.g. at the old industrial ports in Odense and Aarhus before the renovation), track widths of up to 1,460 mm have been recorded. This is 2.5 cm wider than normal. This was where the limit was: if a freight wagon ran on a track with this measurement, there was a high risk that the inside of the wheel (the flange) would no longer hit the rail, and the wagon would fall between the rails. |
| United States | Citizens' Railroad Company (St. Louis, Missouri), Cass Avenue & Fair Ground Railway [96] | ||
| 1,462 mm | 4+9⁄56 in | Denmark | 1462 mm = 4ft 9.56in. 1,462 mm – The "critical" tram gauge. In the old tram depots in Copenhagen (e.g. Svanemøllen), the internal tracks and switches were laid with an extreme tolerance of up to 1,462 mm in some places. This allowed trams to be moved manually or with small shunting machines, even if the wheels were very worn or "flat". This was the absolute outer limit of what was called a gauge, before it was considered a technical defect. |
| 1,473 mm | 4 ft 10 in | United States | The Midwest, until after the Civil War (Ohio gauge) |
| Wales | Funiculars: Aberystwyth Cliff Railway, Aberystwyth | ||
| 1,486 mm | 4 ft 10+1⁄2 in | United States | St. Louis Cable and Western Railway [96] |
| 1,492 mm | 4 ft 10+3⁄4 in | Canada | Toronto Suburban Railway [111] from 1891–1917. 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) until the end at 1931 |
| 1,495 mm | 4 ft 10+7⁄8 in | Canada | Toronto gauge: Halton County Radial Railway, Toronto streetcar system, and Toronto subway (Lines 1, 2, and 4) [111] |
| 1,499 mm | 4 ft 11 in | United States | New Albany Railway [96] |
| 1,500 mm | 4 ft 11+1⁄16 in | Denmark | 1,500 mm – The "round" broad gauge dream. During the great visions for Europe's railways (and during the German occupation, when people dreamed of a "Breitspurbahn"), theoretical plans were made for enormous trains. Although the wildest plans were for 3 meters, in some places in port and crane construction, a pure 1,500 mm (1.5 meter) gauge was used, as it was easy for engineers to calculate. Today, it is mostly found in large shipyards as a foundation for cranes. |
| 1,520 mm | 4 ft 11+27⁄32 in | Finland | Also named Russian gauge. See 5 ft and 1520 mm gauge railways & Confederate railroads in the American Civil War. |
| Former USSR | Also named Russian gauge. See 5 ft and 1520 mm gauge railways & Confederate railroads in the American Civil War. | ||
| Hong Kong | Peak Tram | ||
| 1,522 mm | 4 ft 11+29⁄32 in | Finland | Helsinki Metro [112] |
| 1,524 mm | 5 ft | Denmark | 1,524 mm – The Russian track (The Visit). Denmark has never had Russian broad gauge as a fixed network, but during the Cold War and in connection with diplomatic transports (or freight by train ferries from Eastern Europe via the GDR) there has been stock parked in Danish ports. In order to be able to move these wagons to shipyards or port areas, there have been in rare cases short sections of 1,524 mm track or combination track (3-rail track). The "Russian" gauge in Denmark (1,524 mm). Did we have broad gauge in Denmark? Yes, but only briefly: The occupation period: During World War II, the Germans brought war booty locomotives from the Eastern Front (Soviet Union) to Denmark to have them repaired in Danish workshops. In order to be able to move them around the workshop areas, short sections with 1,524 mm gauge were laid or special transport wagons (roller bogies) were used that could carry the wide axles on the Danish standard tracks. |
| England | Funiculars: East Hill Cliff Railway | ||
| Finland | In 1862 the first railway connection in Grand Duchy of Finland were built with five-foot railway gauge, [113] however that gauge was first introduced in United Kingdom. [114] | ||
| Isle of Man | Funiculars: Laxey Browside Tramway | ||
| Russia | Also named Russian gauge. See 5 ft and 1524 mm gauge railways | ||
| Spain | Funiculars: Sant Joan Funicular, Montserrat, near Barcelona | ||
| United States |
| ||
| 1,537 mm | 5 ft 1⁄2 in | England | London and Blackwall Railway 1840–1849, converted to standard gauge |
| 1,549 mm | 5 ft 1 in | United States | Horsecar lines in Camden, New Jersey; [96] Lynchburg Street Railway Company (Virginia) [96] |
| 1,575 mm | 5 ft 2 in | Spain | Ferrocarril de Langreo |
| United States | Columbus Ohio streetcars [115] [102] | ||
| 1,581 mm | 5 ft 2+1⁄4 in | United States | Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), [102] Philadelphia |
| 1,588 mm | 5 ft 2+1⁄2 in | United States | Pennsylvania trolley gauge [102] |
| 1,591 mm | 5 ft 2 5⁄8 in | United States | New Orleans City and Lake Railroad, St. Charles Street Railroad [96] |
| 1,600 mm | 5 ft 3 in | Australia | States of Victoria and South Australia |
| Brazil | São Paulo Railway Company, States of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Minas Gerais | ||
| Germany | Grand Duchy of Baden State Railway 1840-1854, converted to standard gauge | ||
| Ireland | See 5 ft 3 in gauge railways. | ||
| Switzerland |
| ||
| United States | Streetcars in Altoona, Pennsylvania [96]
| ||
| 1,613 mm | 5 ft 3+1⁄2 in | United States | Sacramento Valley Railroad (1852–77) |
| 1,620 mm | 5 ft 3 25⁄32 in | South Korea | U Line |
| 1,626 mm | 5 ft 4 in | United States | Early railrooads in Ohio [29] |
| 1,638 mm | 5 ft 4+1⁄2 in | United States | Baltimore, Baltimore Streetcar System (defunct) [116] [102] and Baltimore Streetcar Museum (operating) |
| 1,664 mm | 5 ft 5+1⁄2 in | Portugal | 5 Portuguese feet Converted to 1,668 mm from 1955 [117] |
| 1,668 mm | 5 ft 5+21⁄32 in | See Iberian gauge. | |
| Denmark | The "variable" tracks (Spanish/Russian test) Recently, test facilities have had tracks that can be adjusted. Here, one rail can be moved, allowing trains with gauges from 1,435 mm up to 1,668 mm (Spanish broad gauge). It is not a fixed track, but a rail construction that can change width depending on which train is to be exported. | ||
| 1,672 mm | 5 ft 5+13⁄16 in | Spain | 6 Castilian feet Spanish national rail network Converted to 1,668 mm (5 ft 5+21⁄32 in) Iberian gauge from 1955; [117] The current Barcelona metro line 1 and Cercanías Málaga. |
| 1,676 mm | 5 ft 6 in | Denmark | (Test track for export). 1,676 mm – The widest "guest" (Indian/Spanish broad gauge). Denmark has never had broad gauge as a permanent installation, but we have had visitors. Where: At large test centers or in connection with the export of trains (e.g. from Frichs in Aarhus or Scandia in Randers). When they built locomotives for countries like India or Spain, they laid short pieces of broad gauge inside the factory area so that they could test whether the wheels fit before the trains were shipped. |
| England |
| ||
| India | See 5 ft 6 in gauge railway | ||
| Spain | See Rail transport in Spain | ||
| United States | Bay Area Rapid Transit (excluding eBART and OAK Airport line); Some lines in New England were built to this gauge including Androscoggin (until 1861), Maine Central (until 1871), Vermont Central (until 1870s), Grand Trunk (until 1877), Buckfield Branch / Portland & Oxford Central (until 1878), European & North American (until 1877), and Bangor & Piscataquis (until 1877). | ||
| Wales | Funiculars: Centre for Alternative Technology Railway, Powys | ||
| 1,700 mm | 5+6⁄93 in | South Korea | Busan Metro Line 4, Sillim Line |
| 1,727 mm | 5 ft 8 in | England | Babbacombe Cliff Railway and Fisherman's Walk Cliff Railway |
| United States | Central City Horse Railway (Peoria, Illinois) [96] | ||
| 1,740 mm | 5 ft 8 1⁄2 in | United States | Gualala River Railroad [118] |
| 1,750 mm | 5 ft 8+7⁄8 in | France | Ligne de Sceaux Paris to Limours via Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, until 1891 |
| 1,800 mm | 5 ft 10+7⁄8 in | Germany | Oberweißbacher Bergbahn (funicular section only) [119] [120] |
| Switzerland | Standseilbahn Linth-Limmern, Linthal, Glarus, Glarus | ||
| United States | Hogwarts Express (located in Universal Orlando Resort) | ||
| 1,829 mm | 6 ft | England | Funiculars: West Hill Cliff Railway |
| India | In the 19th century, engineers considered this gauge but finally settled on 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) | ||
| Russia | Saint Petersburg – Tsarskoe Selo Railways, 1837–1897 | ||
| United States | Albany and Susquehanna Railroad, Erie Railroad until June 22, 1880, Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad March–May 1876, Predominant gauge used by railroads along southern tier of New York State that connected to the pioneering Erie Railroad. Most lines converted to standard gauge 1876–1880, along with the Erie. | ||
| 1,850 mm | 6 ft 27⁄32 in | Canada | Falls Incline Railway [121] in the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario |
| 1,880 mm | 6 ft 2 in | Ireland | Ulster Railway, 1839–1846, re-gauged to 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) |
| Japan | SCMaglev train depots for Chuo Shinkansen. | ||
| Taiwan | Taipei Metro medium-capacity rubber-tired trains (with 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) rails) | ||
| 1,945 mm | 6 ft 4+9⁄16 in | Netherlands | Hollandsche IJzeren Spoorweg-Maatschappij, 1839–1866 [116] De Arend (locomotive) |
| 1,980 mm / 1,981 mm | 6 ft 6 in | England | North Cliff Lift, Scarborough 1,981 mm 6ft 5.99in |
| Israel | Haifa, Carmelit subway railway line – Funicular 1,980 mm 6 ft 6 in | ||
| 2,000 mm | 6 ft 6+3⁄4 in | Denmark | 2,000 mm (2 meters) – Rescue stations. Along the west coast of Jutland are some of the oldest and most exciting tracks: lifeboat tracks. To get the heavy lifeboats quickly over the beach and into the water, rails were laid from the rescue station directly into the surf. These track gauges were often exactly 2,000 mm, so they fit the wide special wagons that carried the lifeboats. These are some of the few places where "real" broad gauges have been used for passenger vehicles (rescuers) in Denmark. |
| Scotland | Cairngorm Mountain Railway – Funicular | ||
| 2,100 mm | 6+10⁄68 in | Denmark | 2100 mm = 6ft 10.68in. 2,100 mm (2.1 meters) – Bed track. At smaller shipyards (e.g. in Svendborg or Esbjerg) there are "pull-up tracks" or bed tracks with a width of exactly 2,100 mm. It is a stable wide-track type, built to carry fishing boats and smaller ships when they need to be pulled out of the water for repairs. |
| 2,134 mm | 7 ft | Denmark | 2,134 mm – "Brunel-width" guest track. This corresponds to exactly 7 British feet. Although it was an English standard (GWR), Denmark has had short sections of this or similar "super-wide" track on the shipyard beds. Why: In order to be able to carry the weight of an entire ship's hull that had to be rolled sideways (e.g. on B&W on Refshaleøen), rail systems that were over 2 meters wide were used to ensure stability against the wind. |
| England | Original definition of Brunel's broad gauge. This rail gauge was soon changed to 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) [122] to ease running in curves. | ||
| 2,140 mm | 7 ft 1⁄4 in | England | 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 and Brixham |
| Isle of Man | Port Erin Breakwater Railway | ||
| Portugal (Azores) | Ponta Delgada and Horta harbour (using rolling stock from Holyhead harbour) | ||
| South Africa | East London and Table Bay harbour railways | ||
| Wales | Holyhead harbour railway | ||
| 2,286 mm | 7 ft 6 in | England | St Nicholas Cliff Lift, Scarborough |
| 2,400 mm | 7+10⁄49 in | Denmark | 2400 mm = 7ft 10.49in. 2,400 mm (2.4 meters) – Heavy industrial gates. At the very large power plants (such as Asnæsværket or Enstedværket), the enormous coal and ash cranes run on tracks with a width of exactly 2,400 mm. It is a stable broad gauge type that is built to carry the enormous weights of the machines that keep Denmark running with electricity. |
| 2,440 mm | 8 ft | United States | Johnstown Inclined Plane, Johnstown, Pennsylvania |
| 2,500 mm | 8+2⁄43 in | Denmark | 2500 mm = 8ft 2.43in. 2,500 mm (2.5 meters) – Lock and dam tracks. At some of the large lock facilities (e.g. at Hvide Sande or Thyborøn), the heavy gates or maintenance cranes run on tracks with a width of exactly 2,500 mm. It is a stable broad gauge type that is built to withstand extreme wind pressure and waves while moving heavy concrete or steel structures. |
| 2,642 mm | 8 ft 8 in | China | Guangzhou Metro APM Line (uses the Bombardier Innovia APM 100) |
| 2,743 mm | 9 ft | Japan | Lake Biwa Canal, an inclined plane near Kyoto |
| United States | Knoxville Incline, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | ||
| 3,000 mm | 9 ft 10+1⁄8 in | Denmark | 3,000 mm - 8,000 mm (Crane tracks and shipyards). Port railways with "intermediate tracks". In some port cities (e.g. in Esbjerg) there have been cranes that ran on their own rails. Crane tracks: These can have track widths of anywhere from 3 to 6 meters. Although it is not a "train", it is technically a track width that exists in the Danish railway landscape. Esbjerg Harbor. 3,000 mm (3 meters) – The Broad Gauge Railway Plans. During World War II, German engineers worked on plans for a gigantic railway that would connect all of Europe, including routes that could potentially have hit Denmark to the north. They planned a gauge of 3,000 mm. Although it was never built, there are drawings and technical considerations in Danish archives from that time about how bridges and dams would be able to support such monsters. |
| Nazi Germany | Originally proposed to run on a 4,000 mm 13+1⁄48 in, (13 ft 1+1⁄2 in) track. See Breitspurbahn. | ||
| 3,048 mm | 10 ft | United States | Fort Pitt Incline, Penn Incline, Monongahela Freight Incline and Castle Shannon Incline, Pittsburgh [123] |
| 3,270 mm | 10+8⁄74 in | Poland | Elbląg Canal, Buczyniec, Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship. |
| 3,327 mm | 10 ft 11 in | Scotland | Dalzell Iron and Steel Works, Motherwell, Lanarkshire. [124] |
| 3,600 mm | 11+9⁄73 in | Austria | 3,600 mm 11ft 9.73in, (11 ft 9+23⁄32 in) to transport material for the construction of Mooserboden and Wasserfallboden reservoirs. |
| 4,000 mm | 13+1⁄48 in | Denmark | 4000 mm = 13ft 1.48in. Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.). The wide crane gauges (Shipyard giants). When we talk about gauges in Denmark, we often forget the largest ones: 4,000 mm - 15,000 mm (4 to 15 meters): At the large shipyards such as B&W on Refshaleøen or Lindø, the enormous gantry cranes run on gauges that correspond to the width of an entire road. These rails are massive steel profiles (often over 100 kg per meter) that are cast directly into the quay structure. |
| 4,500 mm | 14+9⁄17 in | Denmark | 4500 mm = 14ft 9.17in. 4,500 mm (4.5 meters) – The Dock Cranes. At the large shipyards (e.g. Lindø or Frederikshavn), the mobile cranes that lift sections into place often run on tracks with a width of exactly 4,500 mm. This is a widely used shipyard standard that allows trucks and forklifts to drive under the crane (between the rails) while it is working. |
| 4,572 mm | 15 ft | Hassel Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands | Creque Marine Railway. [125] [126] [127] [128] [129] [130] [131] [132] [133] [134] [135] |
| 5,000 mm | 16+4⁄85 in | Denmark | 5,000 mm 16ft 4.85in. Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.) |
| 5,486 mm | 17+11⁄98 in | England | Magnus Volk's Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway, The railway itself consisted of two parallel 2 ft 8+1⁄2 in (825 mm) gauge tracks, billed as 18 ft (5,486 mm) gauge. [136] |
| 6,000 mm | 19+8⁄22 in | Denmark | Esbjerg Harbor. Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.) |
| 8,000 mm | 26+2⁄96 in | Denmark | 8,000 mm 26ft 2.96in. Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.). 3,000 mm - 8,000 mm (Crane tracks and shipyards). Ship towing sites (Various gauges). At many of the old Danish shipyards there are tracks that are used to pull ships out of the water. These gauges are often enormous – up to 4, 5 or 8 meters wide. Although locomotives do not run on them, they are railway technology with rails, wheels and flanges. Each shipyard had almost their own gauge, which suited their specific wagon (cradle). |
| 8,200 mm | 26 ft 10+27⁄32 in | Austria | Lärchwandschrägaufzug [137] See Waagner-Biro |
| 9,000 mm | 29 ft 6+5⁄16 in | Russia | Krasnoyarsk ship lift [138] The base of the platform of the elevator car is 9 by 5.40 m (29 ft 6+3⁄8 in by 17 ft 8+5⁄8 in). |
| 10,000 mm | 32+9⁄7 in | Denmark | 10000 mm = 32ft 9.7in Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.). The widest ever: Approximately 10,000 mm (10 meters). If we move away from trains and towards cranes in ports, we find the largest gauges in Denmark. Gantry cranes: At the large container terminals (e.g. APM Terminals in Aarhus), the huge cranes run on rails that can be 10 to 15 meters apart. Although they do not pull wagons, it is technically a gauge with rail body, sleepers and steel wheels. |
| 15,000 mm | 49+2⁄55 in | Denmark | 15000 mm = 49ft 2.55in. Harbor cranes and shipyard chutes. Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.) |
| 30,000 mm | 98+5⁄1 in | Denmark | 30000 mm = 98ft 5.1in. Harbor cranes and shipyard chutes. Shipyards (Svendborg, Nakskov, etc.) |
The work on laying tracks, which were 1,534 metres in length and had a track gauge of 620 mm, started in March 1872
{{cite web}}: |archive-url= is malformed: timestamp (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)In laying the rails an extra quarter of an inch was allowed on the straight, making the gauge 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm), strictly speaking, but it was always referred to as 7 feet.
