A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) or less. This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Rail gauge is the distance between two rails of a railroad. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

Comparison of standard gauge (blue) and one common narrow gauge (red) width.

The dominant rail gauge in each country shown Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. ... For other uses, see Gauge. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... Scotch gauge was the name given to a 4 ft 6 in (1371 mm) rail gauge, the distance between the inner sides of the rails, that was adopted by early 19th century railways in the Lanarkshire area of Scotland. ... Minimum Gauge Railways are narrow gauge railways that run on extremely narrow gauged rail tracks, below 2 ft (610 mm). ... // This is the Standard or international gauge Medium gauge railways are narrow gauge railways of approximately 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge and above. ... Sunlight reflects off dual-gauge tracks near Chur, Switzerland Mixed-gauge track and pointwork (4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm) and 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm)) at Odawara in Japan Dual-gauge tram tracks in Katwijk, The Netherlands Dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway is a special configuration of... Gauge conversion is the process of converting a railway from one gauge to another. ... With railways, a break-of-gauge is where a line of one gauge meets a line of a different gauge. ... Rail tracks. ... Light rail tracks with concrete railroad ties. ... Example of 3-track combined track, combining gauges 1,067 mm and 1,435 mm. ... Example of 3-track combined track, combining gauges 1,067 mm and 1,435 mm. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ...

Overview

A train at Bad Bubendorf station on the 750 mm gauge Waldenburgerbahn between Liestal and Waldenburg in Switzerland[1].

Typical industrial 2 ft (610 mm) gauge tracks

Since narrow gauge railways are usually built with smaller radius curves and smaller structure gauges, they can be substantially cheaper to build, equip, and operate than standard gauge or broad gauge railways, particularly in mountainous terrain. The lower costs of narrow gauge railways mean they are often built to serve industries and communities where the traffic potential would not justify the costs of building a standard or broad gauge line. Narrow gauge railways also have specialized use in mines and other environments where a very small structure gauge makes a very small loading gauge necessary. On the other hand, standard gauge or broad gauge railways generally have a greater haulage capacity and allow greater speeds than narrow gauge systems. Liestal (in former times Liesthal) is a smal Swiss Town 17 km south of Basel, and 6km south of Augst, capital of the half canton Basel-Land. ... Waldenburg is a municipality in the canton of Basel-Country, Switzerland, capital of the district with the same name. ... Download high resolution version (800x1067, 318 KB)2 foot (610mm) Narrow gauge tracks at the Leighton Buzzard Railway in Bedfordshire, England. ... Download high resolution version (800x1067, 318 KB)2 foot (610mm) Narrow gauge tracks at the Leighton Buzzard Railway in Bedfordshire, England. ... The Structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum size of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum size of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ...

Historically, many narrow gauge railways were built as part of specific industrial enterprises and were primarily industrial railways rather than general carriers. Some common uses for these industrial narrow gauge railways were mining, logging, construction, tunnelling, quarrying, and the conveying of agricultural products. Extensive narrow gauge networks were constructed in many parts of the world for these purposes. Significant sugarcane railways still operate in Cuba, Fiji, Java, the Philippines and in Queensland in Australia. Narrow gauge railway equipment remains in common use for the construction of tunnels. A display of a narrow gauge industrial sand train An industrial railway is a type of private railway used exclusively to serve a particular industry inside a mine or factory compound. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... For other uses, see Log. ... For other uses, see Construction (disambiguation). ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ... For other uses, see Quarry (disambiguation). ... Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants, animals and other life forms. ... Species Saccharum arundinaceum Saccharum bengalense Saccharum edule Saccharum officinarum Saccharum procerum Saccharum ravennae Saccharum robustum Saccharum sinense Saccharum spontaneum Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae, tribe Andropogoneae), native to warm temperate to tropical... Java (Indonesian, Javanese, and Sundanese: Jawa) is an island of Indonesia, and the site of its capital city, Jakarta. ... Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Motto(s): Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Anna Bligh (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ...

The other significant reason for narrow gauge railways to be constructed was to take advantage of reduced construction costs in mountainous or difficult terrain, hence the national railway systems of countries such as Indonesia, Japan and New Zealand are primarily or solely narrow gauge. Trench railways of the World War I western front demonstrate a brief military application of this advantage. Non-industrial narrow gauge mountain railways are or were common in the Rocky Mountains of the USA and the Pacific Cordillera of Canada, in Mexico, Switzerland, the former Yugoslavia, Greece, India, and Costa Rica. Another country with a notable national railway built to narrow gauge is South Africa where the "Cape gauge" of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) is the most common gauge. “The Great War ” redirects here. ... For individual mountains named Rocky Mountain, see Rocky Mountain (disambiguation). ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... The Pacific Coast Ranges are the series of mountain ranges that stretch along west coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in the Latin alphabet, Југославија in Cyrillic; English: South Slavia, or literary The Land of South Slavs) describes three political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ...

History of narrow gauge railways

Woodcut from De re metallica showing narrow gauge railway in mine, 1556

The earliest recorded railway is shown in the De re metallica of 1556, which shows a mine in the Czech Republic with a railway of approximately 2 ft (610 mm) gauge. During the 16th century railways were mainly restricted to hand-pushed narrow gauge lines in mines throughout Europe. During the 17th century mine railways were extended to provide transportation above ground. These lines were industrial, connecting mines with nearby transportation points, usually canals or other waterways. These railways were usually built to the same narrow gauge as the mine railways they developed from. ^[1] Georg Agricola the father of mineralogy De re metallica (Latin for On the Nature of Metals (Minerals)) is a book cataloging the state of the art of mining, refining, and smelting metals, published in 1556. ...

Advantages of narrow gauge

Narrow gauge railways usually cost less to build because they are usually lighter in construction, using smaller cars and locomotives (smaller loading gauge) as well as smaller bridges, smaller tunnels (smaller structure gauge) and tighter curves. Narrow gauge is thus often used in mountainous terrain, where the savings in heavy civil engineering work can be substantial. It is also used in very sparsely populated areas where the potential demand is too low for the building of broader gauge railways to be economically viable. This is the case in most of Australia and Southern Africa, where extremely old soils can support only population densities too low for standard gauge to be viable. For other uses, see Construction (disambiguation). ... A railroad car (or, more briefly, car, not to be confused with railcar), also known as an item of rolling stock, is a vehicle on a railroad (or railway) that is not a locomotive — one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ... Great Western Railway No. ... The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ... This article is about the structure. ... A disused railway tunnel now converted to pedestrian and bicycle use, near Houyet, Belgium A tunnel is an underground passage. ... The Structure gauge, also called the minimum clearance outline, is the minimum size of tunnels and bridges as well as the minimum size of the doors that allow a rail siding access into a warehouse. ... For other uses, see Mountain (disambiguation). ... The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland. ...

There are many narrow gauge street tramways, particularly in Europe where 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge tramways are common. Narrow gauge allows even tighter turning than 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) gauge or 4 ft 10⅞ in (1,495 mm) gauge in restricted city streets. The tighter turning circle also make balloon loops at the end of routes easier, which in turn allows the use of unidirectional trams with a driver's cab at one end only, and doors on one side, and thus more space for passengers. This article refers to public transport vehicles running on rails. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Toronto streetcar system comprises eleven streetcar (tram) routes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada operated by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), the municipal public transit operator. ... A Balloon loop is a track arrangement that allows a train to reverse direction, and return to where it came from, without having to shunt or even to stop. ...

Extensive narrow gauge railway systems served the front-line trenches of both sides in World War I. After the end of the war the surplus equipment from these railways created a small boom in the building of narrow gauge railways in Europe. “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

For temporary railroads that will be removed after a short-term need, such as for construction, the logging industry and the mining industry, a narrow gauge railroad is substantially cheaper and easier to install and remove. However, this use of railroads is almost extinct thanks to the capabilities of modern trucks. For other uses, see Log. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... For other uses, see Truck (disambiguation). ...

In many countries narrow gauge railroads were built as "feeder" or "branch" lines to feed traffic to more important standard gauge railroads, due to their lower construction costs. The choice was often not between a narrow gauge railroad and a standard gauge one, but between a narrow gauge railroad and none at all.

Disadvantages of narrow gauge

Narrow gauge railroads cannot interchange equipment such as freight and passenger cars freely with the standard gauge or broad gauge railroads they link with, unless they exchange bogies. That means that narrow gauge lines have a built-in cost of transshipping people and freight to the mainline railway system. The cost of transshipment can be a substantial drain on the finances of a railroad because it involves expensive and time consuming manual labour or substantial capital expenditure. Some bulk commodities, such as coal, ore and gravel, can be mechanically transshipped, but this still incurs time penalties and these mechanical devices are often complex to maintain. As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... For other uses, see Gauge. ... Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the rail gauge. ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal is a fossil fuel formed in ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... For other uses, see Ore (disambiguation). ... Gravel (largest fragment in this photo is about 4 cm) Gravel is rock that is of a certain particle size range. ...

One solution to the problem of transshipment is bogie exchange between cars. Another solution to this problem is the roll-block system. Although successfully deployed in some countries such as Germany and Austria, this technique came too late for the majority of narrow gauge lines. Transfer of containers is also an option. Bogie exchange is a system for operating railway wagons on two or more gauges to overcome difference in the rail gauge. ... The roll-block system allows a coupled train of standard gauge wagons to be automatically loaded onto pre-coupled narrow gauge transporter wagons so that the train can then continue through a change of gauge. ... Shipping containers at a terminal in Port Elizabeth, New Jersey A container freight train in the UK Containerization is a system of intermodal freight transport cargo transport using standard ISO containers (known as shipping containers or isotainers) that can be loaded and sealed intact onto container ships, railroad cars, planes...

The problem of interchangeability is less serious for regions that have a large system of narrow gauge lines, such as northern Spain, and does not exist in those countries in which the narrow gauge is the standard, such as New Zealand, South Africa and the Australian island state of Tasmania. Slogan or Nickname: Island of Inspiration; The Apple Isle; Holiday Isle Motto(s): Ubertas et Fidelitas (Fertility and Faithfulness) Other Australian states and territories Capital Hobart Government Constitutional monarchy Governor William Cox Premier Paul Lennon (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 5  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product...

The problem of interchangeability is more serious in North America because a continent-wide system of freight car interchange developed. All the standard gauge railways in North America use the same standard couplings and air brakes, which means that freight cars can be freely interchanged between railways from Northern Canada to Southern Mexico. Railways who need more freight cars can simply borrow them from other railways during peak periods, while the railways who own the cars receive payments for them at rates set by common agreement. Peak demand, particularly for grain shipment, occurs in different parts of North America at different times, so freight cars are shuffled back and forth across the continent to wherever they are needed. Motive power can also be interchanged, which sometimes results in Mexican locomotives pulling Canadian freight cars and vice versa.

Narrow gauge railways could not participate in this system, which meant that they usually had to own several times as much rolling stock as equivalent standard gauge railways, and they did not receive any cash flow for surplus equipment during periods of low demand. All these problems also exist for railways with a broader gauge than (the local) standard, but such railways are generally less common. Since most narrow gauge railways were undercapitalized to begin with, this eventually resulted in nearly all North American narrow gauge railways either going bankrupt or being converted to standard gauge.

Another problem with narrow gauge railroads is that they lacked room to grow - their cheap construction was bought at the price of being engineered only for their initial traffic demands. While a standard or broad gauge railroad could more easily be upgraded to handle heavier, faster traffic, many narrow gauge railroads were impractical to improve. Speeds and loads hauled could not increase, so traffic density was significantly limited.

Narrow gauge railroads can be built to handle increased speed and loading, but at the price of removing most of the narrow gauge's cost advantage over standard or broad gauge.

Because of the reduced stability of narrower gauge, narrow gauge trains are not able to run at nearly the same high speeds as those networks with broader gauges unless the tracks are aligned with greater precision. However in Japan and Queensland, Australia, recent permanent way improvements have allowed trains on 1067 mm gauge tracks to run at 160 km/h (100 mph) and higher. Queensland Rail's tilt train is presently the fastest train in Australia, despite the gauge it runs on. Standard gauge or broad gauge trains can run at up to 320 km/h (200 mph); this is most evident in the case of the Japanese Shinkansen, a network of standard gauge lines built solely for high speed rail in a country where narrow gauge is the predominant standard. Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Motto(s): Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Anna Bligh (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd... Wickham Terrace entrance to Central Station - showing Queensland Rail QR sign QR, previously known as Queensland Rail and Queensland Railways, is the corporation responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland, Australia. ... The Cairns (Diesel) Tilt Train The Rockhampton (Electric) Tilt Train The Tilt Train is a Queensland Rail train running the coast of Queensland, from Brisbane to Rockhampton and Cairns. ... As railways developed and expanded one of the key issues to be decided was that of the rail gauge (the distance between the two rails of the track) which should be used. ... For other uses, see Gauge. ... For the record label, see Shinkansen Records. ... TGV Réseau class, Marseille St-Charles station This page is about high speed rail in general. ...

Exceptions to the rule

The heavy duty 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge railways in Australia (eg Queensland), South Africa and New Zealand, show that if the track is built to a heavy-duty standard, a performance almost as good as a standard gauge line is possible. 200-car trains operate on the Sishen-Saldanha railroad in South Africa, and high-speed tilt-trains in Queensland (see below). Another example of a heavy-duty narrow gauge line is EFVM in Brazil. 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge, it has over-100-pound rail and a loading gauge almost as large as US non-excess-height lines. It sees 4000 hp locomotives and 200+ car trains. In South Africa and New Zealand, the loading gauge is similar to the restricted British loading gauge, and in New Zealand some British Rail Mark 2 carriages have been rebuilt with new bogies for use by Tranz Scenic (Wellington-Palmerston North service), Tranz Metro (Wellington-Masterton service) and Veolia (Auckland suburban services). Saldanha is situated at the northern corner of the largest natural bay in South Africa . ... It has been suggested that Vignoles rail be merged into this article or section. ... The size of tunnels dictates the maximum size of the trains. ... Mark 2A Tourist Standard Open (TSO) 5278 Melisande at Cheltenham Spa on 18th September 2004, whilst forming a charter service to Swindon. ... Toll NZ, properly Toll Consolidated NZ Ltd (NZX: TRH), is New Zealands largest transport company in terms of annual revenue and size. ... Tranz Metro is the suburban rail system in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. ... Veolia, formerly Connex Auckland Limited, is an Auckland, New Zealand based transport company. ...

It is possible to build standard and even broad gauge lines cheaply to light railway standards with short radii (tight curves) and steep grades, instead of building narrow gauge lines. The trains operate at lower speeds and with lower capacities. This allows through-routeing of rolling stock, and simplifies later upgrading. A Light rail system Historically, a railway built in Britain under the 1896 Light Railways Act This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Gauges used

There are many narrow gauges in use or formerly used between 15 in (381 mm) gauge and 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) gauge. They fall into three broad categories:

Medium gauge railways

Railways built on gauges between 3 ft (914 mm) and 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm) are sometimes referred to as "medium-gauge" railways.

In those parts of the world where the railroads were built to British standards, this meant most commonly a gauge of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) or the "Cape Gauge", while those built to American standards were normally 3 ft (914 mm). Railways built to European metric standards were most commonly of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) or "metre gauge" and 900 mm (2 ft 11½ in) gauge.

These larger narrow gauges are capable of hauling most traffic with little difficulty and are thus suitable for large-scale "common carrier" applications, although their ultimate speed and load limits are lower than for standard gauge.

Two foot gauge railways

A 2 ft (610 mm) gauge train on the Leighton Buzzard Light Railway in England.

The next natural "grouping" of narrow gauge railroads covers the range from just below 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) to just below 3 ft (914 mm), although the majority are between 2 ft (610 mm) and 760 mm (2 ft 5⅞ in). These lightweight lines can be built at a substantial cost saving over medium or standard gauge railways, but are generally restricted in their carrying capacity. The majority of these were built in mountainous areas and most were to carry mineral traffic from mines to ports or standard gauge railroads. Many were industrial lines rather than common carriers, though there were exceptions such as the extensive 760 mm (2 ft 5⅞ in) lines built in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the "Maine two footer" lines in New England. Trench railways of World War I produced the greatest concentration of two foot gauge railways observed to date. The most common metric gauges in this group are 760 mm (2 ft 5⅞ in) and 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in). Download high resolution version (900x911, 258 KB)A train hauled by PC Allen runs into a passing loop after having just crossed a level crossing on the Leighton Buzzard Railway. ... Download high resolution version (900x911, 258 KB)A train hauled by PC Allen runs into a passing loop after having just crossed a level crossing on the Leighton Buzzard Railway. ... Closed|| 1969 The Leighton Buzzard Light Railway (LBLR) is a narrow-gauge light railway in the town of Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Official languages Latin, German, Hungarian Established church Roman Catholic Capital & Largest City Vienna pop. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ...

Minimum gauge railways

Gauges below 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) were rare, but did exist. In Britain, Sir Arthur Heywood developed 15 in (381 mm) gauge estate railways, while in France Decauville produced a range of industrial railways running on 400 mm (15¾ in) and 500 mm (1 ft 7¾ in) tracks, most commonly in such restricted environments such as underground mine railways. 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. Sir Arthur Percival Heywood , 3rd Baronet (1849-1916) was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Percival Heywood. ... Locomotive Taliesin on the revived Ffestiniog Railway The history of British narrow gauge railways is long and complex. ... Name plate of the Decauville company Paul Decauville (1846-1922) was a French pioneer in light railways. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ...

Narrow gauge railways less than 1 ft 10¾ in (578 mm) gauge are known as minimum gauge railways. Minimum Gauge Railways are narrow gauge railways that run on extremely narrow gauged rail tracks, below 2 ft (610 mm). ...

Narrow gauge worldwide

Europe

Austria

The first railway in Austria was the narrow gauge line from Gmunden in the Salzkammergut to Budweis, now in the Czech Republic, this was 1,106 mm (3 ft 7½ in) gauge. Some two dozen lines were built in 760 mm (2 ft 5⅞ in) gauge [3], a few in 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge. The first was the Steyrtalbahn. Others were built by provincial governments, some lines are still in common carrier use and a number of others are preservation projects. The tramway network in Innsbruck is also metre gauge; in Linz the rather unusual gauge of 900 mm (2 ft 11½ in) is in use. Gmundens lakefront on a cloudy summers day Gmunden is a town in Upper Austria with 15,075 inhabitants. ... The Salzkammergut is a resort area east of Salzburg, Austria, spanning the federal states of Upper Austria, Salzburg, and Styria. ... Czech Republic South Bohemian ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice 55. ... Innsbruck is a city in western Austria, and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol. ... For the town in Germany, see Linz am Rhein. ...

Train of the Mariazellerbahn in Lower Austria

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1500x1000, 337 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Narrow gauge Mariazellerbahn ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1500x1000, 337 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Narrow gauge Mariazellerbahn ... Special pilgrims journey near Kirchberg an der Pielach The Mariazellerbahn (Mariazell Railway) is an electrically operated narrow-gauge railway of the Österreichische Bundesbahnen with a track gauge of 760 mm (Bosnian gauge) which connects the Lower Austrian capital Sankt Pölten with the Styrian pilgrimage centre of Mariazell. ...

Bulgaria

From the 19th into the early 20th there were many 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) and 760 mm (2 ft 5⅞ in) gauge railways in Bulgaria, but today, only 245 km remain. This is the Septemvri - Dobrinishte line, where the highest railway station on the Balkan peninsula is situated. The line although in a worn out condition, is still actively used - the trains are pulled by Henschel locos. One of the old steam locomotives has been restored recently and is used occasionally for hauling tourist trains. The extensive Sofia tramway network is also metre gauge.

Two old steam locos rusting at Bansko station on the same line

Belarus

Belarus has one operating 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) gauge Children's railway, located in Minsk. Locos - TU2. MaltaÅ„ska Kolej DzieciÄ™ca (Maltan Childrens Railway) in PoznaÅ„, Poland (600mm gauge) Steam Locomotive on Kyiv Childrens Railway, Ukraine (750mm gauge) A childrens railway is an extracurricular educational institution, where teenagers learn railway professions. ...

Some industrial narrow gauge railways can still be found in Belarus particularly associated with the peat extraction industry.

Belgium

The Vicinal or Buurtspoor were a system of narrow gauge local railways or tramways covering the whole country and having a greater routage than the mainline railway system. They were 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge and the system included electrified city lines as well as rural lines using steam locomotives and railcars; half of the system was electrified. Many lines carried freight. Only the coastal line and two routes near Charleroi are still in commercial use, four museums hold significant collections of former SNCV/NMBS rolling stock, one of which is the ASVi museum in Thuin. The tramway networks in Antwerp and Ghent are also metre gauge. The Vicinal or Buurtspoor were a system of narrow gauge tramways or local railways in Belgium, which covered the whole country and had a greater route length than the mainline railway system. ... A tram system, tramway, or street railway is a railway on which trams (streetcars, trolleys) run. ... One of the last mainline steam locomotives built in the UK: British Railways Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 no. ... Charleroi (Walloon: TchÃ¥lerwè) is the first city and municipality of Wallonia in population. ... The ASVi is a tramway museum in Thuin in Belgium, which specialises in the history of the Belgian narrow gauge Vicinal system. ... Geography Country Belgium Community French Community Region Walloon Region Province Hainaut Arrondissement Thuin Coordinates , , Area 76. ... For other uses, see Antwerp (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Belgian city. ...

Czech Republic

Main article: Narrow gauge railways in the Czech Republic

Several lines were built in the nineteenth century. The most notable lines are Obrataň-Jindřichův Hradec-Nová Bystřice and Třemešná ve Slezsku-Osoblaha, that are still in operation. Apart from public lines listed below there existed many industrial, forest and agricultural non-public narrow gauge systems; a few of them are still running. ...

Estonia

Four museums lines and some industrial peat railways remain in Estonia. The Lavassaare railway museum houses a large collection of steam and diesel locomotives with a 2km long 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) gauge railway. There is a museum with a 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) gauge, 500m long line in Avinurme which houses one locomotive and a collection of wagons. An underground museum with a short electric line is located in Kivioli. A former military railway line with a 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) gauge is located on Naissaar Island. Great Western Railway No. ... A railroad car (or, more briefly, car, not to be confused with railcar), also known as an item of rolling stock, is a vehicle on a railroad (or railway) that is not a locomotive — one that provides another purpose than purely haulage, although some types of car are powered. ...

Finland

The vast majority of Finnish narrow gauge railways were owned and operated by private companies. There are only a few instances where narrow gauge railways were in direct connection with each other, and those interchanges did not last for long. The railways never formed a regional rail traffic network, but were only focused on maintaining connections between the national broad gauge railway network and the off-line industries. One of the longest common carriers was the Lovisa-Wesijärvi railway (1900–1960) that operated a 80-kilometre (50-mile) line between Lahti and Loviisa. Other notable ones were the Hyvinkää–Karkkila railway that operated a 46-kilometre (28-mile) line, and the Jokioinen railway that operated a 23-kilometre (14¹⁄₂-mile) line until 1974, being the last common carrier narrow gauge railway. Location within Finland Lahti (Lahtis in Swedish) is a Finnish city of 100,049 inhabitants (2006), bordering the Vesijärvi lake. ... Coordinates: , Country Finland Province Southern Finland Region Eastern Uusimaa Incorporated (city) 1745 Government  - City Manager Olavi Kaleva Area  - City 44. ...

Other lines were notably shorter. The common gauges were 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) and 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in), with a few railways built with 785 mm (2 ft 6.9 in) and 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauges.

Narrow gauge tourist and heritage lines of 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) and 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) gauge still operate. A scene on a heritage railway. ...

Lovisa-Wesijärvi Railway (LWR) 2-8-0 steam locomotive number 6 (built in 1909) in running order on Jokioinen Museum Railway, Finland.

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 447 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 572 pixel, file size: 318 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 447 pixelsFull resolution (1024 × 572 pixel, file size: 318 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The Jokioinen Museum Railway is located in Jokioinen, Finland. ...

France

The French National Railways used to run a considerable number of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) lines, a few of which still operate mostly in tourist areas, such as the St Gervais-Vallorcine (Alps) and the "Train Jaune" (yellow train) in the Pyrenees. The original French scheme was that every sous-prefecture should be rail connected. Extensive near 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) gauge lines were also built for the sugar-beet industry in the north often using ex-military equipment after the First World War. Decauville was a famous French manufacturer of industrial narrow gauge railway equipment and equipped one of the most extensive regional 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) narrow gauge railway, the Chemins de Fer du Calvados. Corsica has a narrow gauge network of two lines following the coast line, that are connected by one line crossing the island through highly mountaineous terrain. SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) (French National Railway Company) is a French public enterprise. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Name plate of the Decauville company Paul Decauville (1846-1922) was a French pioneer in light railways. ... Gare de Courseulles, with the narrow gauge railway in the foreground. ... For other uses, see Corsica (disambiguation). ...

Germany

A number of narrow gauge lines survive, largely as a consequence of German reunification, in the former East Germany where some of them form part of the public transport system as active commercial carriers. Most extensive of those still employing steam traction is the Harz mountain group of metre-gauge lines, the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen. Other notable lines are the Zittau-Oybin-Jonsdorf line in Saxony, the Mollibahn and the Rügensche Kleinbahn on the Isle of Rügen on the Baltic coast and the Radebeul-Radeburg line in the suburbs of Dresden. Although most rely on the tourist trade, in some areas they provide significant employment as steam traction is particularly labour intensive. This article is about the state which existed from 1949 to 1990. ... Narrow gauge group of railway lines running in the Harz Mountains of Germany. ... The Zittau-Oybin-Jonsdorf line is a narrow gauge railway system employing steam locomotives and serving the mountain spa resorts of Oybin and Jonsdorf in the Zittau Mountains in southeast Saxony (Germany). ... The narrow-gauge Molli railway in Mecklenburg is a steam-powered narrow-gauge railway (900 mm gauge). ... The Rügensche Kleinbahn (nicknamed Rasender Roland) is a narrow gauge railway employing steam motive power on the Isle of Rügen off the German Baltic Coast. ... Map of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania highlighting the district Rügen Rügen (Polish: Rugia) is an island located off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the Baltic Sea. ... Narrow gauge steam hauled railway in the outskirts of Dresden. ...

In the Western part of Germany, Selfkantbahn (close to Heinsberg near Aachen) and Brohltalbahn (Linz/Rhine) are the best known ones, offering services in summer weekends. Heinsberg is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, capital of the district Heinsberg. ... Oche redirects here; in darts the oche is the line from which players must throw. ... This article is about Linz am Rhein in Germany. ...

See also Narrow gauge railways in Saxony The narrow gauge railways in Saxony were established in 1881 - 1923. ...

Greece

The Peloponnese narrow gauge network length is about 914 km. Of this, 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge is used for 892 km. This is the network that connects major cities in the Peloponnese. The remaining 22 km form the Diakofton-Kalavryta rack railway, which uses 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) gauge. The Peloponnese network has suffered various setbacks, ranging from the abandonment of entire lines (such as the Pyrgos-Katakolon railway) to inefficient management on part of the public Greek railway operator, OSE, which resulted in poor quality of services and rolling stock). Currently major restoration works are carried out, which have resulted in parts of the line having been closed. Additionally, the reactivation of certain lines that were closed down during the latter half of the 20th century is planned, mainly the Pyrgos-Katakolon line and in parts of western Greece (around Agrinion and Messologgi). Another small railway that uses narrow gauge 600 mm (1 ft 11⅝ in) is the Mt. Pelion railway, originally from Volos to Milies. Currently parts of the line are operational during the summer, mainly for excursions. There was also a metre gauge network in Thessaly. This has now been abandoned, and trains use standard gauge tracks. However, the old narrow gauge tracks remain in place, so that occasional special excursion trains use them. Generally, the narrow gauges 750 mm (2 ft 5½ in) in Diakofto-Kalavryta line and 600 mm in Volos-Milies (the current real line is Lechonia-Milies, since the part Volos-Lechonia was abandoned) are seasonal railroads for excursional purposes. But the 1,000 mm network of Peloponnese is a passenger and commercial line. Thus, a renovation work has started since several months before to construct a modern 1,435 mm network in Peloponnese and/or rebuild the one-century old 1,000 mm tracks.

A bridge on the Pelion Railway, Greece

Image File history File links Pelion_bridge. ... Image File history File links Pelion_bridge. ...

Hungary

The former Kingdom boasted a narrow gauge network thousands of kilometres in length, most of it using 760 mm (2 ft 5⅞ in) gauge and constructed between 1870 and 1920. Landlords, mines, agricultural and forest estates established their own branch lines which, as they united into regional networks, increasingly played a role in regional passenger traffic. Following the Treaty of Trianon some railways were cut by the new border, many remained on the territory of Romania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. For a lack of intact roads, following World War II in many places narrow-gauge railway was the only reasonable way to get around. In 1968 the Communist government started to implement a policy to dismantle the narrow-gauge network in favour of road traffic. Freight haulage on the few remaining lines continued to decline until 1990 from when a patchwork of railways was gradually taken over by associations and forest managements for tourist purposes. State Railways operate narrow-gauge railways at Nyíregyháza and Kecskemét that continue to play a role in regional transport. Children aged 10 to 14 provide services at the Budapest Children's Railway. The negotiations on June 4, 1920. ... Nyíregyháza (IPA: /ɲireÉŸhazÉ’/; approximate pronunciation: nyee-redy-haa-zah ) is a city in North-east Hungary and the county capital of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg. ... Kecskemét (IPA: ), (approximate pronounciation, Kech-kem-it), is a city in the central part of Hungary. ...

See also: Narrow gauge railways in today's Hungary

Széchenyi Museum Railway in Nagycenk

Mátra Railway in Gyöngyös

Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 892 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Beschreibung: Széchenyi-Museumsbahn. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 892 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Beschreibung: Széchenyi-Museumsbahn. ... Nagycenk is a village in Győr-Moson-Sopron county, Hungary. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 312 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Mátra-railroad in Gyöngyös, Hungary Source: photo taken by user File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1280 × 960 pixel, file size: 312 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Mátra-railroad in Gyöngyös, Hungary Source: photo taken by user File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it... Kékestető (1014 m) Mátra is a mountain range in northern Hungary, between to the towns Gyöngyös and Eger. ... Gyöngyös location in Hungary Orczy palace in Gyöngyös Gyöngyös is a town in Heves county in Hungary, 80 km east of Budapest. ...

Ireland

Main article: List of narrow gauge railways in Ireland

Several 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge systems once existed in Ireland. In County Donegal an extensive network existed, with two companies operating from Derry – the Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway (L&LSR) and the County Donegal Railways (CDRJC). Well known was the West Clare Railway – in County Clare, which saw diesel locomotion before closure. The Cavan & Leitrim Railway (C&LR) operated in what is now the border area of County Cavan and County Leitrim. Some smaller narrow gauge routes also existed in County Antrim and also County Cork – notably the Cork Blackrock & Passage Railway. Statistics Province: Ulster Dáil Éireann: Donegal North East, Donegal South West County seat: Lifford Code: DL Area: 4,841 km² Population (2006) 146,956 Website: www. ... For other places with similar names, see Derry (disambiguation) and Londonderry (disambiguation). ... The Londonderry and Lough Swilly Railway Company is a Northern Irish public transport and freight firm, incorporated in June 1853. ... The County Donegal Railways Joint Committee operated in north-west Ireland during the 20th century. ... The West Clare Railway (WCR) was a railway company operating in County Clare, Ireland. ... County Clare (Contae an Chláir in Irish) is in the Irish province of Munster. ... The Cavan & Leitrim Railway was a narrow gauge railway in the northwest of Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Cavan Code: CN Area: 1,931 km² Population (2006) 63,961 Website: www. ... Statistics Province: Connacht County Town: Carrick-on-Shannon Code: LM Area: 1,588 km² Population (2006) 28,837 Website: www. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Antrim Area: 2,844 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Munster County seat: Cork Code: C Area: 7,457 km² (2,879 sq mi) Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ...

Apart from small heritage venues, the Irish narrow gauge today only survives in the bogs of the Midlands as part of Bord na Móna's extensive industrial network for transporting harvested peat to distribution centres or power plants. A scene on a heritage railway. ... Lütt-Witt Moor, a bog in Henstedt-Ulzburg in northern Germany. ... Bord na Móna (lit. ...

See also: History of rail transport in Ireland 1906 Viceregal Commission rail map of Ireland Irelands extensive rail network was largely dismantled during the 20th Century Map of Irish rail network between 1925 and 1930 This article is part of the history of rail transport by country series The history of rail transport in Ireland began only...

Guiness brewery locomotive

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 687 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Narrow gauge St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 687 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Narrow gauge St. ...

Italy

Narrow gauge railways in Italy are (or were) mainly build with 950 mm (3 ft 1⅜ in) gauge, with some 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge lines and with a few other gauges.

In Sardinia, a network of narrow gauge lines (950 mm) was built, to complement the standard-gauge main network which covered the main cities and ports. The lines were: Sardinia (pronounced ; Italian: ; Sardinian: or ) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily). ...

Of the lines which are still present, only Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 66 m Area 190. ... San Giovanni Suergiu is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 50 km west of Cagliari and about 4 km south of Carbonia. ... Calasetta is a small town (population 2,745) located on the island of SantAntioco off the Southwestern coast of Sardinia. ... Iglesias (pop. ... San Giovanni Suergiu is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Carbonia-Iglesias in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 50 km west of Cagliari and about 4 km south of Carbonia. ... Carales redirects here. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 491 m Area 45. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 523 m Area 68. ... Sorgono is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Nuoro in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 90 km north of Cagliari and about 35 km southwest of Nuoro. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 491 m Area 45. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Ogliastra (OG) Mayor Elevation 690 m Area 78. ... Arbatax is a small port bordering Tortoli, Sardinia. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Ogliastra (OG) Mayor Elevation 690 m Area 78. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Ogliastra (OG) Mayor Elevation circa 470 m Area 102. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Cagliari (CA) Mayor Elevation 523 m Area 68. ... Villamar is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Medio Campidano in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 45 km northwest of Cagliari and about 7 km northeast of Sanluri. ... Villacidro is a town in the province of Medio Campidano, Sardinia, Italy. ... Villamar is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Medio Campidano in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 45 km northwest of Cagliari and about 7 km northeast of Sanluri. ... Ales is a small town in the province of Oristano on the island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean_Sea. ... Macomer is a town and comune of Sardinia (Italy) in the province of Nuoro. ... Bosa Bosa is a town in the province of Oristano (until May 2005 it was in the province of Nuoro), part of the Sardinia region of Italy. ... Macomer is a town and comune of Sardinia (Italy) in the province of Nuoro. ... Nuoro (Nùgoro, that literally means home[1], in the ancient Nuoros dialect), is a town and province in central Sardinia, Italy, located at the slopes of Mount Ortobene. ... Sassari (in Italian and Sassarese, a Corsican dialect; either Sassari or Tathari in southern Sardinian), is a town and a province in Sardinia, Italy. ... Alghero (lAlguer in Catalan and SAlighèra in Sardinian), is a town of about 42,000 inhabitants (down from 54,300 inhabitants since early 20th century) in Italy. ... Sassari (in Italian and Sassarese, a Corsican dialect; either Sassari or Tathari in southern Sardinian), is a town and a province in Sardinia, Italy. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Sassari (SS) Mayor Elevation m Area 67. ... Sassari (in Italian and Sassarese, a Corsican dialect; either Sassari or Tathari in southern Sardinian), is a town and a province in Sardinia, Italy. ... Tempio Pausania (loc. ... Luras is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Olbia-Tempio in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 190 km north of Cagliari and about 25 km west of Olbia. ... Country Italy Region Sardinia Province Province of Olbia-Tempio (OT) Mayor Elevation m Area 44. ... Luras is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Olbia-Tempio in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 190 km north of Cagliari and about 25 km west of Olbia. ... Monti is a commune and small town of Gallura, northern Sardinia, Italy, in the province of Olbia-Tempio. ...