Welcome! Log In Create A New Profile

Advanced

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

June 19, 2018 06:41PM
Much of it came down to colonial and neo colonial influences. For whatever reason, Britain built the railways in South Africa to 42" gauge which is often referred to as Cape Gauge. The adjoining colonies that connected to South Africa kept the same gauge, even though Germany in South West Africa and Portugal in Mozambique and Angola would probably have chosen a metric gauge on their own. Rhodesia of course used Cape Gauge. New Zealand used Cape Gauge as well, although interestingly, Australia seems to have opted for 30" gauge.

India, for whatever reason, chose meter gauge for their narrow gauge railways and the railways in South East Asia and the African coast facing India were all built to meter gauge.

South America chose 3' gauge in most of the countries that were under US influence while those that were ex-European colonies seem to have picked meter gauge and 30" (750mm) gauge. The major exception was Ecuador which started out building the G&Q to 3' gauge but before it was completed switched to 42" gauge. British financing may have played a part here.

Michael Allen
Subject Author Posted

Why one narrow guage versus another?

kcsivils June 19, 2018 02:26PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

nedsn3 June 19, 2018 05:05PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

bcp June 19, 2018 06:25PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

trainrider47 June 19, 2018 06:41PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Chris Walker June 19, 2018 07:17PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

MikeL June 19, 2018 07:27PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Wayne Hoskin June 19, 2018 07:40PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

trainrider47 June 19, 2018 08:51PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Chris Walker June 19, 2018 10:01PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Wayne Hoskin June 20, 2018 12:54AM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

graffen June 20, 2018 02:19PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

philip.marshall June 19, 2018 11:37PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Chris Walker June 19, 2018 11:58PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

philip.marshall June 20, 2018 12:04AM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

brian budeit June 20, 2018 04:18PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

jim pallow June 20, 2018 07:47PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

James June 20, 2018 04:45PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Brian Norden June 20, 2018 06:59PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

kcsivils June 20, 2018 07:36PM

Re: Why one narrow guage versus another?

Chris Walker June 30, 2018 01:10AM



Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login