rgeiter
Conrail Quality
Rumor has it that 4’8 1/2” was the measurement between the wheels of a Roman chariot. Supposedly that became the “standard” wheel distance. I repeat rumor. I have never attempted to prove or disprove this rumor/ theory.
skyliner
Well-Known Member
Well, I didn't think these would come in use someday. A few pictures from the Maine Narrow Gauge RR Museum in Portland ME, taken when I was there in 2018:
No. 1 is a 1949 GE 23-tonner.
Track gauge here is 2'.
Much of the equipment here is from the former Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR.
Like a dollhouse version of a Pullman.
No. 1 is a 1949 GE 23-tonner.
Track gauge here is 2'.
Much of the equipment here is from the former Sandy River & Rangeley Lakes RR.
Like a dollhouse version of a Pullman.
hunslet040
Well-Known Member
Hi all.
Taken about 6 years ago on the Welsh Highland Railway between Caernarfon and Portmadog in North Wales.
Two 2 foot gauge 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 Beyer Garratt locomotives ex South Africa.
This line was rebuilt over several years by the Ffestiniog Railway after it was torn up in the 1930s.
Porthmadog Harbour station with Garratt and Fairlie locos. Both 2 foot gauge.
The Farlie ( Double ended) locos run on the Ffestiniog line from Porthmadog to Blaneau Ffestiniog.
Note the difference in size between the two locos due to the limited loading gauge on the Ffestiniog line.
This line is only about 3 miles from my home and has a collection of many 2 foot gauge locos and has had in steam up to 20 locos on an open day.
This loco is a Mallet tank and has also visited the Ffestiniog/Welsh Highland lines where three types of articulated locoscould be seen running !
I saw this loco heading for Porthmadog one day near the supermarket I use in transit on a low-loader truck which was a surprise.
Colin.
Taken about 6 years ago on the Welsh Highland Railway between Caernarfon and Portmadog in North Wales.
Two 2 foot gauge 2-6-2 + 2-6-2 Beyer Garratt locomotives ex South Africa.
This line was rebuilt over several years by the Ffestiniog Railway after it was torn up in the 1930s.
Porthmadog Harbour station with Garratt and Fairlie locos. Both 2 foot gauge.
The Farlie ( Double ended) locos run on the Ffestiniog line from Porthmadog to Blaneau Ffestiniog.
Note the difference in size between the two locos due to the limited loading gauge on the Ffestiniog line.
This line is only about 3 miles from my home and has a collection of many 2 foot gauge locos and has had in steam up to 20 locos on an open day.
This loco is a Mallet tank and has also visited the Ffestiniog/Welsh Highland lines where three types of articulated locoscould be seen running !
I saw this loco heading for Porthmadog one day near the supermarket I use in transit on a low-loader truck which was a surprise.
Colin.
boatwrench
Well-Known Member
The Swanton Pacific Railroad located in Swanton which is part way between San Francisco and Santa Cruz, CA was my favorite. The equipment was originally used to transport passengers between San Francisco's Ferry Building and Palace of Fine Arts during the 1918 Pan-Pacific Exposition.
Also have ridden the White Pass & Yukon and Durango & Southern,
Also have ridden the White Pass & Yukon and Durango & Southern,
The first Narrow Gauge I rode was n 1969 from Carcross in Yukon to Skagway in Alaska. The train stopped at the head of Lake Bennet and everyone went into the station for a tasty London Broil and mashed potatoes! As there was no road to the coast at the time a large number of flat cars carried vehicles for people to connect with the Alaska Ferry.
Next was the famous Silverton Train out of Durango.
Next was the famous Silverton Train out of Durango.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately, no scientific reason really, but this seems to be why.
WHEN Stephenson was building the Stockton to Darlington railway, he decided on the gauge by measuring the axle width of 100 farm wagons and taking the average, the result being 4ft 8 in. He may have intended to allow local people to use the track to convey goods with their own wagons.
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
Interesting. Pitty that back then no one sat down to do the math. Speaking from an engineering perspective, there is an optimum gauge that would take into account the equipment weight/friction vs load capacity, vs rail construction, and all that vs cost. Varibles to be optimized would be the construction materials, axle weight, bearing load, wear coefficients, truck/wheel mounting complexity, etc. I believe I stated earlier given modern building materials and alloys, an engineered gauge would be different today than it was back in the day when the standard was set.
I am going to give odds that I am the only person here (toot, toot) to have ridden - locomotive and combine - the READER RR in SW Arkansas.
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
I would say you are probably safe in that bet.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I think it was more to do with expediency and cost, there's little to differentiate between a cart and a freight car, it's just a box on wheels, at the time wheelwrights had plenty of experience in building carts, wooden wheels already had metal rim's, so why not simply adapt what you already have in plenty, cost would be minimal, a new hitch, and flanged rims, strengthened sides and it's ready to roll.
If you want to attract new investors, you need to make it attractive to them, a new system (rail) nobody wants to spend $$$$ on what would have been then, untried and unknown designs, on something they didn't know would even work or make money, so cost would have been a major decision maker, as I said, adapting what was already in use and well tried, would have been an major incentive.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
I don't think that was the idea
KriegslokBR52
Well-Known Member
Yes i have ridden narrow gauge trains. In the East it was the East Broad Top several times. The ride in the caboose when available is highly recommended. The whole railroad is in my oppinion one of the best places to visit, especially if you're a railfan and an industrial revolution fan. The shops in Orbisonia are still fully equipped with original belt powered machines, that ran off a steam powered turbine. Pretty amazing considering that all similar factories have been dismantled. Inside Sideling Mountain tunnel:
Out in the west i have ridden on Durango and Silverton few times and i must say-trip of a life time. Beautiful scenery and steam locomotives doing work for which they were build. This past summer i did not ride on D&S but stumbled on a double header coming into Silverton with 15 cars:
I still did not ride on "near by" Cumbres and Toltec, but after exploring it that is next on my things to do out west:
Two shots in black and white are at Antonito, Co. locomotive shops.
I still did not ride on "near by" Cumbres and Toltec, but after exploring it that is next on my things to do out west:
Back when I rode the White Pass as a passenger it was still an operating Narrow gauge hauling freight and passengers as a regular railroad. The Silverton Train, though enjoyable was as a tourist train. In Durango's Historic Strater Hotel, the Diamond Belle Saloon is similarly a recreated trip to the past. To have been able to have experienced the past when it was the present is a privilege we should appreciate at the time.
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
Yep - Puffing Billy in Victoria Australia.
Smudge617
Well-Known Member
You have to love the old tank engines, workhorse of the railways.Yep - Puffing Billy in Victoria Australia.
goscrewyourselves
I'm the one
Yep, dirty, smelly BUT - great strong engines.
Back in the day belching smoke was seen as a symbol of industrial power and might, as it was. Encyclopedias would have black and white photos of big industrial steel plants with belching chimneys. They weren't seen as the end of the world, say on the same scale as cow farts.
As a kid on Gramp's farm I remember steam engines chugging by daily with freight and passengers. I would love to go back and ride the White Pass and Silverton again. I know my gal would also love the experience.
As a kid on Gramp's farm I remember steam engines chugging by daily with freight and passengers. I would love to go back and ride the White Pass and Silverton again. I know my gal would also love the experience.
