Rail gauge in North America
Encyclopedia
The vast majority of North American railroads are standard gauge
(4'-8 1/2"). Exceptions include some streetcar, subway and rapid transit systems and some narrow gauge lines particularly in the West, e.g. the isolated White Pass and Yukon Route
system, and the former Newfoundland Railway
.
As well as the usual reasons for having one gauge i.e. being able to operate through trains without transfer arrangements, the North American continent-wide system of freight car interchange with rolling stock having the same standard gauge, couplings, and air brakes meant that individual companies could minimise their rolling stock requirements by borrowing from other companies. Peak demand periods varied over the continent, with seasonal requirements e.g. for grain shipments occurring at different times in different areas so that freight cars could be redistributed to cover peaks as required.
Canadian railroads originally built as broad gauge included the Grand Trunk Railway
which was changed to standard gauge by 1873. Other broad gauge lines were the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad
and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
until 1873, and the Intercolonial Railway of Canada
until 1875.
The Toronto subway
uses an overgauge of .
.
) as in much of the South of the United States. This gauge was changed to when it was rebuilt in 2000, see Rail transport in Panama
.
and Canada
. Some railways, primarily in the northeast, used standard gauge; others used gauges ranging from to . Problems began as soon as lines began to meet and in much of the north-eastern United States, standard gauge was adopted. In most of the southern states, the 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge was preferred (a broad gauge which later was adopted by Russia for its new railroad and became known as Russian gauge
). This configuration allowed for wider rolling stock that could more efficiently accommodate cotton bales, the most commonly transported good in the South at the time. A few standard gauge lines existed, and several other lines were built with even larger gauges. Break of gauge would prove to be a nightmare during the American Civil War
, often hindering the Confederacy's ability to move goods efficiently over long distances. The Pacific Railway Act of March 3, 1863 specified that the federally funded transcontinental railroad
was to use standard gauge and helped to further popularize it among American railroads, although the standard gauge was already in use on many other lines prior to 1863.
Following the Civil War, trade between the South and North grew and the break of gauge became a major economic nuisance. Competitive pressures had forced all the Canadian railways to convert to standard gauge by 1880, and Illinois Central converted its south line to New Orleans to standard gauge in 1881, putting pressure on the southern railways.
The Indian gauge
, also called the "Provincial gauge" or "Texas gauge" of , was used by the New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad
(NOO&GW) until 1872, the Texas and New Orleans Railroad
until 1876, and the Maine Central Railroad
until 1871 (and is currently used by the Bay Area Rapid Transit System).
The Erie Railroad
was originally gauge, while adjacent railroads used the or Ohio gauge. This led to the Erie Gauge War
in 1853-54 when the Erie mayor and citizens temporarily prevented a gauge standardization, as there would then be less trans-shipping work and through passengers would no longer have to stopover at Erie. In the early days of rail transport in the United States
, railroads tended to be built out of coastal cities into the hinterland
, and systems did not connect. Each builder was free to choose its own gauge, although the availability of British-built locomotives encouraged some railroads to be built to standard gauge. As a general rule, southern railroads were built to one or another broad gauge, mostly , while northern railroads that were not standard-gauge tended to be narrow-gauge. Most of the original track in Ohio was built in gauge, and special compromise cars were able to run on both this track and standard gauge track. When American railroads' track extended to the point that they began to interconnect, it became clear that a single nationwide gauge would be a good idea.
, over two remarkable days beginning on Monday, May 31, 1886. Over a period of 36 hours, tens of thousands of workers pulled the spikes from the west rail of all the broad gauge lines in the South, moved them 3 in (76 mm) east and spiked them back in place. The new gauge was close enough that standard gauge equipment could run on it without problem. By June 1886, all major railroads in North America were using approximately the same gauge. The final conversion to true standard gauge took place gradually as track was maintained. Now, the only broad-gauge rail systems in the United States are some city transit systems.
tracks of the Philadelphia streetcars, the Philadelphia Market-Frankford subway cars
, Pittsburgh Light Rail
and the New Orleans streetcars
. The Bay Area Rapid Transit
system in the San Francisco Bay Area, chose gauge. The San Francisco
cable cars
use a narrow gauge of , as did the Los Angeles Railway
and the San Diego Electric Railway
until 1898, and that gauge is still widely used in the U.S. mining industry.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
(4'-8 1/2"). Exceptions include some streetcar, subway and rapid transit systems and some narrow gauge lines particularly in the West, e.g. the isolated White Pass and Yukon Route
White Pass and Yukon Route
The White Pass and Yukon Route is a Canadian and U.S. Class II narrow gauge railroad linking the port of Skagway, Alaska, with Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon. An isolated system, it has no direct connection to any other railroad. Equipment, freight and passengers are ferried by ship through the...
system, and the former Newfoundland Railway
Newfoundland Railway
The Newfoundland Railway was a railway which operated on the island of Newfoundland from 1898 to 1988. With a total track length of , it was the longest narrow gauge railway system in North America.-Early construction:...
.
As well as the usual reasons for having one gauge i.e. being able to operate through trains without transfer arrangements, the North American continent-wide system of freight car interchange with rolling stock having the same standard gauge, couplings, and air brakes meant that individual companies could minimise their rolling stock requirements by borrowing from other companies. Peak demand periods varied over the continent, with seasonal requirements e.g. for grain shipments occurring at different times in different areas so that freight cars could be redistributed to cover peaks as required.
Canada
In 1851 the broad gauge, called the Provincial Gauge or Indian gauge, was universally adopted as the standard gauge for the Province of Canada. However in the 1870s, most Canadian railroads (apart from some narrow gauge lines, e.g. on the island of Newfoundland) were changed to standard gauge to facilitate interchange with U.S. railroads.Canadian railroads originally built as broad gauge included the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
which was changed to standard gauge by 1873. Other broad gauge lines were the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad
St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad
The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad , known as St-Laurent et Atlantique Quebec in Canada, is a short line railroad operating between Portland, Maine on the Atlantic Ocean and Montreal, Quebec on the St. Lawrence River. It crosses the Canada-U.S...
and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad
The Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad was a historic railway in Lower Canada, the first Canadian public railway and one of the first railways built in British North America.-Origin:...
until 1873, and the Intercolonial Railway of Canada
Intercolonial Railway of Canada
The Intercolonial Railway of Canada , also referred to as the Intercolonial Railway , was a historic Canadian railway that operated from 1872 to 1918, when it became part of Canadian National Railways...
until 1875.
The Toronto subway
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
uses an overgauge of .
Guatemala
The narrow gauge railroad system of Guatemala no longer operates, see Rail transport in GuatemalaRail transport in Guatemala
Although Guatemala still has a network of narrow gauge railroads, no passenger or freight trains currently run, except for occasional chartered tourist trains.- History :...
.
Panama
The Panama Railroad was originally (Russian gaugeRussian gauge
In railway terminology, Russian gauge refers to railway track with a gauge between 1,520 mm and . In a narrow sense as defined by Russian Railways it refers to gauge....
) as in much of the South of the United States. This gauge was changed to when it was rebuilt in 2000, see Rail transport in Panama
Rail transport in Panama
Since 1974, the only functioning railroad in Panama is Panama Canal Railway Company, successor of Panama Railway - the oldest transcontinental railroad in the world. It provides passenger and freight service between Panama City and Colón...
.
United States
Originally, various gauges were used in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Some railways, primarily in the northeast, used standard gauge; others used gauges ranging from to . Problems began as soon as lines began to meet and in much of the north-eastern United States, standard gauge was adopted. In most of the southern states, the 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge was preferred (a broad gauge which later was adopted by Russia for its new railroad and became known as Russian gauge
Russian gauge
In railway terminology, Russian gauge refers to railway track with a gauge between 1,520 mm and . In a narrow sense as defined by Russian Railways it refers to gauge....
). This configuration allowed for wider rolling stock that could more efficiently accommodate cotton bales, the most commonly transported good in the South at the time. A few standard gauge lines existed, and several other lines were built with even larger gauges. Break of gauge would prove to be a nightmare during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, often hindering the Confederacy's ability to move goods efficiently over long distances. The Pacific Railway Act of March 3, 1863 specified that the federally funded transcontinental railroad
Transcontinental railroad
A transcontinental railroad is a contiguous network of railroad trackage that crosses a continental land mass with terminals at different oceans or continental borders. Such networks can be via the tracks of either a single railroad, or over those owned or controlled by multiple railway companies...
was to use standard gauge and helped to further popularize it among American railroads, although the standard gauge was already in use on many other lines prior to 1863.
Following the Civil War, trade between the South and North grew and the break of gauge became a major economic nuisance. Competitive pressures had forced all the Canadian railways to convert to standard gauge by 1880, and Illinois Central converted its south line to New Orleans to standard gauge in 1881, putting pressure on the southern railways.
The Indian gauge
Indian gauge
Indian gauge is a track gauge commonly used in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina and Chile. It is also the gauge that is used on BART , in northern California.- Scotland :...
, also called the "Provincial gauge" or "Texas gauge" of , was used by the New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad
New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad
The New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad was chartered in 1852. Construction began at Algiers, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans, in late 1852. By 1857, the track had reached Brashear on Berwick Bay, and this remained the end of the line for over 20 years...
(NOO&GW) until 1872, the Texas and New Orleans Railroad
Texas and New Orleans Railroad
The Texas and New Orleans Railroad is a former railroad in Texas and Louisiana. At one point the company was the largest railroad in Texas, with of trackage in 1934, but by 1961 there were only remaining when it was merged with parent company Southern Pacific....
until 1876, and the Maine Central Railroad
Maine Central Railroad
The Maine Central Railroad Company was a railroad in central and southern Maine. It was chartered in 1856 and began operations in 1862. It operated a mainline between South Portland, Maine, east to the Canada-U.S...
until 1871 (and is currently used by the Bay Area Rapid Transit System).
The Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
was originally gauge, while adjacent railroads used the or Ohio gauge. This led to the Erie Gauge War
Erie Gauge War
The Erie Gauge War was a conflict between the citizens of Erie, Pennsylvania, and two railroad companies over the standardization of the rail gauge between Erie and the New York border...
in 1853-54 when the Erie mayor and citizens temporarily prevented a gauge standardization, as there would then be less trans-shipping work and through passengers would no longer have to stopover at Erie. In the early days of rail transport in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, railroads tended to be built out of coastal cities into the hinterland
Hinterland
The hinterland is the land or district behind a coast or the shoreline of a river. Specifically, by the doctrine of the hinterland, the word is applied to the inland region lying behind a port, claimed by the state that owns the coast. The area from which products are delivered to a port for...
, and systems did not connect. Each builder was free to choose its own gauge, although the availability of British-built locomotives encouraged some railroads to be built to standard gauge. As a general rule, southern railroads were built to one or another broad gauge, mostly , while northern railroads that were not standard-gauge tended to be narrow-gauge. Most of the original track in Ohio was built in gauge, and special compromise cars were able to run on both this track and standard gauge track. When American railroads' track extended to the point that they began to interconnect, it became clear that a single nationwide gauge would be a good idea.
Unification to standard gauge on May 31, 1886
In 1886, the southern railroads agreed to coordinate changing gauge on all their tracks. After considerable debate and planning, most of the southern rail network was converted from gauge to gauge, then the standard of the Pennsylvania RailroadPennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
, over two remarkable days beginning on Monday, May 31, 1886. Over a period of 36 hours, tens of thousands of workers pulled the spikes from the west rail of all the broad gauge lines in the South, moved them 3 in (76 mm) east and spiked them back in place. The new gauge was close enough that standard gauge equipment could run on it without problem. By June 1886, all major railroads in North America were using approximately the same gauge. The final conversion to true standard gauge took place gradually as track was maintained. Now, the only broad-gauge rail systems in the United States are some city transit systems.
Non-standard systems in the U.S.
In modern uses certain isolated occurrences of non-standard gauges can still be found, such as the and gaugePennsylvania trolley gauge
A number of North American streetcar lines intentionally varied from standard gauge. This may have been to make the streetcar companies less-tempting targets for takeovers by the steam railroads , which would be unable to run their trains over the streetcar tracks...
tracks of the Philadelphia streetcars, the Philadelphia Market-Frankford subway cars
Market-Frankford Line
The Market–Frankford Line is a rapid transit line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority .-Route:The Market–Frankford Line begins at 69th Street Transportation Center, in Upper Darby...
, Pittsburgh Light Rail
Pittsburgh Light Rail
The Pittsburgh Light Rail is a light rail system in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; it functions as a subway in Downtown Pittsburgh and largely as an at-grade light rail service in the suburbs. The system is owned and operated by the Port Authority of Allegheny County...
and the New Orleans streetcars
Streetcars in New Orleans
Streetcars in New Orleans have been an integral part of the city's public transportation network since the first half of the 19th century. The longest of New Orleans' streetcar lines, the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar, is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world,...
. The Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
system in the San Francisco Bay Area, chose gauge. The San Francisco
San Francisco cable car system
The San Francisco cable car system is the world's last permanently operational manually operated cable car system, in the US sense of a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. It is an icon of San Francisco, California...
cable cars
Cable car (railway)
A cable car or cable railway is a mass transit system using rail cars that are hauled by a continuously moving cable running at a constant speed. Individual cars stop and start by releasing and gripping this cable as required...
use a narrow gauge of , as did the Los Angeles Railway
Los Angeles Railway
The Los Angeles Railway was a system of streetcars that operated in central Los Angeles, California and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods between from 1901 and 1963. Except for two short funicular railways it operated on tracks...
and the San Diego Electric Railway
San Diego Electric Railway
The San Diego Electric Railway was a mass transit system in Southern California, USA, using streetcars and buses.The SDERy was established by "sugar heir," developer, and entrepreneur John D. Spreckels in 1892...
until 1898, and that gauge is still widely used in the U.S. mining industry.
See also
- Narrow gauge rail transport
- Narrow gauge railways in CanadaNarrow gauge railways in CanadaAlthough most railways of central and eastern Canada were initially built to a broad gauge, there were several, especially on Canada's Atlantic coast, which were built as individual narrow gauge lines....
- Narrow gauge railroads in the United StatesNarrow gauge railroads in the United StatesStandard gauge was favored for railway construction in the United States, although a fairly large narrow gauge system developed in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Isolated narrow gauge lines were built in many areas to minimize construction costs for industrial transport or resort access, and...