Feb 09 2009
Railroad Gauge Defined
Railroad Gauge Defined
Gauge in the context of railroads is the distance between the rail heads of railroad track.
Standard Gauge track has its rail heads a distance of 4 feet 8-1/2 inches (1435 mm) apart.
Broad Gauge track rails are more than 4 feet 8-1/2 inches (1435 mm) apart.
Narrow Gauge is any gauge track or distance between rails less than 4 feet 8-1/2 inches (1435 mm). Common narrow gauges in the United States are 3 feet 6 inches (1067 mm) and 3 feet. Common narrow gauges in Europe are 1 meter (1000 mm). Less common narrow gauge, though modeled, is 2 feet.
Narrow gauge track was used in connection with mining, lumber, quarying, limited local service and limited passenger service. Narrow gauge track was particularly useful in mountainous areas.
Modeling and Gauge
Standard gauge is modeled with the standard track of a given scale.
Many modelers either hand lay their own narrow gauge track, purchase track that is specifically engineered and manufactured to scale for narrow gauge in a particular scale, or simply use the next smaller standard gauge track of another scale. Some manufacturers have ignored scale completely. They have created their own track and trains and have left it for the modelers to sort out on their own. Some have even mixed one scale with another gauge in a single product. In certain of these instances, otherwise fine equipment will never run as scale model railroad trains unless each and every item is modified by the modeler. Be especially wary of these practices and products. Look elsewhere for your modeling needs and make it clear to the manufacturers that this is a disservice to the entire field.
The greatest fun is when you have narrow gauge and standard gauge tracks and trains interchange or running on dual gauge tracks. This is often the peak of scale model railroading experience and should not be missed.
The large scale field started by modeling narrow gauge to match one manufacturers products and placed a variety of scale and out of scale products on that size track. Relatively recently the confusion and disarray caused by this helter-skelter development and competition is being addressed by creating F scale that scales out correctly to have LGB be a true narrow gauge for F scales standard gauge. It is too early to tell if this will become popular. For now, be very careful when modeling narrow gauge in large scale and ask about both the scale and the gauge being modeled.
Have fun!
Trainguy
