Ajay Kumar at 15:52, 26 September 2023

2023-09-26T15:52:45Z

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{{short description|Railway track gauge (1676 mm)}}
{{Sidebar track gauge}}

'''{{RailGauge|Indian|lk=off|disp=s}}''' is a [[broad gauge|broad track gauge]], used in [[Rail transport in India|India]], [[Pakistan Railways|Pakistan]], western [[Bangladesh]], [[Rail transport in Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]], [[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentina]], [[Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado|Chile]], and on [[Bay Area Rapid Transit|BART]] in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]].

In North America, it is called "Indian gauge", Provincial, Portland, or "Texas gauge". In Argentina and Chile, it is known as "trocha ancha" (Spanish for "broad gauge"). In the [[Indian subcontinent]] it is simply known as "broad gauge". It is the widest gauge in regular passenger use anywhere in the world.

==Asia==
===India===
{{Main|Rail transport in India}}{{See also|Indian Railways}}
In [[India]], the initial freight railway lines were built using [[standard gauge]]. In the 1850s, the [[Great Indian Peninsula Railway]] adopted the gauge of {{RailGauge|1676mm}} for the first passenger railway in India between [[Bori Bunder railway station|Bori Bunder]] and [[Thane railway station|Thane]].<ref name=Up-Down-India>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldandsold.com/articles25/railroads-41.shtml|title=Railroads Asia - Up And Down India}}</ref><ref name=irsff>Indian Railways: Some Fascinating Facts, [https://moralvolcano.wordpress.com/2003/11/01/150-years-of-indian-railways/ “Train Atlas”], ''Train Atlas'', Indian Railways, 2003</ref> This was then adopted as the standard for the nationwide network.

[[Indian Railways]] today predominantly operates on {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge. Most of the metre gauge and narrow gauge railways have been converted to broad gauge. Small stretches of the network that remain on metre and narrow gauges are also [[Project Unigauge|being converted to broad gauge]]. [[Rapid transit in India|Rapid transit lines]] are mostly on standard gauge, although some initial lines use {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge.

===Bangladesh===
{{Main|Bangladesh Railway}}
Bangladesh Railways uses a mix of {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge and [[Metre-gauge railway|metre gauge]]. The broad gauge network is primarily located to the west of the [[Jamuna River]], while the metre gauge network is primarily located to its east. The [[Jamuna Bridge]] is a mixed-use bridge that contains a [[dual gauge]] connection across the river linking both networks.

===Nepal===
{{Main|Nepal Railway Company Limited}}
In Nepal, all services currently operate on {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge only.

===Pakistan===
{{Main|Pakistan Railways}}
In Pakistan, all services currently operate on {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge only.

===Sri Lanka===
{{Main|Sri Lanka Railways}}
In Sri Lanka, all services currently operate on {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge only.

==Europe==

===United Kingdom===
The {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge was first used in [[Scotch gauge#5 ft 6 in gauge|Scotland]] for two short, isolated lines, the [[Dundee and Arbroath Railway]] (1836-1847) and the [[Arbroath and Forfar Railway]] (1838-). Both the lines were subsequently [[Track gauge conversion|converted]] to [[standard gauge]].

===Spain and Portugal===
The [[Iberian-gauge railways]], that service much of Spain and Portugal, have a track gauge of {{Railgauge|1668mm}}, just {{cvt|8|mm|frac=32}} different from {{RailGauge|1676mm}}. Used rolling stock from Iberia has been employed on broad-gauge lines in Argentina and Chile.

==North America==
{{Main|Track gauge in North America}}

===Canada===
{{Main|Track gauge in Canada}}
Canada became the first British colony, in the 1850s, to use {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge. It was known as the "Provincial gauge" in Canada.

The earliest railways in Canada, including the 1836 [[Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad|Champlain and St. Lawrence]] and 1847 [[Montreal and Lachine Railway]] however, were built to {{Track gauge|56.5in|allk=on}}.<ref name=lavallee>Omer Lavallee, [https://archives.exporail.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/canadian-rail-141-1963.pdf "The Rise and Fall of the Provincial Gauge"], ''Canadian Rail'', February 1963, pp. 22-37</ref>

The [[Grand Trunk Railway]] which operated in several Canadian provinces ([[Quebec]] and [[Ontario]]) and American states ([[Connecticut]], [[Maine]], [[Massachusetts]], [[New Hampshire]], and [[Vermont]]) used it, but was [[Gauge conversion|changed]] to standard gauge in 1873. The Grand Trunk Railway operated from headquarters in [[Montreal]], Quebec, although corporate headquarters were in [[London]], [[England]]. The [[St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad]] which operated in [[Quebec]], Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine also used it but was converted in 1873.

There is a longstanding rumour that the Provincial gauge was selected specifically to create a [[break-of-gauge]] with US railways, the [[War of 1812]] still being a fresh memory. However, there is little supporting evidence for this, and this story appears to be traced to a single claim from the late 1800s.<ref name=lavallee/>

===United States===
{{Main|Track gauge in the United States}}
The [[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] system is the only operating railroad in the United States to use {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge, with {{convert|120|mi|km}} of double tracked routes. The original engineers chose the wide gauge for its "great stability and smoother riding qualities"<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Does BART Use Wider Non-Standard Gauge Rails|url=http://www.bayrailalliance.org/question/why-does-bart-use-wider-non-standard-guage-rails/|website=BayRail Alliance}}</ref> and intended to make a state-of-the-art system for other municipalities to emulate. The use of {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge rails was one of many unconventional design elements included in its design which, in addition to its unusual gauge, also used flat-edge rail, rather than typical rail that angles slightly inward<ref name="gafni"/> (although the shape of BART wheels and rail has been modified since then<ref>{{cite news | title = Refining Approaches to Corrective and Preventive Rail Grinding | date = February 26, 2019 | work = ON Track Maintenance | first = Bob | last = Tuzik | url = https://www.rtands.com/track-maintenance/on-track-maintenance/corrective-and-preventive-rail-grinding/ }}</ref>). This has complicated maintenance of the system, as it requires custom wheelsets, brake systems, and track maintenance vehicles.<ref name="gafni">{{cite news |title=Has BART's cutting-edge 1972 technology design come back to haunt it? |last=Gafni |first=Matthias |work=San Jose Mercury News |date=March 25, 2016 |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_29687067/has-barts-cutting-edge-1972-technology-design-come.html |access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref>

The [[New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad]] (NOO&GW) used {{RailGauge|1676mm}} [[broad gauge]] until 1872, and the [[Texas and New Orleans Railroad]] used {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge ("Texas gauge") until 1876. The [[Grand Trunk Railway]] predecessor [[St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad]] which operated in [[Quebec]], Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine also used {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge ("Canadian gauge", "Provincial gauge" or [[Track_gauge_in_the_United_States#5_ft_6_in_(1,676_mm)_gauge|"Portland gauge"]]) but was [[Track gauge conversion|converted]] in 1873. Several Maine railroads connected to the Grand Trunk Railway shared its "Portland Gauge". The [[Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad]] and the [[Buckfield Branch Railroad]] were later consolidated as the [[Maine Central Railroad]] which converted to [[standard gauge]] in 1871.
[[John A. Poor|John A. Poor's]] chief engineer [[Alvin C. Morton]] compiled the following advantages of "Portland Gauge" for Maine railways in 1847:<ref name="holt">{{cite book| title=The Grand Trunk in New England |author=Holt, Jeff |publisher=Railfare |year=1985 |isbn=0-919130-43-7 |page=78}}</ref>
* [[Frost heaving|Frost heaves]] (swelling of wet soil upon freezing) produce an uneven running surface causing an irregular rocking motion as trains moved past. A wider wheelbase offered a steadier ride with less wear on the machinery and roadbed.
* Wider cars offered more room for passengers and cargo. Train length would be reduced for cars carrying the same amount of cargo. Shorter trains would lessen the effects of side winds, and permit more efficient application of power.
* Wide gauge locomotives offered more room to place reciprocating machinery inside, rather than outside the driving wheels. Reciprocating machinery was a source of vibration before [[mechanical engineering]] encompassed a good understanding of [[dynamics (physics)|dynamics]]; and keeping such vibration close to the center of mass reduced the [[angular momentum]] causing rocking.
* Wider fireboxes and [[boiler]]s allowed more powerful locomotives. The alternative of longer boilers held the disadvantage of poor firebox draft through the increased frictional resistance of longer boiler tubes.
* More powerful locomotives carrying fewer, larger cars would have reduced manpower requirement for engine crews and shop personnel.
* For locomotives of equal power, fuel consumption increased as gauge decreased, especially in colder outside temperatures.
* More powerful wide gauge locomotives would be more capable for plowing [[snow]]; and thereby provide more reliable winter service.
* Several gauges were in widespread use, and none had yet come into clear dominance.
* Freight transfer was preferable to exchange of cars between railways because unowned cars were abused on foreign railways.
* The [[Grand Trunk Railway]] system feeding the seaport of [[Portland, Maine]] offered little need for gauge transfer prior to loading on export shipping.
* Potential advantages of freight transfer to the standard gauge railroad from Portland to [[Boston]] seemed insignificant as long as competitive rates were available for transport on steamships between the two ports.
* The majority of Canadian freight anticipated to be carried over rail lines to Portland was heavy and bulky in comparison to its value, and must be transported cheaply in large quantities to maintain profitability for producers and transporters.

==South America==
===Argentina===
{{Main|Rail transport in Argentina}}
The national railway network is predominantly on {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge.

===Chile===
{{Main|Track gauge in Chile}}
Most links of {{RailGauge|1676mm}} broad gauge railways are in the center-south of the country. Only a few lines of the Ferrocarril del Sur (Southern Railroad Network) were {{Track gauge|1m|allk=on}} or {{Track gauge|1435mm|allk=on}}, the notable exceptions being one of the few active links: the [[Ramal Talca-Constitución]] branch and the [[Metro de Santiago]]. On the contrary, just a few branches of the FCN (Ferrocarril del Norte) were broad gauge, most notably the Mapocho-Puerto mainline between Santiago and Valparaiso, the [[Santiago–Valparaíso railway line]]. This link was directly connected to the southern railroad network using the Matucana tunnel that connected Mapocho and the Central Station in [[Santiago]]. The [[Transandine Railway]] that connected both Argentinean and Chilean broad gauge networks through the Uspallata pass in the Andes mountains was actually a {{RailGauge|1000mm}} narrow gauge link.

==Similar gauges and compatibility==
{{Main|Rail transport in Spain|Rail transport in Portugal}}
The [[Iberian gauge]] ({{RailGauge|1668mm|disp=or}}) is closely similar to the Indian gauge, with only {{convert|8|mm|frac=16|abbr=on|lk=in}} difference, and allows compatibility with the rolling stock. For example, in recent years Chile and Argentina have bought second hand Spanish/Portuguese Iberian-gauge rolling stock. 1,668 mm trains can run on 1,676 mm gauge without adaptation, but for better stability in high-speed running a wheelset replacement  may be required (for example, Russian-Finnish train [[Allegro (train)|Allegro]] has {{Track gauge|1,522mm|disp=or}} gauge, intermediate between Russian {{Track gauge|1,520mm|disp=or}} and Finnish {{Track gauge|1,524mm|disp=or}}). Backward compatibility—1,676 mm trains on 1,668 mm gauge—is possible, but no examples and data exist. Due to the narrower gauge, a strong wear of wheelsets may occur without replacement.

==Operational railways==
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
|-
! Country/territory
! Railway
! Route length
!class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
|[[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentina]]
|[[Ferrocarril General San Martín|San Martín Railway]]
|
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentina]]
|[[Ferrocarril Domingo Faustino Sarmiento|Sarmiento Railway]]
|
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentina]]
|[[Ferrocarril General Bartolomé Mitre|Mitre Railway]]
|
|except [[Tren de la Costa]] in [[standard gauge]]; operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Argentina|Argentina]]
|[[Ferrocarril General Roca|Roca Railway]]
|
|except [[La Trochita]], [[Central Chubut Railway]] and {{Interlanguage link multi|Ramal Ferro Industrial Río Turbio|es}} in [[750 mm gauge railways|750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) gauge]]; operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Bangladesh|Bangladesh]]
|[[Bangladesh Railway]]
|{{cvt|1575|km}}
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Chile|Chile]]
|[[Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado]] - EFE Sur
|
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Chile|Chile]]
|[[Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado]] - EFE Central
|
|Except [[Ramal Talca-Constitución]]; operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Chile|Chile]]
|[[Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado]] - [[Metro de Valparaíso]]
|
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Chile|Chile]]
|[[Empresa de los Ferrocarriles del Estado]] - [[Biotrén]]
|
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in India|India]]
|[[Indian Railways]]
|126,366 km<br>(78,520 mi)
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in India|India]]
|[[Delhi Metro]]
|{{cvt|65|km}}
|Phase-1 lines only; operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in India|India]]
|[[Kolkata Metro]]
|{{cvt|27.22|km}}
|[[Line 1, Kolkata Metro|Line 1]] only; operating
|-
|[[Islamic Republic of Iran Railways|Iran]]
|[[Zahedan railway station]] to border with Pakistan
|
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Nepal|Nepal]]
|[[Nepal Railways]]
|{{cvt|59|km}}
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Pakistan|Pakistan]]
|[[Pakistan Railways]]
|{{cvt|7791|km}}
|operating
|-
|[[Rail transport in Sri Lanka|Sri Lanka]]
|[[Sri Lanka Railways]]
|{{cvt|1508|km}}
|operating
|-
|[[United States]]
|[[Bay Area Rapid Transit]] (BART) [[San Francisco Bay Area]]
|{{cvt|109|mi}}
|operating
|}

== Closed railways ==
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
!Country/territory
!Railway
!Length
!class="unsortable"| Notes
|-
|[[Canada]]
|[[Grand Trunk Railway]]
|
|[[Track gauge conversion|Converted]] to {{Track gauge|impsg|allk=on}} in 1873
|-
|[[Canada]]
|[[St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad]]
|
|Converted to {{Track gauge|impsg|allk=on}} in 1873
|-
|[[Canada]]
|[[Grand Trunk Railway of Canada]]
|
|Converted to {{Track gauge|impsg|allk=on}}
|-
|[[Canada]]
|[[Intercolonial Railway of Canada]]
|
|Converted to {{Track gauge|impsg|allk=on}} in 1875
|-
|[[Paraguay]]
|[[Rail transport in Paraguay|Paraguayan railway]]
|
|From Asunción to Encarnación was originally laid in this gauge in the hope that the connecting line from Posadas to Buenos Aires would be built to the same gauge; that line was laid to standard gauge, and when the FCPCAL reached Encarnación in 1912 the whole line had to be [[Track gauge conversion|re-gauged]] to [[Standard-gauge railway|standard gauge]] to allow through-working.
|-
|[[United Kingdom]]
|[[Arbroath and Forfar Railway]]
|
|see [[Scotch gauge#5 ft 6 in gauge|Scotch gauge]], converted to [[Standard-gauge railway|standard gauge]]
|-
|[[United Kingdom]]
|[[Dundee and Arbroath Railway]]
|{{cvt|16+3/4|mi}}
|see [[Scotch gauge#5 ft 6 in gauge|Scotch gauge]], converted to [[Standard-gauge railway|standard gauge]]
|-
|[[United States]]
|[[Maine Central Railroad]]
|
|converted to [[Standard-gauge railway|standard gauge]] in 1871
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Trains}}
*[[Broad-gauge railway]]
*[[Heritage railway]]
*[[List of track gauges]]

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Navbox track gauge}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:5 ft 6 in gauge railway}}
[[Category:Track gauges by name]]

5 ft 6 in gauge railway - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 15:52, 26 September 2023