Friday 22 October

[Jerry]

Afternoon everyone


Happy Birthday John!


Everyone have a wonderful day!! 


Jerry

[Rail and Tie]

Good morning from the UK!
Jenny and I are off to the British Region NMRA Convention today with "Red Hook Bay". It is being held at the Derby Convention Centre, an Art Deco building that was once used by the Midland Railway. This week I qualified as a Travelling Ticket Inspector on the West Somerset Railway. I had to work the train on my own. It is purely voluntary and I am looking forward to the Christmas special trains. Have a great weekend everyone.
Mike

[S&S RR]

Apparently, my post from this morning with Birthday Wishes for John didn't get to the forum.  Very slow and unreliable internet here in the North Country.  Hitting the post button doesn't mean it will get there.  I hope everyone had a good day.

[bagman]

Question for those of you outside of North America:  How wide are your standard gauge railroad bridges (pre WWII)?  A friend asked me this question.  I responded "It's the same gauge, and I don't think there's much difference in engineering standards, but let me ask around."


Thanks much in advance!


dave

Hi Dave


Hope this might be of help to you.


Prior to 1901, Australia was made up of 6 seperate  British self-governing colonies.
Following Federation in 1901 the six colonies that united to form the Commonwealth of Australia as states kept the system of government that they had developed as seperate colonies.


Which in these COVID times have created headaches for the Federal Government. But that's a story for another day.


Prior to 1901 each of the 6 colonies adopted their own rail gauges.
It wouldn't be until 1995 that all mainland capitals were joined by one standard gauge.
The three railway gauges in Australia are narrow (3ft 6"), standard (4ft 8 1/2") and broad (5ft 3").


The predominant gauge is standard.


The problem with the colonies was that each self governing body decided which gauge they would use based on their own preference.
For example in the state of Victoria the gauge was 5ft 3" and in New South Wales it was 4ft 8 1/2".


By the outbreak of WW2 in 1939 there were 13 break-of-gauge locations, with upwards of 1,600 service personnel and many more civilians employed to transfer 1.8 million tons of freight during the period.


I can remember as a child travelling from NSW to Victoria and having to change trains at the border because the gauge was still different.
So today we have 7,300 miles of narrow gauge, 11,000 miles of standard gauge and 2,000 miles of broad gauge.


Hope my long winded reply helps in answering your friends question.


Cheers
David

[deemery]

David, thanks!   The situation in Australia was kinda like the situation in the US in the 1870s.  I think the primary impetus for 'standard gauge' was the Transcontinental Railroad, which picked one gauge and mandated it for both ends of the effort (so both rails would meet in the middle :-) :-) )  A lot of railroads went through "regauging day' where throughout the system all the rails were moved to the new standard gauge. 


dave