Getting it in Gauge

LoudMusic

Member
I was recently linked to this Wikipedia entry from a comment I made on slashdot.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rail_gauge

Wikipedia said:
United States

Originally, a variety of gauges was used in the United States and Canada. Some railways, primarily in the northeast, used standard gauge; others used gauges ranging from 4 ft (1219 mm) to 6 ft (1829 mm). Given the nation's recent independence from the United Kingdom, arguments based on British standards had little weight. Problems began as soon as lines began to meet and in much of the north-eastern United States, standard gauge was adopted. Most Southern states used 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge. Following the American 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.

After considerable debate and planning, most of the southern rail network was converted from 5 ft (1524 mm) gauge to 4 ft 9 in (1448 mm) gauge, then the standard of the Pennsylvania Railroad, over two remarkable days beginning on 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 inches east and spiked them back in place. {emphasis mine} 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.

In modern uses certain isolated occurrences of non-standard gauges can still be found, such as the 5ft 21⁄4 in (1581 mm) and 5 ft 21⁄2 in (1588 mm) gauge tracks of the Philadelphia streetcars, the Philadelphia subway cars and the New Orleans streetcars. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area, choose 5 ft 6 in (1676 mm) gauge.

I had no idea the work was done in such a short time. I figured they would have just done sections between stations and effectively moved the break-of-gauge point over the course of years. Pretty impressive!
 
N

nachoman

pretty interesting how prior to 1900, "standard" gauge was not that standard. I am surprised they didn't just move he rail that last half inch at the same time. There must have been a reason.

kevin
 

60103

Pooh Bah
There's always been a bit of disagreement about standard gauge. I thought that at least one RR went for 4'8" to tighten up the ride.
Yes, back then major projects could be done over a weekend; nowadays they take years and that's after the environmental assessment. There were a number of railways in Ontario built to the "Ontario Government" gauge (forget what it was, now) because that was a requirement to get grants. Many of those were re-gagued over a weekend, although I think at least one was done progressively.
Wonder if they pushed all the wheels in 3" overnight as well?
 
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