We all know that how important railways are in our life. But while traveling have you noticed that some railway tracks are wide, some are wider and some of them are not that wide?
In this article, we will discuss the reason behind it.
What is Rail Gauge?
The gauge of a railway track is defined as the clear minimum horizontal distance between the inner sides of two tracks. The standard gauge of 1,435 mm is used by approximately 60% of the world’s railways. Indian railways use four types of railway gauges which are Broad gauge, Metre Gauge, Narrow gauge, and Standard gauge (for Delhi Metro).
Broad Gauge
The distance between the two tracks in broad railway gauges is 1676 mm (5 ft 6 in). These gauges are also known as wide gauges and large gauges. We can say that any gauge that is wider than the standard gauge, which is 1,435 mm (4 feet 812 inches). In 1853, a wide gauge line from Bore Bunder (now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) to Thane railway line was formed which is also India’s first railway line. Broad gauge railways are also utilized on ports for cranes and other equipment. This improves stability and makes them superior to thinner gauges.
Standard Gauge
The standard gauge is only used in India for urban rail transit systems such as the Metro, Monorail, and Tram. The distance between two tracks in the standard gauge is 1435mm (4 ft 8½ in). The Kolkata (Calcutta) tram system was India’s only standard gauge line until 2010. Because standard gauge rolling stock is easier to get than Indian gauge rolling equipment, all metro lines in urban areas will be built in standard gauge alone. Delhi Metro, Rapid Metro Rail Gurgaon, Bangalore Metro, and Mumbai Metro are operated separately from Indian Railways.
Metre Gauge
The main reason behind creating metre gauge is that it saves money. The two tracks are separated by 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3/8 in). Under Project Unigauge, all metre gauge lines in India will be converted to broad gauge, with the exception of the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, which is a legacy run on a metre gauge.
Narrow Gauge
A narrow gauge, often known as a small line, is a small gauge. The narrow-gauge railway is defined as a railway track with a distance between two tracks of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) and 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) respectively (610 mm).
What factors are affecting railway Gauge?
Speed of the train:
A train’s speed depends on the diameter of the wheel and it is controlled by the gauge.
Traffic conditions:
If the track’s traffic intensity is expected to be high, the broad gauge will be preferable than the standard gauge.
Cost of track:
The price of a railway track is directly proportionate to its gauge breadth. If there is insufficient money to build a standard gauge and no railway line in the area, metre gauge or narrow gauge is preferred.
Poor areas development:
To help develop the impoverished areas, narrow gauges have been built in several parts of the world.