HO/HOn3 Duel Gauge

[cprted]

Does anyone know of a prototype for 4'8.5" / 3' duel gauge? Some of the members in the modular group I belong to have added an HO/HOn3 duel gauge branch line to their modules. I think its a neat idea and I am thinking of incorperating it to a future module of my own, however I was wondering if duel gauge was ever built in the real world.

[joseph2]

Yes it was. Back in 1980 I saw dual gauge track in South Colorado on the DRG&W. Joe G.

[IRONROOSTER]

Many 3 foot railroads had dual gauge where they met standard gauge. The EBT even had standard gauge switchers with two couplers on the end to switch narrow or standard gauge cars on the dual gauge track.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

Here's a link for Shinohara code 70 dual gauge track http://www.internettrains.com/shincod70nic33.html

[Anonymous]

The Waynesburg & Washington RR met the PRR and B&O in Washington PA

Both companies leased a certain amount of track to the W&W and both later fought to buy the W&W but the PRR won that battle. I can e-mail you a pic of a PRR engine and the W&W 260 mogul sitting side by side. The size is really quite noticable. The pic also shows the dual gauge trackage.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by IRONROOSTER

...The EBT even had standard gauge switchers with two couplers on the end to switch narrow or standard gauge cars on the dual gauge track...

I remember seeing a picture of such a coupler setup.

---jps

[M636C]

cprted,

The D&RGW had 3' gauge trains that ran right into Denver Union Station on dual gauge track. I think the dual gauge tracks ran into the platforms furtherest from the building. I was quite surprised that dual gauge ran into the current station, although there is no sign that I picked up in 1990 when I visited there.

In Western Australia, there are miles of dual gauge, in that case 3'6" and standard, on the main line to the East to Avon Yard near Northam. Of course, all the trains are diesel powered now, and the narrow gauge locomotives and trains are only slightly smaller than the standard gauge (4000HP on standard, 3000HP on 3'6").

Peter

[Anonymous]

The Eastern North Carolina & Western Tennessee ("Tweetsie") was dual gauged in Johnson City, Tn up until the end of that road in the forties (I think). They had standard gauge switchers on their roster to facilitate interchange w/ standard gauge.

The South Pacific Coast, a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific that ran from Oakland to Santa Cruz was dual gauged for a short time about a hundred years ago, as the road was being widened to standard gauge. In fact, the very day of the first standard gauge thru train from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz was steaming up in Los Gatos when the San Francisco eartquake knocked it off the tracks, collap[sed some tunnels, and made a general mess of the whole SPC system.

FYI-It was common practice for railroads to install longer, standard gauge rail ties under narrow gauge tracks-at least every other one-in anticipation of conversion to regular gauge trackage.

Want to see something kinda wierd- the East Broad Top (EBT) in Pennsylvania had a set up where the narrow gauge trucks were exchanged for standard gauge trucks by lifting the car body up and off the trucks. . .Perhaps someone else can fill in the details of this unique operation.