European Railroad Discussion > Ukraine 2019 Part 3 — Dual gauge track

I couldn't find an ATM in Batovo, and didn't feel like trying to convince a train conductor to take Euros, or trade with a bystander on the platform.  And it was a lovely day.  So I just headed east out of town for the 25 km trek to the city of Mukachevo. 

I took back roads part of the way, then got on the highway for the last few kms.  

The back roads crossed the train tracks in a few spots, and I got my first view of a dual gauge mainline of the Russian - Standard variety.  (I had seen Standard - Meter in Switzerland).  

Apparently the 3.5" difference between the gauges doesn't leave enough space for the flanges on the 5' gauge track for a 3 rail system.  So they use a 4 rail system.  

I crossed the line twice.  

1) 1st crossing, looking west at the setting sun.  All four rails are shiny!  

2) 1st crossing, looking east. 

3) 2nd crossing, with the Standard tracks "switching" out to their own right-of-way.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/22 18:24 by gobbl3gook.

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It took some mental sleuthing to figure out what was going on.  5' and 4' 8.5" is only a 3.5" difference.  Not enough to be o viousky noticeable.  (4' 8.5" vs 1 meter is very noticeable). 

I bring a measuring tape with me for bike lane width measurements, so I pulled it out to measure the gauges.  

1) overview 

2) 144 cm gauge 

3) 153 cm gauge. 

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Bonus photos -- Bolero Hotel 

With the modern miracle of Booking.com, you can sleuth out accommodation pretty quickly.  

I noted that the Bolero Hotel was a block from the train station and had good reviews.  So I booked a room for two nights, rolled up, negotiated for my "bicycletta" to be parked in the garage, and enjoyed a hot shower and good meal.  

7) I think I was the only one in the dining room.  

2, 3) When I check out of a hotel I make a point of taking photos of the room.  Because a) it documents the experience, and b) it focuses my mind to make sure I'm not leaving anything behind.  (I think I once lost my cell phone charger.  And, picking through the days events, the last time I remembered using it was in the hostel.  So I looked at my photos, and, sure enough, there it was in my "empty room photo".  So, the system doesn't always work ;^)  but I get photos of the rooms.) 

Looking at booking.com today, the Bolero Hotel is still in business.  $35/night for a room.  
https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-us.html?ss=Mukacheve%2C%20Transcarpathia%2C%20Ukraine&group_adults=2&group_children=0&no_rooms=1&sb_changed_dest=1&sb_changed_dates=1&label=gen173nr-1FCAEoggI46AdIM1gEaLQCiAECmAExuAEHyAEN2AEB6AEB-AECiAIBqAIDuALwyM-cBsACAdICJGZmNzM0NzAwLWU1OGUtNDBhNy05MzE0LTQ3N2I0ZWYwOWVjNdgCBeACAQ&aid=304142&lang=en-us&sb=1&src_elem=sb&src=index&dest_id=-1047179&dest_type=city&ac_position=0&ac_click_type=b&ac_langcode=en&ac_suggestion_list_length=2&search_selected=true&search_pageview_id=e9cd0c38a3aa011a&ac_meta=GhBlOWNkMGMzOGEzYWEwMTFhIAAoATICZW46CU11a2FjaGV2b0AASgBQAA%3D%3D&checkin=2022-12-20&checkout=2022-12-22&sb_travel_purpose=leisure&activeTab=sr_map

Commebts, questions, observations?  

Mukachevo Ukraine, October 2019. 

Ted in OR 

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/22 17:48 by gobbl3gook.

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Photo #7 sure makes me hungry!  Any idea what they call this meal?

You are correc t in that there is little space between rails in a three rail dual standard gauge and five feet gauge system
However, there was a very limited amount of such three rail trackage in Louisville, KY during the interurban era. 
The last interurban to use the standard gauge trackackage terminated ceased operations in 1940
Unfortunately, due to copyright restrictions, I cannot post a copy of a photo appearing in a book, I have that shows this dual trackage.
ALLEN

Very interesting!  Thanks for sharing!

lynn -- I don't know what it was called.  Maybe I should take photos of menus, too.  Or take notes... It looks *really* good to me, too.  Hungry at 1:00 am... 

ALLEN -- interesting about Cleveland's wide gauge track.  I googled it, but couldn't find any photos, and only a few vague references.  

Sofia, Bulgaria has a lot of dual gauge tram tracks, but they are standard gauge and meter gauge.  Made for some where interesting switches and diamonds at interchanges. 
See https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,5413754,5413755#5413755

Looking at a current gauge map on openrailwaymap.org, it looks like there is very little dual gauge track.  I was there in 2017, 5.5 years ago now.  So maybe they've converted the dual gauge to either one or the other.  
https://www.openrailwaymap.org/?style=gauge&lat=42.69841242238491&lon=23.313074111938477&zoom=15

Best, 
Ted in OR 

What part of Ukraine was this town in? Is it in a battle zone now, ocuupied, etc?

Victor Baird



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/17/23 16:49 by wabash2800.