Minimum-gauge railways are railways with track gauges smaller than those of narrow-gauge railways, primarily designed for light, industrial, or tourist transportation. The most common gauges for minimum-gauge railways include:
These railways have been developed for applications such as estate transport, mining, agriculture, and amusement parks, offering an economical and adaptable solution for restricted environments. [1] [2]
The term was originally conceived by Sir Arthur Percival Heywood, who used it in 1874 to describe the principle behind his Duffield Bank Railway, specifically its 15 in (381 mm) gauge, distinguishing it from a "narrow gauge" railway. Having previously built a small railway of 9 in (229 mm) gauge, he settled on 15 in (381 mm) as the minimum that he felt was practical. [1] The original text of Heywood's article defining minimum gauge railways is available online. [3] However, the 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) inch gauge <<Wells & Walsingham Light Railway>> in Norfolk, England, has disp[roven this as a registered public minimum-gauge statutory railway.
In general, minimum-gauge railways maximize their loading gauge, where the dimension of the equipment is made as large as possible with respect to the track gauge while still providing enough stability to keep it from tipping over. Standard gauge railways have vehicles that are approximately twice, and in some cases nearly three times, the track gauge in width, but with minimum gauge railways this can be as much as four times the width of the track as in some of the Sugar Cane Railways of Australia. Minimum-gauge railways allowed for ease of mobility on battlefields, mines, and other restricted environments.
A number of 18 in (457 mm) gauge railways were built in Britain to serve ammunition depots and other military facilities, particularly during the First World War.
In South Australia the Semaphore to Fort Glanville Conservation Park includes a steam engine service that runs on an 18 in (457 mm) track.
In France, Decauville produced a range of portable track railways running on 400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) and 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) tracks, most commonly in restricted environments such as underground mine railways, parks and farms. [2]
During World War II, it was proposed to expedite the Yunnan–Burma Railway using 400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) gauge, since such a small gauge can have the tightest of curves in difficult terrain. [4]
This section possibly contains original research .(May 2020) |
The major distinction between a miniature railway (US: 'riding railroad' or 'grand scale railroad') and a minimum-gauge railway is that miniature lines use models of full-sized prototypes. There are miniature railways that run on gauges as wide as 2 ft (610 mm), for example the Wicksteed Park Railway. There are also rideable miniature railways running on extremely narrow tracks as small as 10+1⁄4 in (260 mm) gauge, for example the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway. Around the world there are also several rideable miniature railways open to the public using even narrower gauges, such as 7+1⁄4 in (184 mm) and 7+1⁄2 in (190.5 mm).
Generally minimum-gauge railways have a working function as estate railways, or industrial railways, or providers of public transport links; although most have a distinct function in relation to tourism, and depend upon tourism for the revenue to support their working function.
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Name | Gauge | Country | Location | Notes |
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Decauville | 400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) | France | Discontinued by Decauville | |
Rufisque tramway | 400 mm (15+3⁄4 in) | France | ||
See Fifteen-inch gauge railway | 15 in (381 mm) | |||
Prater Liliputbahn | 15 in (381 mm) | Austria | Prater Park, Vienna, Austria | |
The Valley Railway Adventure (Formerly the Evesham Vale Light Railway)) | 15 in (381 mm) | UK | Evesham Country Park, Worcestershire | |
Whistlestop Valley (Formerly Kirklees Light Railway) | 15 in (381 mm) | UK | Kirklees, West Yorkshire | |
Bure Valley Railway | 15 in (381 mm) | UK | Aylsham to Wroxham, Norfolk | |
Candy Cane Express | 16 in (406 mm) | Canada | Santa's Village Family Entertainment Park, Bracebridge, Ontario | Replica diesel locomotive with passenger cars, working as amusement park ride |
Alamogordo/Alameda Park Narrow Gauge Railway | 16 in (406 mm) | US | The Toy Train Depot, Alamogordo, New Mexico | |
Balboa Park Miniature Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Balboa Park (San Diego), San Diego, California | [5] [6] |
Cedar Rock Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Leander, Texas | [7] |
Chippewa Valley Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Carson Park (Eau Claire, Wisconsin), Eau Claire, Wisconsin | |
Lakeland Amusement Park | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Lakeland, Tennessee | Defunct |
Little Florida Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Sanford, Florida | Closed [8] |
Michigan AuSable Valley Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Fairview, Michigan | Defunct as of November, 2017 [9] |
Old Smokey Train | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania | [10] |
Pinconning and Blind River Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Fairview, Michigan (1953–1973) | [11] |
Pioneer Train | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Knoebels Amusement Resort, Elysburg, Pennsylvania | [12] |
Salt Mine Express | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Strataca Salt Mine Adventure, Hutchinson, Kansas, 650 feet underground | [13] |
Schnepf Farms | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Schnepf Frams, Queen Creek. Arizona | [14] |
Smokey Joe Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Eastern Shore Threshermen & Collectors Association, Federalsburg, Maryland | [15] |
Travel Town Railroad | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Travel Town Museum, Los Angeles, California | |
Whiskey River Railway | 16 in (406 mm) | US | Little Amerricka, Marshall, Wisconsin | |
Island Park Railway | 16+1⁄2 in (419 mm) | Canada | Woodstock, New Brunswick | [16] |
National Railway Museum | 18 in (457 mm) | Australia | Port Adelaide, South Australia | [17] |
Semaphore & Fort Glanville Tourist Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | Australia | Semaphore, South Australia | Operated by the National Railway Museum, Port Adelaide |
Aotea Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | New Zealand | Aotea Lagoon, Porirua | |
Bicton Woodland Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | UK | United Kingdom | |
Heath Park Tramway | 455 mm (17+15⁄16 in) 18 in (457 mm) | UK | Cardiff | [18] |
Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway | 15 in (381 mm) | UK | Kent, United kingdom | |
Royal Arsenal Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | UK | ||
Sand Hutton Light Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | UK | ||
Steeple Grange Light Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | UK | ||
Sundown Adventure Land | 18 in (457 mm) | UK | Retford, Nottinghamshire | [ citation needed ] |
Terrific Train | 18 in (457 mm) | UK | New Metroland, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear | |
Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad | 18 in (457 mm) | US | Oak Meadows Park and Vasona Park, Los Gatos, California | [19] |
Collegeville and Southern Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | US | [20] | |
Fidalgo City and Anacortes Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | US | ||
Meadows and Lake Kathleen Railroad [21] [22] [23] | 18 in (457 mm) | US | [24] | |
Venice Miniature Railway | 18 in (457 mm) | US | Venice Beach, California | 1943–1968 [25] |
Griffith Park & Southern Railroad | 18+1⁄2 in (470 mm) | US | Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California | |
Swanton Pacific Railroad | 19 in (483 mm) | US | Swanton Pacific Ranch, Swanton, California | |
Southern Fuegian Railway | 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) | Argentina | ||
Geriatriezentrum am Wienerwald Feldbahn | 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) | Austria | ||
Chemin de Fer Touristique du Tarn | 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) | France | ||
Jardin d'Acclimatation railway | 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) | France | ||
Petit train d'Artouste | 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) | France | ||
Ledesma Mill Railway | 20 in (508 mm) | Argentina | Province of Jujuy | Partially 20 in [26] |
Stanley Park Miniature Railway | 20 in (508 mm) | Canada | Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia | |
North Bay Railway | 20 in (508 mm) | UK | Scarborough, North Yorkshire | |
Shipley Glen Tramway | 20 in (508 mm) | UK | ||
Woburn Safari Park | 20 in (508 mm) | UK | ||
Coronado Railroad | 20 in (508 mm) | US | Chase Creek | |
Huff Puff and Whistle Railroad | 20 in (508 mm) | US | Story Land, Glen, New Hampshire | |
Krasnoyarsk Child Railway | 20 in (508 mm) | Russia | Central Park, Krasnoyarsk [27] [28] | |
Pleasure Beach Express | 21 in (533 mm) | UK | Blackpool, Lancashire | |
Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train | 1 ft 10 in (559 mm) | US | San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco, California | [29] |
Orient Express | 1 ft 10+3⁄4 in (578 mm) | US | Lakeside Amusement Park, Denver, Colorado | [30] [31] |
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Name | Gauge | Country | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Park Railway Maltanka | 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | Poland | Poznań | Śródka Roundabout - New Zoo, 2.4 miles (3.9 km), 4 stops |
Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Wenecja | 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) | Poland | Wenecja | Wenecja - Biskupin, ~8 miles (13 km), 5 stops |
Assiniboine Park R.R. | 2 ft (610 mm) | Canada | Winnipeg, Manitoba | [32] |
Centreville Train | 2 ft (610 mm) | Canada | Centreville Amusement Park, Toronto, Canada | One replica steam locomotive with tender, five passenger cars |
Greater Vancouver Zoo Railway | 2 ft (610 mm) | Canada | Greater Vancouver Zoo, Aldergrove, British Columbia | Has two stations, stops only at one station |
Riverview Park Railway | 2 ft (610 mm) | Canada | Riverview Park & Zoo, Peterborough, Ontario | [33] |
Wildlife Express | 2 ft (610 mm) | Canada | BC Wildlife Park, Kamloops, British Columbia | |
Park Railway [ broken anchor ] | 2 ft (610 mm) | UK | Alton Towers Park | Defunct [34] 1953–1996 |
Wicksteed Park Railway | 2 ft (610 mm) | UK | Wicksteed Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire | |
Bayou Le Zoo Choo Choo | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Alexandria Zoological Park, Alexandria, Louisiana | [35] |
Casey Jr. Circus Train | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Disneyland, Anaheim, California | |
C.P. Huntington No. 3 | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Pullen Park, Raleigh, North Carolina | [36] |
Emerson Zooline Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri | |
Forest Park Miniature Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Fort Worth, Texas | [37] |
Gatorland Express | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Gatorland, Orlando, Florida | |
Grand Sierra Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California | |
Hermann Park Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Hermann Park, Houston, Texas | Two miles (3.2 km) of track, three stops |
Kennedy Express | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Kennedy Park (Hayward, California), Hayward, California | |
Oregon Pacific Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Oaks Amusement Park, Portland, Oregon | [38] |
San Antonio Zoo Eagle | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, Texas | [39] |
Tauber Family Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak, Michigan | Donated by The Detroit News about 1931 and also supported by Chrysler Motors, zoo patrons and fares [40] |
Turtle Back Junction | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Turtle Back Zoo, West Orange, New Jersey | Two C.P. Huntington Trains [41] |
Van Saun Park Railroad | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Paramus, New Jersey | Three Allan Herschell S-24 2 ft (610 mm) narrow-gauge Iron Horse trains |
Zoo Train | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara, California | |
Zoofari Express | 2 ft (610 mm) | US | Museum of Life and Science, Durham, North Carolina | |
BuJu Line | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | US | Burke Junction, Cameron Park, California | [42] |
Fort Wilderness Railroad | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | US | Walt Disney World, Bay Lake, Florida | Defunct |
Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | US | Disneyland, Anaheim, California | Defunct |
Omaha Zoo Railroad | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | US | Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska | |
Viewliner Train of Tomorrow | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | US | Disneyland, Anaheim, California | Defunct |
Washington Park & Zoo Railway | 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) | US | Washington Park (Portland, Oregon), Portland, Oregon | |
Disneyland Railroad (Paris) | 3 ft (914 mm) | France | Disneyland Park (Paris), Paris | |
Disneyland Railroad | 3 ft (914 mm) | US | Disneyland, Anaheim, California | The two original locomotives are 5:8-scale models of a full-size standard gauge locomotive. [43] [44] |
A narrow-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge narrower than 1,435 mmstandard gauge. Most narrow-gauge railways are between 600 mm and 1,067 mm.
A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of 1,435 mm. The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge, international gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the most widely used track gauge around the world, with about 55% of the lines in the world using it.
The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is a 15 in minimum gauge heritage railway in Cumbria, England. The 7-mile (11.3 km) line runs from Ravenglass to Dalegarth Station near Boot in the valley of Eskdale, in the Lake District. At Ravenglass the line ends at Ravenglass railway station on the Cumbrian Coast Line.
In rail transport, track gauge is the distance between the two rails of a railway track. All vehicles on a rail network must have wheelsets that are compatible with the track gauge. Since many different track gauges exist worldwide, gauge differences often present a barrier to wider operation on railway networks.
The Carolwood Pacific Railroad (CPRR) was a 7+1⁄4-inch gauge ridable miniature railroad run by Walt Disney in the backyard of his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It featured the Lilly Belle, a 1:8-scale live steam locomotive named after Disney's wife, Lillian Disney, and built by the Walt Disney Studios' machine shop. The locomotive made its first test run on December 24, 1949. It pulled a set of freight cars, as well as a caboose that was almost entirely built by Disney himself. It was Disney's lifelong fascination with trains, as well as his interest in miniature models, that led to the creation of the CPRR. The railroad, which became operational in 1950, was 2,615 feet (797 m) long and encircled his house. The backyard railroad attracted visitors to Disney's home; he invited them to ride and occasionally drive his miniature train. In 1953, after an accident occurred in which a guest was injured, the CPRR was closed to the public.
The Disneyland Railroad (DRR), formerly known as the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, is a 3-foot narrow-gauge heritage railroad and attraction in the Disneyland theme park of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, United States. Its route is 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long and encircles the majority of the park, with train stations in four different park areas. The rail line, which was constructed by WED Enterprises, operates with two steam locomotives built by WED and three historic steam locomotives originally built by Baldwin Locomotive Works. The ride takes roughly 18 minutes to complete a round trip on its mainline when three trains are running, and 20 minutes when four trains are running. Two to four trains can be in operation at any time, three on average.
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam may be used to operate stationary or moving equipment.
A backyard railroad is a privately owned, outdoor railroad, most often in miniature, but large enough for one or several persons to ride on. The rail gauge can be anything from 2+1⁄2 in to 7+1⁄2 in or more. Smaller backyard or outdoor railroads that cannot be ridden are called garden railroads. Some backyard railroads use full-size rolling stock, such as the former 3 ft narrow gauge Grizzly Flats Railroad owned by railfan and Disney animator Ward Kimball.
William Jones (1884–1968), a seasoned veteran of the steam era who established the Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos, California, was born the son of a teamster in the town of Ben Lomond, California.
Vasona Lake County Park is a park located in Los Gatos, California and part of the Santa Clara County Parks system. Vasona Park surrounds the Vasona Reservoir. Adjacent to the park are the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad, a ridable miniature railway, and the W.E. "Bill" Mason Carousel at the Oak Meadow Park.
A ridable miniature railway is a large scale, usually ground-level railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are often models of full-sized railway locomotives.
The Eaton Hall Railway was an early 15 in gauge minimum gauge estate railway built in 1896 at Eaton Hall in Cheshire. The line, which connected the Grosvenor estate with sidings at Balderton on the GWR Shrewsbury to Chester Line about 3 miles (4.8 km) away, opened in 1896. It was built for the Duke of Westminster by Sir Arthur Percival Heywood, who had pioneered the use of 15 in gauge with his Duffield Bank Railway at his house at Duffield, Derbyshire in 1874.
Gn15 is a rail modelling scale, using G scale 1:22.5 scale trains running on H0/00 gauge track, representing minimum gauge and miniature railways. Typical models built are between 1:20.3 and 1:24, or up to 1:29.
The Viewliner Train of Tomorrow was a 2 ft 6 in narrow-gauge, miniature train that once operated alongside portions of the Disneyland Railroad main line.
The Western River Railroad is a 2 ft 6 in narrow gauge rail transport attraction in Tokyo Disneyland, which opened on April 15, 1983. Its route is 5,283 feet (1,610 m) long and takes guests through the Adventureland, Westernland, and Critter Country sections.
The Fort Wilderness Railroad (FWRR) was a 3.5-mile (5.6 km), 2 ft 6 in narrow-gauge heritage railroad located at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground in Walt Disney World. The railroad officially opened on January 1, 1974, and provided transportation for the resort's various campsites. Due to issues with track maintenance, pedestrian safety, noise concerns, and the low fuel capacity of its steam locomotives, the FWRR closed permanently in February 1980. Railroad ties remain in place along certain sections of the railroad's former right-of-way, and its four locomotives and surviving passenger cars are now owned by private collectors.
The Grizzly Flats Railroad (GFRR) was a 3-foot narrow-gauge heritage railroad owned by Disney animator Ward Kimball at his home in San Gabriel, California. The railroad had 900 feet (274.3 m) of trackage, and was operated from 1942 to 2006. It was the first full-size backyard railroad in the United States.
Fifteen-inch gauge railways were pioneered by Sir Arthur Percival Heywood who was interested in what he termed a minimum gauge railway for use as estate railways or to be easy to lay on, for instance, a battlefield. In 1874, he described the principle behind it as used for his Duffield Bank Railway, distinguishing it from a "narrow-gauge" railway. Having previously built a small railway of 9 in gauge, he settled on 15 in gauge as the minimum that he felt was practical.
Numerous industrial narrow-gauge lines were built for peat extraction, clay extraction for brickworks and construction sites. The dominant gauge for industrial lines was 700 mm, contrary to the 600 mm gauge used in neighbouring countries.
Two foot and 600 mm gauge railways are narrow gauge railways with track gauges of 2 ft and 600 mm, respectively. Railways with similar, less common track gauges, such as 1 ft 11+3⁄4 in and 1 ft 11+1⁄2 in, are grouped with 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways.
'C.P. Huntington C.P. #3' is the miniature train that operates at Pullen Park.
This train replaced a Miniature Train & Railroad Company G-16 that was installed in 1956. The G-16 ran on 16" gauge track, and resembled a diesel locomotive, painted in the colors of the Union Pacific Railroad. The track is dual-gauge: 16" for the former train and 24" for the current one. The train operates on a 2,600 foot oval-shaped loop that encircles the picnic areas.