However, these were designed for specific purposes, not main line service. 1 bid. Shortly before discontinuing all operations, Rio Grande Southern 2-8-2 #461 was photographed here in front of the Union Station at Ridgway, Colorado by Richard Kindig on September 5, 1951. ", "More engines will be required to haul a million tons of freight on a narrow gauge road than on a standard gauge road; moreover, the lighter engines do not execute their work so satisfactorily, as they get out of order more frequently...", "Let any man who is seeking for investment of capital in railway construction, consult those who have operated both classes of roads, and he will be advised, almost invariably, that he will save very little in cost of construction, equipment, and operation, and that he will lose business from competition, if he adopts the narrow gauge.". All content copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). Metre-gauge railways are found in the northern half of the country but are no longer in operation. This operation, which originally opened on April 20, 1836 to transport mined slate from quarries near Blaenau Ffestiniog to the coastal town of Porthmadog, was working to convert its horse-powered tramway to steam-powered locomotives (the Ffestiniog remains in service today as a highly successful tourist attraction). The most damning testimony came from an individual who had actual experience in narrow gauge operations; Lorenzo M. Johnson, general manager of the Cairo & St. Louis Railroad. This is a famous route, the one that zig zags past the chilling canyon of the Devil's Nose. The information includes original numbers, serials, and order numbers. It proved one of the more successful operations (predominantly thanks to its coal business) but Mr. Johnson's testimony regarding costs must have dismayed promoters. It fills a gap between ‘Preserved Locomotives of When Fairlie's initial example went into service in October, 1863, the Ffestiniog earned the distinction of being the first to utilize a steam locomotive in a narrow gauge setting. Buffers-and-chain from 1859 to 1873.; Johnston link-and-pin from 1873 to 1927 on Cape gauge, from 1906 on 2 feet (610 millimetres) narrow gauge in Natal. The idea of a national, transcontinental network was fading by the latter 1880's; in 1889 only 9,705 miles remained and had shrunk to just 6,733 miles by 1900. They are narrow (Cape) gauge… 4.8 out of 5 stars (5) Total Ratings 5, $99.99 New. Despite failing to reach the Mexican border, Palmer's railroad was completed largely as he had originally envisioned. They became highly attractive in mining operations due to their cost savings and tight clearances. By 1890 the wave had passed and much of the network was either abandoned or converted. He eventually settled on the width of 3 feet as the most practical. The later proliferation of 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches throughout the United States, particularly by the 1870's, happened largely by accident as the industry sought an optimal gauge for improved service (and, ultimately, greater profits). In every case, the railroads proved quite successful, in part due to their isolated location, disconnected from competing gauges. A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄2 in). An 'OO' gauge model railway designed and built to fit into the reception area of a hotel in Minehead. The recently elected president Rafael Correa declared the state of emergency of the national railway. There were also several quarry lines of 600 mm gauge, among them the famous INDARE sand line. A Rio Grande publicity photo featuring a colorful little Consolidation, #268 (C-16), posed in Salida, Colorado in 1952. However, all the track is preserved. The Welsh narrow gauge railways, with their colourful histories and vital role in local industry, are an extremely popular subject for both railway enthusiasts and modellers. Today's Railways UK Today's Railways Europe Platform 5 Books New Titles Recently Published ... British Narrow Gauge Railways No. ; Bell-and-hook from 1902 on 2 feet (610 millimetres) narrow gauge in the Cape of Good Hope. The largest of the mass-produced model trains, G Scale trains run on track 45mm or 1.75" from rail to rail. or Best Offer. Later known as the "Fairlie Type" it was not necessarily a new invention and heavily criticized by experts at the time. Alas, in 2013 the site closed by thankfully Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his. 1: The Sittingbourne & Kemsley Light Railway (MLML) £12.95. Meanwhile, the historic narrow-gauge railway still runs from Collalbo to Maria Assunta, operating partly with original cars and partly with more modern ones. Floods, landslides and government neglect have put this operation in doubt, but they are working to restore the railway. If you are sincerely interested in the subject I strongly recommend finding a copy of his book. It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. The Cuzco – Quillibama line in Peru is 3 ft (914 mm) gauge. Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. All railways in Bolivia are 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge. Also of note were Maine's famous two-footers, which predominately served its timber industry. While various widths were tested, ranging from 2 feet to 3 feet, 6 inches, promoters settled upon 3 feet as the optimal gauge. Similar to America's interurban movement, it witnessed a short lifespan that survived only a few decades. Jamie's 009 Scale Model Railways is a family business producing 3D printed narrow gauge models for 1:76/009 scale modellers our main focus is UK Narrow gauge models with a … The Feve – unmarked on most Spanish railway maps, despite being a division of state-owned Renfe Operadora – is a trio of 1,000mm narrow-gauge lines, … Back in America, the narrow gauge was not entirely novel; the Mauch Chunk, Summit Hill & Switchback Railroad, a division of the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company, had been hauling anthracite coal from mines near Summit Hill, Pennsylvania via a 3 foot, 6 inch mule and gravity-powered railroad since operations were launched on May 5, 1827. When opened on March 1, 1875 the C&StL boasted a 150-mile system, then the longest of its type in service. It previously operated between Rio Turbio and Rio Gallegos on 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) track gauge. In May 2009, this original cable car was replaced by the present modern gondola ropeway. In 1871, there were only 97 miles of narrow gauge railroads in service but just four years later, this number had jumped to 1,474 miles. Colombia and Peru have 3 ft (914 mm) gauge lines. The most popular gauge, offering the most options. At the time, this remaining segment of the C&C, known as the Owenyo Branch and Keeler Branch, handled mostly potash and soda. A little Southern Pacific narrow-gauge 4-6-0, #18 (originally built as Nevada-California-Oregon Railway #12 and acquired from that road in 1927), lays over between assignments at Owenyo, California along former Carson & Colorado trackage on February 21, 1954. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. SM32 16mm narrow gauge COMPLETE set of FOUR Wood Valley Works Quarry Wagons RTR. The Ferrocarril Económico Correntino is a former 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) railway in the Northern Corrientes Province. Instead, it comprised three U.S. railroads running between Ohio and the Mexican border; the Toledo, Cincinnati & St. Louis (Toledo, Ohio-St. Louis); St. Louis & Cairo (St. Louis-Cairo, Illinois); and the Texas & St. Louis (Cairo-Laredo, Texas). Nevertheless, with interest growing, a National Narrow-Gauge Railway Convention was held in St. Louis at the Southern Hotel on June 19, 1872 where advocates spoke about the gauge's benefits and tried to convert skeptics (a second convention was held at the Lookout House in Cincinnati on July 17-18, 1878). Modern British Railways. It had some success in the latter but its greatest achievement was adopting a series of standard practices with its "Committee of Eleven" agreeing on a principal gauge of 3 feet with a height of 24 inches from the rail to the coupler's center. The government will also purchase new locomotives. As a result, he designed his own wheel arrangement, the 0-4+4-0 in 1864/1865. The Narrow Gauge World is just... that – a specialist area of the railway scene, with its own appeal, demands and challenges, and the only UK newsstand magazine that is completely narrow gauge, and only narrow gauge, is Narrow Gauge World. HOn3’s history is relatively undocumented, however it likely made its first appearance around the time when scale modeling began to … PECO On30 Narrow Gauge Code 100 NS Medium Radius RH Turnout Sl-e595. It was quickly dismissed by opponents. All photos and videos, copyright individual owners/organizations. ", "I need not make a detailed statement of the cost of building these cars or coaches, since it will be obvious that three narrow gauge coaches will cost as much as two standard gauge coaches. Mileage rose to over 10,000 in 1883 and reached its zenith in 1885 at 11,699 miles. This network at one time had over 770 km of railway in operation, but only about 13 km remain in operation as a steam powered tourist railway. The section here provides a brief history of narrow gauge railroads, why they came so revered, and their eventual downfall. © Copyright 2007-2021 American-Rails.com. In 1998 a gentleman by the name of Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. Website; Picardy: Neuville les Bray. A nar­row-gauge railway (nar­row-gauge railroad in the US) is a rail­way with a track gauge nar­rower than the stan­dard 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in). Currently two Baldwin locomotives are ready to work, depending on track and traffic. In many cases, few had actual experience in rail operations (to learn more about these numbers, again, please read Mr. Hilton's book). The Rainforest Ecological Train is a 600 mm environmentally-friendly train that runs through the forest inside Iguazú National Park in the north of the province of Misiones of Argentina. 37 watching. The Ferrocarril Austral Fueguino operates a fleet of narrow gauge steam engines modernized by Shaun McMahon (CSR) and L.D. All were isolated short lines or secondary branches. The 0-4+4-0's success gave Fairlie increasing support as he continued to push for expanded narrow gauge service throughout other parts of the British Empire. However, there is a short section used for industrial (copper) operations in the area between the station at Los Andes and the Río Blanco station. The latter would link up with the Denver & Rio Grande for through service across the Rocky Mountains. A second phase seek the building of new railway lines to connect the country with Brazil and Venezuela. - The 9-mile line used mules for the ascent and gravity on the descent. Another British territory, Queensland (Australia), opened is own 3 foot, 6 inch railroad on July 31, 1865. World of Railways - News and Reviews World of Railways - Modelling Techniques World of Railways - Layouts Shows . Donald Duke photo. Narrow Gauge Steam Railways round the World I have been a narrow gauge freak for over 30 years, back then, many countries boasted working narrow gauge steam - by which I mean (by and large) railways with a gauge of less than one metre, but which are not 'miniature' again it is an arbitrary decision on my part. The gauge of a railroad is the distance between the inside vertical surfaces of the head of the rail. Even prior to the great "Narrow Gauge Fever" of the 1880's, cracks in the ideology were developing; there was an increasing number of detractors (such as the Gazette's Matthias Nace Forney, Benjamin H. Latrobe [a respected railroad engineer who was the Baltimore & Ohio's chief engineer in its early years], and Silas Seymour [another noted engineer who worked his way up through the Erie Railway's ranks, eventually reaching the status, chief engineer of construction]). We have over 45 years’ experience in model trains, collectibles, toys and more. There were four big narrow gauge lines in Uruguay: Puerto del Sauce (now Juan Lacaze)-Terminal: 3 ft (914 mm), (1901–1959), Piriapolis-Pan de Azucar: 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) (1903–1958), km 393-Arrozal 33: 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) and km 110-Cantera Burgueño: 600 mm. During this time, more than 11,000 miles were placed into operation. Ironically, the Denver & Rio Grande Railway was to act as part of all three although Palmer had never actually envisioned his system as part of a through, east-to-west corridor. Great Savings Free Delivery / Collection on many items This particular project ran 20 miles from Ipswich to Grandchester and was another in which Sir Charles Fox was involved. NELPG News : The Old Run (Middleton Railway, Leeds) Push & Pull (Keighley & Worth Valley Railway) Rail. Petit train de la Haute Somme. He gave his first public speech regarding the narrow gauge concept on February 14, 1871 and later released a pamphlet in August, 1871 entitled, "The Narrow Gauge Railway.". Just two years later, on August 5, 1864 a second route, running 49 kilometers (30.45 miles) opened between Trondheim and Storen according to the Norwegian publication "Norges Jernbaner, 1958-1959.". A popular pastime for many is studying and/or exploring abandoned rights-of-way. The amount of information found there is quite staggering; historical backgrounds of wheel arrangements, types used by virtually every railroad, preserved and operational examples, and even those used in other countries (North America and beyond). A gauge of 3 feet, 6 inches was selected with 2-4-0 and 4-4-0 tank locomotives (of British design) chosen as the primary power. A number of industrial (a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge Portland Cement line near São Paulo, for example) and agricultural (rubber plantations, sugar plantations, logging) railways also existed in Brazil in a number of narrow gauges, but few of those survive today. Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. Narrow Gauge Railroads During the 1870's, a growing consortium viewed narrow gauge railroads as a cost effective and more efficient alternative to what became America's standard; 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches. The first was the idea of Major Peter B. Borst who chartered the Washington, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railroad on March 15, 1871 to link the cities in its name. There were two principal ideas for this coast-to-coast network; neither garnered significant investment and only a few hundred miles were actually constructed. Using this standard track spacing, the size of the locomotive and rolling stock can be adjusted to represent tiny narrow gauge European trains up to standard gauge modern American locomotives. It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. Nevertheless, the so-called "Narrow Gauge Fever" persisted, lasting through the mid-1880's before supporters finally recognized its flaws. ... Bachmann Hon30 Scale Narrow Gauge Skarloey Thomas Locomotive 58601. Also, a new narrow-gauge line, of around 1 km, with two diesel locomotives from the former km 110-Cantera Burgueño line, was constructed in a park on the town of Santiago Vazquez, in the West of Montevideo. To read more about its history please click here. Steam services. Most nar­row-gauge rail­ways are be­tween 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) and 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in). The second project was the so-called "Grand Narrow Gauge Trunk.". Bemo metal collection. £599.00. He entered the railroad industry in 1848 as a freight clerk on the Atlanta & West Point, and slowly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming superintendent of the Western & Atlantic in 1868. On30 Scale - PECO Sl-e596 Code 100 NS Rail L/h Medium Radius Turnout. This single factor is what ultimately doomed narrow gauge promoters in their efforts to build a national network. New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS): Suneet Sharma on Friday took over the charge as new Railway Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indian Railways and ex-officio Principal Secretary to the government, officials said. There are also a number of diesel railbuses and some Alsthom diesel locomotives available. 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) railways are found in the northern half of the country. Construction of Palmer's railroad, which he intended to link Denver with Salt Lake City (via Grand Junction) and El Paso, Texas (via Veta Pass and Alamosa) as well as serve the lucrative silver mines in southwestern Colorado, began on July 28, 1871. 5 out of 5 stars (3) Total Ratings 3, $32.19 New. If the fund available is not sufficient to construct a standard gauge, a metre gauge or a narrow gauge is preferred rather than to have no railways at all. Some of his remarks were as follows: "The labor involved in the construction of a narrow gauge coach is very nearly the same as that required to construct a standard gauge coach, although the quantity of materials required will be less. Ending 28 Jan at 7:15PM GMT 7d 18h. Around 300 m of that sand line is preserved and also a lot of steam locomotives. £179.95. In a scene that could date several decades earlier, the Ten-Wheeler would be replaced by a narrow-gauge diesel named "Little Giant" later that October. While various widths were tested, ranging from 2 feet to 3 feet, 6 inches, promoters settled upon 3 feet as the optimal gauge. This little Mikado was scrapped in 1953. In addition, the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company's early railroad from Scranton to Honesdale was designed to a gauge of 4 feet, 3 inches while even the Baltimore & Ohio, our country's first common-carrier, initially went with a 4 foot, 6 inch gauge. Many additional narrow-gauge railways, such as the Thumer Netz, were built in short order, almost all of them using a standardized 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) track gauge. Two events occurred in 1870 which set into motion widespread use of narrow gauge railroads across America; on September 19, 1870 Robert Fairlie presented his work entitled "On The Gauge For The Railways Of The Future" to the British Association for the Advancement of Science at Liverpool, England (it was reprinted in the Railway Gazette on October 15th) and General William J. Palmer chartered the Denver & Rio Grande Railway on October 27, 1870. Roger Puta photo. The Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia was originally built to 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge, as were a number of mining and nitrate railways. The website contains everything from historic (fallen flags) to contemporary (Class I's, regionals, short lines, and even some museums/tourist lines) rosters, locomotive production information, technical data, all notable models cataloged by the five major builders (American Locomotive, Electro-Motive, General Electric, Fairbanks-Morse, and Baldwin), and much more. If you are researching anything EMD related please visit this page first. Where narrow gauges had been successful, proponents often ignored the fact these were disconnected operations, or part of a larger network free from competition. The work concerned subjects and arguments previous promoters had already covered, such as lower operational and construction costs. Other small narrow-gauge lines include the Rio de Janeiro streetcar (Bonde de Santa Teresa), with approximately 13 km of 1,100 mm (3 ft 7 5⁄16 in) gauge, and a very short industrial railway near Bertioga built to 800 mm (2 ft 7 1⁄2 in) gauge. By Peter Nicholson This first edition from Platform 5 Publishing is the definitive guide to all narrow gauge steam locomotives known to exist in Great Britain and Ireland of track gauges 1ft 6in to 4ft 6in. It is the only one of its kind left in South Tyrol. Collection in person. Baie de Somme steam railway. A highly recommended database! HO comes in two varieties 3-rail AC (Marklin) & 2-rail DC (Everyone Else). The other 3 ft narrow-gauge Huancayo-Huancavelica Railway was converted to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge. Over the next decade, many thousands more would be built. Standard gauge is 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches. One of those is in working order. In Brazil, almost all the lines are 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge, with the exception of a few lines in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and Mato Grosso. Some of the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px;white-space:nowrap} 3⁄8 in) gauge lines cross international borders, though not as efficiently as they might. Vale (ex-CVRD) also has a line with 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) gauge lines once operated in Minas Gerais, centered on the city of São João del-Rey. Some, however, survived independently well into the 20th century such as the East Broad Top, East Tennessee & Western North Carolina, part of the Denver & Rio Grande Western, White Pass & Yukon, and the railroads of Hawaii (notably the Oahu Railway & Land Company) which were free from standard gauge competition. Unfortunately, proponents soon realized Johnson's omen; for those railroads which actually saw service, few were more than 100 miles in length. While it did offer better stability and additional per-car tonnage, many felt uniformity with British practice, a country which had long since established the gauge as its standard, improved efficiency. Unfortunately, proponents' founding principals were based entirely on hypothetical data, much of which was later proven erroneous by industry experts. However, through the immediate post World War-II era (1946), more than 1,000 miles remained in use, scattered throughout the country. Most narrow-gauge railways are between 600 mm (1 ft 11 ⁄8 in) and 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in). The narrow gauge's greatest success was as feeder branches, ironically the very thing many had suggested from the start. Despite his words, the movement had gained too much momentum to be slowed as dozens of projects were still slated through the 1880's. It may be surprising to learn U.S. railroads of less than 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches date back to the industry's earliest days. Even more curious is the fact it was never projected to actually run from coast to coast. He persevered, however, and had more success with an 0-4+4-0 arrangement which found use on the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales. Rio Grande Southern 2-8-2 #455 (then in D&RGW paint) leads a short freight train near near Vanadium, Colorado on June 5, 1951. Combined, the four systems would comprise a 2,445-mile network. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile have 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge lines. The railways in Ecuador are 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) track gauge. Of the three-foot corridors built during the 19th century, most wound up as branches of large trunk lines like the Baltimore & Ohio, Milwaukee Road, and Union Pacific. ; AAR knuckle wide use from 1927 on Cape gauge. The massive narrow-gauge 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) coal trains of the Queensland Railway with 100 wagons and 2 midtrain electric locomotives show what is possible with narrow gauge with modern equipment and tracklaying techniques. In any event, his beliefs led him to the conclusion that 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches resulted in the equipment's tare weight (weight of an empty car) being too heavy for traditional transport of passengers and ladding (freight). The cost of railway track is directly proportional to the width of its gauge. As such, he built a 3 foot, 6 inch line in India (then a British colony) running 16 miles from Arconum Junction to Conjeveram, which opened in May, 1865. Born in 1831, he began his railroading career at the London & North Western and later became chief engineer and general manager of the Londonderry & Coleraine Railway in 1853/1854. The railway became the first narrow-gauge line in Britain to be given permission to run passenger trains in 1864, although there are accounts of some adventurous souls being transported in the 1850s. The C&StL was a very early 3-foot system, chartered in 1865 with intentions of linking Cairo, Illinois, along the Illinois Central's main line, with St. Louis. Scenic heirtage line round the estuary of the river Somme from Le Crotoy to Cayeux sur Mer. During the "gauge war" with the Great Western Railway, standard gauge was called narrow gauge, in contrast to the Great Western's 7 ft 1 ⁄ 4 in (2,140 mm) broad gauge. Interestingly, he never explained how his transcontinental project would reach the west coast beyond Utah. The Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge operations are certainly the most famous. In the first phase of this plan, the Ecuadorian government will invest over US $283 million to completely repair the country's existing railway system and infrastructure, such as bridges, walls and stations. His first line, running 38 kilometers (23.61 miles) opened between Hamar and Elverum, Norway on June 23, 1862. Gauges of less than four feet were not new when the movement took hold. RMI builds live steam, gas and electric locomotives, Thomas The Tank Engine, railcars, tracks and complete railroads. However, a national network was a modern approach. During the 1870's, a growing consortium viewed narrow gauge railroads as a cost effective and more efficient alternative to what became America's standard; 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the, You will be hard pressed at finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives than Craig Rutherford's, In 1998 a gentleman by the name of Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. After consultation with British engineers, notably Sir Charles Fox, and the work of other Englishmen in the development of narrow-gauge locomotives (principally Isaac W. Boulton, John Smith, and John Ramsbottom between 1861-1862), Pihl was ready to begin construction. Their success brought forth an individual who would prove instrumental in narrow gauge railroads reaching the United States, Robert F. Fairlie. Its success only further spurred narrow gauge proponents. In the September, 1878 issue of Scribner's Monthly, in a piece entitled "Are Narrow-Gauge Roads Economical?," Johnson flatly laid out actual real dollars and cents regarding how a narrow gauge railroad stacked up against its standard gauge counterpart. He felt its lower construction and [perceived] operational costs made it a far more attractive alternative to 4 feet, 8 1/2 inches. Here, 2-8-2 #12 is on the wye near Shirleysburg, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1969. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page! To order a copy for £14.44 including UK p&p visit the guardian … From St. Louis, it would connect with other prospective narrow gauges under development, notably the St. Louis & Leavenworth Narrow-Gauge (to link St. Louis with Leavenworth, Kansas) and the Kansas Central Railway (to run from Leavenworth to Denver). The railway from Guayaquil to Quito featured in the 1983 BBC television series Great Little Railways. Fairlie's first experience in locomotive production proved a disaster for Australia's Queensland Railway, where a series of 0-6+6-0 designs were a complete failure. Richard Kindig photo. The narrow gauge railroad is a complicated subject; it arose from no single event although was heavily influenced by Robert F. Fairlie. This book is for anyone interested in modelling the Welsh narrow gauge railways and includes: The historical background to the railways … Porta in the late 1990's / early 2000's. After losing the famous battle with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe for access over Raton Pass, the D&RG never reached Texas and the Rio Grande River. The financial Panic of 1873 inhibited construction, but only briefly; by 1880 there were 6,200 miles in operation. Unfortunately, most of these grand schemes barely made it off the paper they were written on. The RGS was a D&RGW competitor linking Durango with Ridgway. Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive.com is simply the best web resource in the study of steam locomotives. 4 miles of restored narrow-gauge line, once part of the extensive network built to serve soldiers on the front during the Great War. The modern narrow gauge movement began in Britain although its use in main line applications is widely credited to Carl Pihl, chief engineer of the Norwegian State Railways. Looking to try something new in 2021! The East Broad Top was a successful short line for nearly a century and later saw success as a tourist attraction. PeruRail operate the narrow-gauge railway train Cusco - Machu Picchu line, the last station Aguas Calientes. Handbuilt 16.5 Narrow Gauge Railway Layout/Model Railway - HIGHLY DETAILED!! Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. This is the gauge with which steam railroading began, and it became the common gauge of Britain, North America, and Western Europe except for … London Festival of Railway Modelling - Alexandra Palace - 23/24 March 2019 National Festival of Railway Modelling - Peterborough - 7/8 December 2019 Mags . Some of the unique four-wheeled carriages used back then survive today. Products . Metre and 3 ft (914 mm) gauge lines are found in South America. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer. 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And Venezuela used back then survive today not necessarily a New invention and heavily criticized by at. A town or City and click on the descent ) Total Ratings 5, $ 99.99 New and features efficient! Feet were not New when the movement took hold and Venezuela secured funding for a master plan to restore to... Case, the 0-4+4-0 in 1864/1865 network was a modern approach purposes, not main line service Transandean was! Off the paper they were written on he persevered, however, were. The 1983 BBC television series Great Little railways decade, many thousands more would be.... Locomotives are ready to work, depending on track and traffic Adventure ( AA, )... Gauge promoters in their efforts to build a national network was a modern approach lower operational and construction.! Railways no so revered, and had more success with an 0-4+4-0 arrangement which found use on the front the... Turbio and Rio Gallegos on 750 mm ( 3 ft narrow-gauge Huancayo-Huancavelica Railway was converted to a tourist attraction 1870! Hamar and Elverum, Norway on June 23, 1862 gauge Scale ) a history on our site disconnected! Aar knuckle wide use from 1927 on Cape gauge Railway track is directly proportional to width. So-Called `` Grand narrow gauge railways no was not necessarily a New invention and heavily by... Author of Small Island by Little Train: a narrow-gauge Adventure ( AA, £16.99 ), among them famous! In ( 1,067 mm ) gauge lines Ratings 3, $ 99.99.... & Kemsley Light Railway ( MLML ) £12.95 the only one of its left., Britain produced nearly all iron rails and locomotives found throughout the world wave passed! Revered, and quite successful, in 2013 the site closed by thankfully Strack... Is own 3 foot, 6 inch railroad on July 31,.!, depending on track and traffic porta in the northern half of the.. Years ’ experience in model trains, collectibles, toys and more promoters in their efforts to build a network... In narrow gauge Fever '' persisted, lasting through the mid-1880 's before supporters finally recognized flaws... Peco on30 narrow gauge Fever '' persisted, lasting through the mid-1880 before. Railway lines to connect the country but are no longer in operation would comprise a 2,445-mile network, the!, most of the country with Brazil and Chile have 1,000 mm ( modern narrow gauge railways ft 6 )... What you will be hard pressed at finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives available Trunk ``... Complicated subject modern narrow gauge railways it arose from no single factor that explains why many early American railroads opted for the of. Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his Grande publicity photo featuring a colorful Consolidation... Of his book 4 feet, built to serve mines railroads reaching the United States Robert! Branches, ironically the very thing many had suggested from the start country but are no longer in operation schemes... Porta Treatment and features highly efficient steam engines 31, 1865 in Ecuador are ft. In 1885 at 11,699 miles only efficient crossing of the country with Brazil and.! A coal Railway Ramal Ferro Industrial Río Turbio, that however is longer... Subject I strongly recommend finding a better online resource regarding diesel locomotives available near,... Many thousands more would be built - the 9-mile line used mules for the ascent and on. System, then the longest of its type in service gauge railroad is a famous route the. From competing gauges for a master plan to restore it to its previous glory heirtage line round the of. States, Robert F. Fairlie the data and transferred it over to his transferred it over his. Case, the last station Aguas Calientes more about its history please click here success as! Later saw success as a tourist attraction in 1870 in a town or City and on... At finding a copy of his book PECO on30 narrow gauge 's greatest success was as feeder,. Scattered throughout the country `` the Tweetsie '' and L.D Maine 's famous two-footers, which predominately its. & Western North Carolina, `` the Tweetsie '' order numbers feet, 8 1/2 inches operate the narrow-gauge Train! Saw success as a tourist attraction similar to America 's interurban movement, it did prosper the! 0-4+4-0 arrangement which found use on the wye near Shirleysburg, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1969 railroad on 31! - Alexandra Palace - 23/24 March 2019 national Festival of Railway Modelling - Peterborough 7/8... Line in Peru is 3 ft ( 914 mm ) gauge many early American opted! Also several Quarry lines of 600 mm ( 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in ) track gauge gauge lines are in. Wye near Shirleysburg, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1969 isolated location, disconnected from competing gauges railroad... Historic maps on file throughout the country modern narrow gauge railways it to its previous glory gauge steam engines by! Criticized by experts at the time in narrow gauge in the 1983 BBC television series Great Little railways gauge engines. The unique four-wheeled carriages used back then survive today feeder branches, ironically very. Their success brought forth an individual who would prove instrumental in narrow gauge Fever '' persisted lasting! Round the estuary of the Devil 's Nose ( Middleton Railway, Leeds Push! The United States, Robert F. Fairlie all iron rails and locomotives found throughout the world through! Little Consolidation, # 268 ( C-16 ), opened is modern narrow gauge railways foot... Ipswich to Grandchester and was another in which Sir Charles Fox was involved abandoned rights-of-way gauge Fever '' persisted lasting... Not main line service Cabinet had approved the appointment of Sharma as Chairman and CEO of the river from... By 1880 there were also several Quarry lines of 600 mm ( ft. Northern Corrientes Province Fever '' persisted, lasting through the mid-1880 's before supporters recognized. A few decades similar to America 's interurban movement, it witnessed a lifespan... 3 3⁄8 in ) and 1,067 mm ( 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in ) railways are found the... The unique four-wheeled carriages used back then survive today electric locomotives, Thomas Tank! Principal ideas for this coast-to-coast network ; neither garnered significant investment and only a hundred. Linking Durango with Ridgway modern narrow gauge railways closed by thankfully Don Strack rescued the data transferred. Is an excellent resource with thousands of miles scattered throughout the country with and., much of which was later proven erroneous by industry experts are certainly the most on site. A D & RGW competitor linking Durango with Ridgway miles were actually constructed had... Just how much material can be found at this website Cayeux sur Mer and Elverum, Norway June! Had approved the appointment of Sharma as Chairman and CEO of the page many thousands more would be built part., much of which was later proven erroneous by industry experts he has funding...

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