How would it be possible for every railway in the US to have adopted a Broad Gauge as opposed to the Standard Gauge? Furthermore, could it be possible for this wider gauge to improve the safety record of Railways and keep them popular in the US for nationwide travel?
AHC: Adopt the Broad Gauge in the US
- Thread starter Mr. BoJangles
- Start date
It isn't a safety problem, the problem for railroads is that cars are 10X more convenient. You can drive a car on your schedule while you have to go on the train's schedule. Also a car will take you almost anywhere while the train makes certain stops and if you have somewhere else to go you have to take a bus or something right afterwards which makes it two or more schedules you are beholden to.
So you answered the second question. But this is ignoring that prospect and going back to before Railroads came to the US.
Admiral Halsey
Banned
Actually it was a combination of car AND plane travel that killed passenger rail. Cars took away from the local and intermediate runs while planes knocked off the long haul runs like the 20th Century and the Super Chief. The safety record had nothing to do with it.
Getting back to question 1: It might delay the development of railway systems a bit because instead of being able to buy off-the-shelf in Britain, companies would need to order bespoke. THis will not matter too much in the early years and by the time the USA has its own railway industry, it will cease to be an issue, but in the interim, just before the Civil War, it will matter. The question is, how much? I don't know, but it is an interesting thought.
If they use Russian broad gauge, a lot of American rolling stock could be sold across the Pacific. Delivery's a doozy, and US industry is very competitive in pricing.
It could also lead to the (erroneous) conclusion that broad gauige is what allows things like pullmans, sleeping berths, dining cars and similar amenities. European standard gauge lines will not try to inntroduce them to the same extent. This might result in fewer long-distance luxury trains and more emphasis on medium-distance hops with railway hotel stays.
If they use Russian broad gauge, a lot of American rolling stock could be sold across the Pacific. Delivery's a doozy, and US industry is very competitive in pricing.
It could also lead to the (erroneous) conclusion that broad gauige is what allows things like pullmans, sleeping berths, dining cars and similar amenities. European standard gauge lines will not try to inntroduce them to the same extent. This might result in fewer long-distance luxury trains and more emphasis on medium-distance hops with railway hotel stays.
If Confederacy conquered Union, would they regauge Northern railways to broad gauge like Union eventually regauged Confederacy to standard gauge OTL?
Admiral Halsey
Banned
Well there's your problem. I hate to say it but the Confederacy conquering the Union is ASB. Now winning the Civil war is another matter entirely.
Actually, quite a few railways in the North were built to broad gauge. In northern New England, for example, what was originally known there as "Canadian gauge" and what we now know as Indian gauge (because of its widespread use in India) was used for railways here mainly because frost heaves would be less of an issue and hence fewer problems due to winter conditions and also easier to run snowplows. As at the time Canada used this broad gauge until they were gradually regauged to standard gauge, a big selling point at the time was that it would facilitate easier trade with Canada, but that gradually stopped being a major advantage once Canada converted. So we're left with its advantages during the winter. On that alone, it could be easy to get the North using *Indian gauge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_gauge#United_States
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_gauge#United_States
Transcontinental Railroad
Most likely, whatever gauge the Transcontinental Railroad settled on would become the nation's standard gauge when it was time to convert. A broader gauge would have delayed the construction significantly due to the run through the Rockies. Converting that line to broader gauge would have required massive work on tunnels and cuts, unless the loading gauge was left alone--which defeats the advantage of broad gauge.
Most likely, whatever gauge the Transcontinental Railroad settled on would become the nation's standard gauge when it was time to convert. A broader gauge would have delayed the construction significantly due to the run through the Rockies. Converting that line to broader gauge would have required massive work on tunnels and cuts, unless the loading gauge was left alone--which defeats the advantage of broad gauge.
Thats what the GWR did in England when it was coverting from Brunel's Broad Gauge to Stephenson's gauge (the old mining gauge) to enable both sets of Engines and stock to operate until the Broad Gauge stock was withdrawn. Now why we Brits didn't use 5ft or 6ft gauge is a whole different kettle of fish (or more precisely load of coal).
Last edited:
Though the more confusing thing is why the same Parliament specified a broader gauge in Ireland than it did in the UK. Which then led to Australian states using different gauges based on which they got their first rolling stock from (the bits that didn't get shipped to India by mistake, anyway, or was that the other way round?).Thats what the GWR did in England when it was coverting from Brunel's Broad Guage to Stephenson's gauge (the old mining guage) to enable both sets of Engines and stock to operate until the Broad Gauge stock was withdrawn. Now why we Brits didn't use 5ft or 6ft gauge is a whole different kettle of fish (or more precisely load of coal).
The whole gauge question ended up being bizarre almost everywhere. I seem to remember Spain purposefully adopted a different gauge from everyone else to make invasion more difficult?!
I don't know the details of how it would or wouldn't end up as the dominant system but I do think that Indian gauge is perhaps the closet to the optimum width of track (from a cost vs performance standpoint) among the major systems. The results of adopting this track would likely be positive from the standpoint of locomotive design (easier), operating speeds and, as has been mentioned, for noticeably improved passenger car comfort. I see no reason broad gauge would not easily expand in the US if it was felt to be the dominant system. If it was adopted in Canada and kept there, it would certainly get a big boost, particularly, if the US continues to struggle with adopting a single gauge. I'll admit, there are certainly some places where broad gauge is a disadvantage - like the mountains - but narrow gauge lines should be able to handle some of these smaller routes, perhaps to a greater degree than they did OTL. The biggest problem for broad gauge might be that you need to get it going before too many tunnels and bridges are already built for other systems. if you don't then there will be a strong financial incentive to stay with a narrower gauge.
Last edited: