Broad gauge

:This article is about a rail gauge for real-life railroads. For Lionel's toy train gauge, see Wide Gauge.

Related Topics:
Rail gauge - Lionel - Toy train - Wide Gauge

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Broad gauge railways use a rail gauge (distance between the rails) greater than the standard gauge of {{standard gauge}}.

Related Topics:
Railway - Rail gauge - Standard gauge

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In Britain the Great Western Railway pioneered broad gauge from 1838 with a gauge of 7 ft 0¼ in (2140 mm), and retained this gauge until 1892.

Related Topics:
Great Western Railway - 1838 - 1892

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Many countries have broad gauge railways. Ireland (see History of rail transport in Ireland) and some parts of Australia have a gauge of 5 ft 3 in (1600 mm). Russia and the other former Soviet Republics use a 1520 mm (originally 5 ft (1524 mm)) gauge while Finland continues to use the 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge inherited from Imperial Russia (the two standards are close enough to allow full interoperability between Finland and Russia). The Baltic States have received funding from the European Union for rebuilding their railways to the standard gauge. Portugal and the Spanish Renfe system use a gauge of 5 ft 5½ in (1668 mm). In India a gauge of 5 ft 6 in (1676 mm) is widespread. This is also used by the Bay Area Rapid Transit system of San Francisco, California. In Toronto, Canada the TTC subways and streetcars use a unique gauge of 4 feet 10 7/8 inches (1495 mm), an "overgauge" originally intended to allow standard gauge horse-drawn wagons to run inside the rails while the streetcars ran on top of them.

Related Topics:
Ireland - History of rail transport in Ireland - Australia - Russia - Soviet Republic - Finland - Imperial Russia - Baltic States - European Union - Standard gauge - Portugal - Spanish - Renfe - India - Bay Area Rapid Transit - San Francisco, California - Toronto - Canada - TTC

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While Russia chose broad gauge to make railborne invasion by its enemies that much more difficult, most non-standard broad gauges get in the way of interoperability of railway networks. On the GWR, the 7 ft 0.25 in (2140 mm) gauge was supposed to allow for high speed, but the company had difficulty with locomotive design in the early years (which threw away much of their advantage), and rapid advances in permanent way and suspension technology saw standard gauge speeds approach broad gauge speeds within a decade or two in any case. On the 5 ft 3 in (1600 mm) and 5 ft 6 in (1676 mm) gauges, the extra width allowed for bigger inside cylinders and greater power, a problem solvable by outside cylinders and higher steam pressure on standard gauge. On BART, the wider gauge is supposed to prevent lightweight trains getting blown over by the wind.

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