International Railroad Discussion > turkey-irag rail link opens

See the story at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8518109.stm.

With respect to the last comment in the article, my understanding is that the Iranians have begun work to close the gap between the railhead in southwest Iran and the Pakistan border. It's only about 200 miles. However, if and when it's finished, there will be a break of gauge since the Indian and Pakistani railways are mostly broad-gauge (5' 3") or metergage.

Ummmmm...pardon me, Mr. Resor, but Indian/Pakistani (and Argentine/Chilean) broad gauges are 5'6".

5'3" is Irish broad gauge, also used in Australia (South Australia and Victoria) and in Brazil ( E. F. Central do Brasil [now ALL], Paulista, Santos a Jundiai, and more recently, Araraquara and Carajas).

Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)

Thanks for the correction. I can never remember who is 5'3", who is 5'6", and who is 5', just that they're all broader than standard.

rresor Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the correction. I can never remember
> who is 5'3", who is 5'6", and who is 5', just that
> they're all broader than standard.


5' is ex-USSR (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan), Finland, and Mongolia.

P.S. And yes, all of the Central Asian states mentioned have rail networks :) While certainly not what they used to be in the Soviet days, these are nevertheless fairly functional.

Well, as long as we're counting, let's add Iberian broad gauge (Spain and Portugal), which is 1665mm (5' 5-5/8"), based on a round number in an old Spanish unit (I believe it was 5 Spanish Feet, but I'm not certain); and then there's "Pennsylvania streetcar broad gauge", 5' 2-1/2", which still survives in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and Toronto streetcar gauge, which is IIRC 4' 10-7/8". No, I don't remember how the Toronto gauge originated, but the Pennsylvania broad gauge came about because the Pennsylvania RR was worried by the prospect of all those new electric street railways (in the 1890's) interchanging freight cars with PRR competitors -- so they persuaded state legislators to mandate that all new street railways must be built to a gauge "six inches broader than the standard".

Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)

airbrakegeezer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, as long as we're counting, let's add Iberian
> broad gauge (Spain and Portugal), which is 1665mm
> (5' 5-5/8"), based on a round number in an old
> Spanish unit (I believe it was 5 Spanish Feet, but
> I'm not certain); and then there's "Pennsylvania
> streetcar broad gauge", 5' 2-1/2", which still
> survives in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and
> Toronto streetcar gauge, which is IIRC 4' 10-7/8".
> No, I don't remember how the Toronto gauge
> originated, but the Pennsylvania broad gauge came
> about because the Pennsylvania RR was worried by
> the prospect of all those new electric street
> railways (in the 1890's) interchanging freight
> cars with PRR competitors -- so they persuaded
> state legislators to mandate that all new street
> railways must be built to a gauge "six inches
> broader than the standard".
>
> Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)

Looks like you are a little narrow too, Roger. Iberian gauge is officially 1668mm now.

Woops, sorry, SOO! I guess old age is affecting my typing skills, such as they are... I seem to remember that some years ago, there was some disagreement amongst the Spaniards themselves, as to whether the correct metric number should be 1668mm or 1667mm!

Roger Lewis (airbrakegeezer)