Re: rail size

Some of the smaller narrow gauges were built for only $3000-10000 per mile, and part of the reason for the low cost was use of very light rail. Nearly all of them that lasted any length of time replaced the early rail with heavier stuff within a few years.

Chicago Millington & Western RR (Illinois) - 30 lb.

Pine River Valley & Stevens Point (Wisconsin) - hard maple stringers, faced with iron strap only on curves. Mostly relaid with iron rail within 3 years

Farmer's Union RR (Iowa) - hard maple stringers. They lasted the lifetime of the railroad, which was abandoned within a year of being built.

Colorado Eastern RR (Colorado) - 16 and 21 lb. iron rail

Harbor Springs Railway (2'-6" gauge, Michigan) - 16 lb.

Vidaila & Western RR (Louisiana) - 16 lb, relaid with 35 lb. within 10 years

Pennsboro & Harrisville RR (W. Virginia) - 12 lb. rail, laid on longitudinal wood stringers. Replaced with 20 lb. 11 years later

Kennebec Central RR (Maine 2-footer) - 25 lb.

data taken from Hilton's "American Narrow Gauge Railroads"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2011 11:11AM by Jeff A..