Should we continue to stick to one gauge for rail transit in the US?

[tree68]

There are several "standard" gauges in use, 56.5" being the norm, with several others quite common for specific applications - the big thing is whether it's worth the extra expense to have equipment specially built. BART apparently feels that it is.

If you are designing something from the ground up, you can build it with any gauge you want. You just have to remember that if you want to add more equipment later, it also has to be specially built (a la BART). If possible, it would be better to use a standard gauge, like 4' 8.5", so you can take advantage of existing equipment that might suit your needs later.

[Anonymous]

Philidelphia Trolley cars are a Diffrent gauge too I hear..

[dldance]

BART already uses a wide gauge in the SF bay area - however that measn that most everything they buy has to be customized in some way at higher cost.

dd

[Anonymous]

Narrow gauge transit is used in Lisbon and I feel that it couold be used here.
3 foot or even 2 foot trams could have less of a foot print and take up less real estate. On the other hand Wide gauge of 5-6 feet could mean shorter trains and more capasity. Yes I know we have 4 foot gauge bcuase the Romans built them that way but since there is little interchange with the outside world gauge variations could work on captive railroads