Metre-gauge railway

Metre-gauge railways (US: meter-gauge railways) are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) or 1 metre.[1]

Metre gauge is used in around 95,000 kilometres (59,000 mi) of tracks around the world.[citation needed] It was used by several European colonial powers including France, Britain and Germany in their colonies. In Europe, large metre-gauge networks remain in use in Switzerland, Spain and many European towns with urban trams, but most metre-gauge local railways in France, Germany and Belgium closed down in the mid-20th century, although some still remain. With the revival of urban rail transport, metre-gauge light metros were built in some cities. The slightly-wider 1,009 mm (3 ft 3+2332 in) gauge is used in Sofia. Another similar gauge is 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm).

Examples of metre-gauge

Country/territoryRailway
Argentina11,080 km (6,880 mi)

Ferrocarril General Manuel Belgrano

Austria
Bangladesh1,830 km (1,140 mi), out of which 365 km (227 mi) are dual gauge with 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) gauge
Belgium
Benin578 km (359 mi)
Bolivia3,600 km (2,200 mi)
Brazil

23,489 km (14,595 mi)

  • Mostly in cargo railways, including E.F Vitoria-Minas Passenger/Cargo Line and R.R. (operating)
  • Fortaleza Metro (operating)
  • Teresina Metro (operating)
Bulgaria154 km (96 mi) of 1,009 mm (3 ft 3+2332 in) gauge
Burkina Faso
Burma3,200 kilometres (2,000 mi) 160 kilometres (99 mi)
Cambodia612 km (380 mi)
Cameroon1,104 km (686 mi)
Chile2,923 km (1,816 mi)
China
  • Kunhe Railway (formerly the Yunnan–Vietnam Railway) (operating).
Croatia
Czech RepublicLike other Sudeten cities, the trams of Liberec used metre gauge in the past. All lines however have been rebuilt to standard gauge.
Democratic Republic of the CongoSeveral metre gauge railways
Denmark

A few local railways. Only one remains, but regauged to standard gauge.

Egypt
Finland
FranceHistorically used in many local and regional railways, only a few of which remain today.
Germany
GreeceThe Piraeus, Athens and Peloponnese Railways used to be the largest metre-gauge network in Europe but are now largely abandoned. Only the suburban rail service of Patras, and the Olympia–Katakolo tourist railway still use the network.
Hungary
IndiaNilgiri Mountain Railway (operating)

Mailani - Nanpara Railway (operating)

IraqMesopotamian Railways
IsraelSections of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+38 in) railways, later converted to 1,050 mm (3 ft 5+1132 in) or 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) gauge
Italy
Ivory Coast
Kenya
Uganda
  • Metre gauge link from Malaba to Tororo (operating)
  • Metre gauge link from Tororo - Gulu - Pakwach to Tororo (under rehabilitation)
LaosA 3.5 km extension of the metre-gauge State Railway of Thailand network across the border into Laos
LatviaLiepāja tramway (operating)
Madagascar875 km (544 mi). There are two unconnected systems operated by Madarail
Malaysia
Mali

641 km (398 mi) Dakar–Niger Railway

MaltaMalta Railway
MoroccoSeveral industrial railways in former Spanish Morocco
New ZealandWellington Cable Car (operating)
Norway
Pakistan
Poland
PortugalSeveral mainly mountainous branch lines, mostly abandoned in the 1990s, never fully interconnected — connected to the REFER network by means of shared stations and some dual-gauge stretches. Metro de Mirandela and Vouga line remain in use. Other metric networks include Funchal rack railway (defunct in 1943), Coimbra trams (defunct in 1980), and Sintra trams.
Puerto RicoFull network of Puerto Rican 1000mm railways in 1920: 654 km (406 mi)[2]
Romania
Russia
SenegalDakar–Niger Railway – 1,287 km (800 mi)
SerbiaBelgrade Tram (operating)
SingaporeSingapore span of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railway) for shuttle service.
Slovakia
Spain
SwedenSkansens bergbana (operating)
SwitzerlandMany narrow-gauge railways: suburban railways, mountain railways, rack railways, some long-distance railways and trams.
TanzaniaTanzania Railways Corporation – about 2,600 km (1,600 mi) (break of gauge with 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) TAZARA Railway)
ThailandState Railway of Thailand, 4,346 km (2,700 mi).
Togo568 km (353 mi).
Tunisia1,674 km (1,040 mi) used along with standard gauge (471 km (293 mi))
Turkey
UgandaUganda Railway run by Uganda Railways Corporation
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
VietnamVietnam Railways and KunHe Railway

See also

References

External links