Why are train tracks different widths?

Why are train tracks different widths?

In the thread, Holohan contends that the standard railroad gauge in the U.S.—4 feet, 8.5 inches—derives from the way that rail lines were built in England, where engineers based the width of their railroads on the spacing of road ruts in Imperial Rome, which were in turn designed to accommodate the size of horses’ rear …

How wide are railroad tracks and why?

The U.S. federal safety standards allow the standard gauge to vary from 4 ft 8 in (1,420 mm) to 4 ft 9 1⁄2 in (1,460 mm) for operation up to 60 mph (97 km/h). It’s commonly believed and was even written about in Popular Mechanics, that the gauge or width between tracks descended from Imperial Roman war chariots.

How did changing the gauge width help Southern railroads?

Effects of the Southern gauge change This research suggests that had Southern carriers not been colluding, the gauge change would have generated a sharp reduction in freight rates and immediate growth in trade between the North and South.

Why are roads as wide as they are?

DC was to be the center of an empire stretching from coast to coast and its design was to reflect this future glory. Meanwhile, other US cities with prominent agricultural industries, such as Salt Lake City, Utah, and Livermore, California, created wide streets to allow horse/oxen-drawn wagons to turn around.

Why does the railway track look broader on one side and narrower on the other?

Broad gauge is also called wide gauge or large line. The distance between the two tracks in these railway gauges is 1676 mm (5 ft 6 in). This gives better stability and they are even better than thinner gauges.

How was train track width determined?

The truthful answer is that no one really knows. Some people believe that train tracks were merely laid on top of road ruts left by wagons and that the width of the wagons were determined by the width of two horses side by side hauling the wagon.

How wide are railroad ties?

What are railroad ties? Railroad ties are rectangular timbers that measure approximately 8 feet 6 inches long, are 9 inches wide, and are 7 inches thick. As the name implies, these huge wood pieces are used in the base of railroad tracks.

Why do trains have narrow gauges?

Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structure gauges, and lighter rails, they can be less costly to build, equip, and operate than standard- or broad-gauge railways (particularly in mountainous or difficult terrain).

What is the spacing between railroad tracks?

The distance between the inside edges of the rails is defined to be 1435 mm except in the United States and on some heritage British lines, where it is defined in U.S. customary/Imperial units as exactly “four feet eight and one half inches” which is equivalent to 1435.1 mm.

Why are railroads narrow gauge?

Why are train tracks narrow?

What is the history behind the width of railroad tracks?

The width of railroad tracks is based on history that extends back to Roman chariots-Fiction! The width of railroad tracks is based on history that extends back to Roman chariots-Fiction! The Width of Railroad Tracks is based on a History that Extends Back to Roman Chariots-Fiction!

What was it like to work on the railroad?

Laying track and living in and among the railroad construction camps was often very difficult. Railroad construction crews were not only subjected to extreme weather conditions, they had to lay tracks across and through many natural geographical features, including rivers, canyons, mountains, and desert.

What was one problem the railroad industry faced?

One problem the railroad industry faced was that different railroad companies used different gauges of track The new railroads encouraged many people to relocate to the western United States Why did early railroad companies lay dissimilar track from other railroad companies?

Why did the New York & Erie Railroad have a broad gauge?

The New York & Erie Railroad not only believed a broader gauge was more stable but also that a six-foot gauge would prohibit rivals from connecting to their rails. Canada chose a five-foot-six-inch gauge as a military strategy: American trains could not operate on Canadian rails.