Break of gauge

[ivanfurlanis]

 Hi.

I'm very interested about dual gauge and all the solutions to the problem of the break of gauge.

Here in Europe there are three different ways to let vehicles to run on two different gauges.

1. When freight cars must be delivered to customers set on narrow gauge lines they are carried over special narrow gauge trucks.
2. Broad gauge vehicles from eastern Europe railways can travel on standard gauge tracks simply changing bogies at border stations. The same process happens at French/Spanish border stations.
3. The most recent solution sees vehicles adopting special bogies that can change their gauge, used on Talgo trains between Spain and Europe.

I never read anything about this subject relating USA railroads. How was resolved this problem?

Thank you.

[cprted]

 With a few notable exceptions, many of the narrow gauge lines in North America were logging railways that didn't directly interchange with standard gauge operations.

This thread has some good info about dual gauge track, idlers cars, and such that were used in places where narrow and standard gauges did directly interact.

http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/158210/1744822.aspx#1744822 

[henry6]

Prior to the changeover from Broad to Standard there were three rails...notable along the Erie in Upstate NY where DL&W and LV used the ROW.  But there were no integrated trains.  LIkewise, Standard and narrow had a third rail in places like Broad Top, and D&RGW.  Even in New England, notably Maine, there were interchange yards especially with three rails.  But, again, there were no integrated trains.  Today, there is no breaking of guage problem in the US.

[passengerfan]

In Canada at Port Aux Basque the CN ferries brought standard gauge freight cars from the mainland and the trucks were switched to narrow gauge in a large building there so the cars could travel across Newfoundland. The standard trucks were returned to the same car at Port Aux Basque before being loaded on the ferry for North Sydney. I believe the same switch took place at Argentia Nfld as well.

Al - in - Stockton

[cx500]

passengerfan

In Canada at Port Aux Basque the CN ferries brought standard gauge freight cars from the mainland and the trucks were switched to narrow gauge in a large building there so the cars could travel across Newfoundland. The standard trucks were returned to the same car at Port Aux Basque before being loaded on the ferry for North Sydney. I believe the same switch took place at Argentia Nfld as well.

Al - in - Stockton

 

Just at Port-aux-Basques, never at Argentia.  The practice of switching trucks only started towards the end of Newfoundland railway operation, and initially only with CN cars.  Then an agreement was reached with CPR so for a few brief years it was possible to see a CPR boxcar running on a narrow gauge railway.  I only ever saw 40' boxcars handled this way; quite possibly longer cars may have had clearance problems on certain curves.  Cars from other railroads, if any, would be handled on the dual gauge track at Port-aux-Basques from the ferry to a freight shed where the load was trans-shipped.  A standard gauge diesel was stationed there to handle the cars.  Newfoundland gauge was 3'-6".

John

[ivanfurlanis]

 Thank you very much for your answers. The Newfoundland operation is very interesting, too bad that railroad ceased to run years ago.

[IRONROOSTER]

The East Broad Top RR used to swap trucks.  They had an old timber transfer that they used to lift up the end of the car.

When labor was cheap narrow gauge lines would just move/shovel the cargo from one to the other.

For hopper loads at least one railroad used an elevate tipple to transfer from narrow gauge to standard gauge. 

Most of the viable narrow gauge lines were widened in the late 1800's / early 1900's to standard gauge.  Many of the others failed during the 1930's or early 1940's.  A few survivors lasted into the 50's and maybe beyond.

There were a number of fascinating proposals to solve the problem including extra wide wheels, 3 wheels on the axle, and special devices to put a narrow gauge car on a standard flatcar.  I don't know that any of them actually were used sucessfully.

American Narrow Gauge Railroads by George Hilton has a section on this problem.  If you're interested in narrow gauge in America, I recommend this book.

Enjoy

Paul

[wjstix]

With a few exceptions as noted, freight cars didn't change trucks, rather the freight was transferred from one car to another. Generally dual-gauge trackage was limited to yard areas, often to allow both standard and narrow gauge engines to use the same servicing facilities, turntable etc., and where there were transfers made of freight from the standard gauge cars to the narrow gauge or vice-versa.

[daveklepper]

One exception to limiting dual gauge to yard areas was Alamosa - Antonito, now just standard gauge.   But mixed-gauge freight trains were regulaly un over this route, and the D&RGW even had a few diesel switchers or roa-switchers with two coulplers at each end.

 

I hope that that this dual gauge is restored.  It would benefit both tourist trains operators if the Cumbres and Toltec could run all the way to Alamosa where there are excellent visitor facilities and hotels and restaurants. making this leg a joint operation of the two operators.