Track gauge conversion

Gauge conversion is the change of one railway track gauge to another. This may be required if loads are too heavy for the existing track gauge or if rail cars are of a broader gauge than the existing track gauge. Gauge conversion may become less important as time passes due to the development of variable gauge systems, also called Automatic Track Gauge Changeover Systems.

Track gauge
By transport mode
Tram · Rapid transit
Miniature · Scale model
By size (list)
Minimum
  Fifteen inch 381 mm (15 in)
Narrow
  600 mm
Two foot		 600 mm
610 mm		 (1 ft ​11 5⁄8 in)
(2 ft)
  750 mm
Bosnian gauge
Two foot six inch		 750 mm
760 mm
762 mm		 (2 ft ​5 1⁄2 in)
2 ft ​5 15⁄16 in
(2 ft 6 in)
  Swedish three foot
900 mm
Three foot		 891 mm
900 mm
914 mm		 (2 ft ​11 3⁄32 in)
(2 ft ​11 7⁄16 in)
(3 ft)
  Metre 1,000 mm (3 ft ​3 3⁄8 in)
  Three foot six inch 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  Standard 1,435 mm (4 ft ​8 1⁄2 in)
Broad
  Dresden gauge 1,450 mm (4 ft ​9 3⁄32 in)
  Leipzig gauge 1,458 mm (4 ft ​9 13⁄32 in)
  Toronto gauge 1,495 mm (4 ft ​10 7⁄8 in)
  1520 mm
Five foot		 1,520 mm
1,524 mm		 (4 ft ​11 7⁄8 in)
(5 ft)
  Pennsylvania gauge
Pennsylvania gauge
Five foot three inch		 1,581 mm
1,588 mm
1,600 mm		 (5 ft ​2 1⁄4 in)
(5 ft ​2 1⁄2 in)
(5 ft 3 in)
  Baltimore gauge 1,638 mm (5 ft ​4 1⁄2 in)
  Iberian gauge
Five foot six inch		 1,668 mm
1,676 mm		 (5 ft ​5 21⁄32 in)
(5 ft 6 in)
Change of gauge
Break-of-gauge · Dual gauge ·
Conversion (list) · Bogie exchange · Variable gauge
By location

North America · South America · Europe · Australia
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Rail transport

Sleepers

If tracks are converted to a narrower gauge, the existing sleepers may be used. However, replacement is required if the conversion is to a wider gauge. Some sleepers may be long enough to accommodate the fittings of both existing and alternative gauges. Wooden sleepers are suitable for conversion because they can be drilled for the repositioned rail spikes. Being difficult to drill, concrete sleepers are less suitable for conversion. Concrete sleepers may be cast with alternative gauge fittings in place. Steel sleepers may have alternative gauge fittings cast at production, may be drilled for new fittings or may be welded with new fittings.

For example, during the conversion of the Melbourne–Adelaide railway in Australia from 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) a sleeper with variable gauges and a reversible chair for the Pandrol clip was used.

Structures

Conversion from a narrow to a wider gauge may require enlargement of the structure gauge of the bridges, overpasses and tunnels, embankments and cuts. The minimum curve radius may have a larger radius on broader gauges requiring route deviations to allow the minimum curve radius to be increased. Track centers at stations with multiple tracks may also have to be increased. Conversion from narrow to standard gauge means several changes not because of the gauge itself, but in order to be compatible with the structure gauge of standard gauge track, such as height of overpasses so that trains can be exchanged. The choice of train couplers may be a factor as well.

Rolling stock
See also: Bogie exchange and Variable gauge

Where vehicles move to a different gauge, they must either be prepared for bogie exchange or be prepared for wheelset exchange. For example, passenger trains moving between the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge in France, and the 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 21⁄32 in) gauge in Spain, now pass through an installation which adjusts their variable gauge axles. This process is known as "gauge change". Goods wagons are still subject to either bogie exchange or wheelset exchange.

Steam locomotives

Few steam locomotives are constructed to allow for gauge change. Those that were include some in East African Railways, Garratts, and the Victorian Railways R class R766. Construction of steam locomotives in this way is difficult due to the width of the boilers and the fireboxes. The gauge change is only to a wider gauge because of the widths of the boilers and fireboxes on the 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)s locomotives as opposed to those on 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge.

In about 1860, the Bristol and Exeter Railway converted five 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge locomotives to 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) gauge, and later converted them back again. Also in the 19th century, in the United States, some broad 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge locomotives were designed for easy conversion to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge. In the 20th century, in Victoria station, London, some broad 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) gauge locomotive classes of the Great Western Railway were designed for easy conversion to a narrower 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge. Between 1922 and 1949, five South Australian Railways T class narrow 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge locomotives were converted to Tx-class broad 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) gauge, and later back again. After World War II, a number of captured German 03 class Pacifics locomotives were regauged to the Russian gauge.

Diesel and electric trains

Most diesel and electric rolling stock can undergo gauge conversion by replacement of their bogies. Engines with fixed wheelbases are more difficult to convert. In Australia, diesel locomotives are regularly re-gauged between broad, standard, and narrow gauges.

Wagons and coaches

Gauge conversion of wagons and coaches involves the replacement of the wheelsets or the bogies. In May 1892, wagons and coaches were converted when the 7 ft 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) gauge of the Great Western Railway was abandoned.

Gauge orphan

During gauge conversion work, some stations and branch lines may become "gauge orphans". Trains can't operate to them until costly gauge conversion work is completed. For example, between Seymour and Albury in Australia, some branch lines (such as Benalla to Oaklands) and some stations, such as Violet Town have become gauge orphans.

gollark: no.
gollark: THERE IS NO FLAG REGISTER
gollark: I like it, makes sense.
gollark: So branch if equal/less than/not equal/etc?
gollark: Although there's room to specify two registers, so hmm.

See also

Rail transport

References
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