Re: changing gauges - NNG

I do not dispute that the narrow gauges you mentioned might not have been built as standard gauge. But, just noting that the "main line" railroads in the U.S. had decided upon a common or standard gauge at the same time that the idea of building narrow-gauge railroads was brought forward for consideration.

The rational for the narrow gauge was that construction was cheaper because of less dirt to move, etc. And the cars could carry just about the same as the current standard gauge cars.

Well, standard gauge cars (and locomotives) got larger and the cost of trans-loading at the gauge change point was a deterrent. Also grading for railroads became more mechanized over time.

Not all narrow gauges were built in the mountains. There was the Cotton Belt, the various lines in Ohio (Toledo to Cincinnati and on to East St. Louis), and others. The Cotton Belt went into receivership and the receivers found a way to almost immediately change the gauge.

The saving grace(?) of many of the narrow gauges was that they served very rough terrain or a self-contained economic area. Or traffic was just too light to support conversion to standard gauge.

BN