2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways

{{short description|Railway track gauge}}

{{Sidebar track gauge}}

File:C01364-9.2 inch howitzer Ypres 1917.jpg with shells lined up on the ground recently delivered from the trench railway in the foreground during World War I]]

Two foot and 600 mm gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauges of {{RailGauge|2ft}} and {{RailGauge|600mm}}, respectively. Railways with similar, less common track gauges, such as {{RailGauge|1ft11.75in}} and {{RailGauge|1ft11.5in}}, are grouped with 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways.

Overview

File:CAEN - La Gare des Chemins de fer du Calvados.jpg' Caen station in France]]

File:Pilionbahn in milies.JPG diesel locomotive on the Pelion railway in Greece]]

File:'Sea Lion', Groudle Glen Railway (All About Railways, Hartnell).jpg Sea Lion locomotive c. 1910 on the Isle of Man]]

File:Tateyama Sabo Mizutani.jpg in Japan]]

File:Beira Railway F4.jpg Class F4 No. 38 in Mozambique]]

File:OMEG 1914.png in South West Africa (now Namibia). This railcar was able to reach a speed of {{convert|137|km}} per hour.]]

File:Efteling Stoomtrein.jpg, located in Efteling in the Netherlands, runs some locomotives that are more than a century old.]]

File:Lyd2 Bieszczady.jpg locomotive built by 23 August Locomotive Works (FAUR) in Romania]]

File:Datei-Urlaub Südafrika 2009 458.jpg Class 91-000 on the Avontuur Railway in South Africa]]

File:Hamra3.jpg on the Östra Södermanlands Järnväg in Sweden]]

Most of these lines are tourist lines, which are often heritage railways or industrial lines, such as the Ffestiniog Railway in Wales and the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado.

World War I trench railways produced the greatest concentration of {{RailGauge|600mm}} gauge railways to date. In preparation for World War II, the French Maginot Line and Alpine Line also used {{RailGauge|600mm}} gauge railways for supply routes to the fixed border defenses.

Australia has over {{convert|4000|km}} of {{RailGauge|2ft}} gauge sugar cane railway networks in the coastal areas of Queensland, which carry more than 30 million tonnes of sugar cane a year.

Many {{RailGauge|2ft}} gauge and {{RailGauge|600mm}} gauge railways are used in amusement parks and theme parks worldwide.

Exchange of rolling stock

The interchange of rolling stock between these similar track gauges occasionally occurred; for example, the South African Class NG15 2-8-2 locomotives started their career on the {{RailGauge|600mm}} gauge. The Otavi Mining and Railway Company in South West Africa (now Namibia) were transferred to the 2 ft gauge railways in South Africa and currently some surviving locomotives reside in Wales on the {{RailGauge|1ft11.5in}} gauge Welsh Highland Railway and the {{RailGauge|1ft11.75in}} gauge Brecon Mountain Railway.

Railways

class=wikitable

! Country/territory

! Railway

! Gauge

Albania

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Albania}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Angola

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Argentina

|

  • Ferrocarril Económico Correntino (defunct)
  • Paseo con Ciencia tramway[http://www.tramz.com/ar/vh/vh.html The Very Special Electric Tramway in Valle Hermoso, Argentina] (operating)
  • Rainforest Ecological Train (operating)
  • Republic of the Children (operating)
  • Ushuaia Prison Railway[http://www.railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk/10apresidio.html Railways of the Far South{{dash}}The Ushuaia prison railway & the FCAF] (rebuilt as the {{RailGauge|500mm}} gauge Southern Fuegian Railway) (operating)
  • Various construction, mining, and agricultural railways[https://web.archive.org/web/20060822001415/http://members.shaw.ca/twofooter/ww2ftrrA-C.htm#Argentina#Argentina World Wide Listing of Two foot, 1' 11 1/2", 600 mm (60cm) & 610mm Railroads (from archive.org){{dash}}Argentina] (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Australia

|

{{Main|Two foot gauge railways in Australia}}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Austria

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Austria}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Belarus

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

rowspan="2"|Belgium

|

  • MusicXpress (located in Walibi Belgium) (defunct){{cite web |url=https://www.pretparken.be/NL/Attractie/624/Music-Express |access-date=12 January 2024 |title=Music Express{{dash}}Walibi Belgium{{dash}}Pretparken.be }}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

*Sourbrodt–Elsenborn Camp;{{Cite web |url=http://www.avoe05.dsl.pipex.com/be_venn.htm |title=The Vennbahn: Belgium's railway through Germany |access-date=2014-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185023/http://www.avoe05.dsl.pipex.com/be_venn.htm |archive-date=2016-03-03 |url-status=dead }} 3.2 km (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Brazil

|

  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Perus-Pirapora Railway|pt|lt=Perus-Pirapora Railway}} (operating)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Estrada de Ferro São Mateus|pt|lt=São Mateus Railway}} (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Brunei

|

{{main|Transport in Brunei}}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Bulgaria

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Bulgaria}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Burundi

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Cambodia

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Canada

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Cameroon

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Central African Republic

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Chile

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

China

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in China}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Comoros

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Czech Republic

|

  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Werkbahn Kateřina|de|lt=Dráha Kateřina}}; 15 km (operating)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Kolínská řepařská drážka|cs}}; 10.6 km (operating)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Mladějovská úzkorozchodná železnice|cs|lt=Mladějovská železnice}}; 10.5 km (operating)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Muzeum Průmyslových Železnic|cs|Muzeum průmyslových železnic|lt=Muzeum Průmyslových Železnic}} (Zbýšov, Czech Republic) ca 2.7 km (operating) (converted from standard gauge)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Democratic Republic of the Congo

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Denmark

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Denmark}}

  • Bunkermuseum Hanstholm museum (MuseumsCenter Hanstholm) railway is preserved.{{cite web | url=https://bunkermuseumhanstholm.dk/oplev-museet/museumsbanen/ | title=Museumsbanen }}{{cite web | url=http://www.smalspor.dk/search_alt001.asp | title=Smalsporede industribanelokomotiver SearchFunction Build VII }}
  • Stenvad Mosebrug (Stenvad Mosebrugscenter), Mosebrugsbanen peat museum railway is preserved.{{cite web | url=https://stenvadmosebrugscenter.dk/uk/ | title=Stenvad Mosebrug - English }}{{cite web | url=https://stenvadmosebrugscenter.dk/narrow-gauge-railway/ | title=Narrow-Gauge Railway | date=26 June 2024 }}{{cite web | url=https://stenvadmosebrugscenter.dk/mosebanen/ | title=Mosebanen | date=31 May 2024 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.jernbanen.dk/forum2/index.php?mode=thread&id=36041 | title=Stenvad Mosebrugscenter - Jernbanehistorisk forum }}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Egypt

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Eritrea

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Estonia

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Falkland Islands

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Fiji

|

{{main|Rail transport in Fiji}}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Finland

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Finland}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

France

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in France}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Germany

|

{{Main|600 mm gauge railways in Germany}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Greece

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Greenland

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Guatemala

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Hong Kong

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Hungary

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Iceland

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

India

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Indonesia

|

  • Sugar mill railways in Java such as Jatiwangi (mill closed), Jatibarang (in use), Pangka (in use), Sragi (in use), Cepiring (mill closed), Soedhono (in use), Tulangan (in use), Panji (rail operation closed), and Gending (rail operation closed)[https://archive.today/20050206232332/http://members.shaw.ca/twofooter/ww2ftrr.htm World Wide Listing of Two foot, 1' 11 1/2", 600 mm (60cm) & 610mm Railroads (from archive.org){{dash}}Java]
  • Local tram service in Karawang and Rambipuji, all closed.

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Isle of Man

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Italy

|

  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Ferrovia Cividale-Tarcetta|it|lt=Cividale-Tarcetta Railway}} (defunct)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Ferrovia Montevecchio Sciria-San Gavino Monreale|it|lt=Montevecchio Sciria-San Gavino Monreale Railway}} (defunct)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Tranvia Porto Empedocle-Lucia|it|lt=Porto Empedocle-Lucia}} (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Japan

|

  • Musashino-Mura Railway{{Cite web |url=http://railscape.travel-way.net/k/musashino/ |title=RailScape{{dash}}Musashino-Mura |access-date=2014-02-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225213235/http://railscape.travel-way.net/k/musashino/ |archive-date=2014-02-25 |url-status=dead }}[http://www.musashinomura.co.jp/ Musashino-Mura{{dash}}official website] (located in {{Interlanguage link multi|Musashino-Mura|jp|3=むさしの村}}) (operating)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Narita Yume Bokujō Railway|jp|3=羅須地人鉄道協会}}[http://www.steamlocomotive.info/jstate.cfm?state=chiba Steamlocomotive.info{{dash}}Chiba][http://www.rass-rail.org/line.htm Narita Yume Bokujō Railway{{dash}}official website] (located in {{Interlanguage link multi|Narita Yume Bokujō|jp|3=成田ゆめ牧場}}) (operating)
  • Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train (private) (operating)

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Laos

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Latvia

|

{{Main|Narrow-gauge railways in Latvia}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Lithuania

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

North Macedonia

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Madagascar

|

  • Sugar cane, industrial and military railways[http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/madagascar01.htm Industrial Heritage in Madagascar, 2012] (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Mauritius

|

  • A network of sugar cane railways[http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/mauritius06.htm Narrow Gauge Railway Relics in Mauritius, 2012] (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

rowspan="2"|Mexico

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

*Tacubaya Railroad (converted to standard gauge) (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Montenegro

|

  • Podgorica–Plavnica railway (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Morocco

|

{{main|History of rail transport in Morocco}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Mozambique

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Myanmar

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Namibia

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Nauru

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Netherlands

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

New Zealand

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Norway

|

  • Åmdals Verk Gruver; 0.6 km (operating)
  • Gruvemuseet pa Litlabo (operating)
  • Høyanger funicular (operating)
  • Kristiansand Kanonmuseum (operating)
  • Lommedalsbanen;{{Cite web |url=http://www.scanrailsoc.org.uk/ng.html |title=Directory of preserved narrow gauge railways in Norway |access-date=2014-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222034622/http://www.scanrailsoc.org.uk/ng.html |archive-date=2014-02-22 |url-status=dead }} 0.6 km (operating)
  • Sulitjelma Besøksgruve (operating)
  • Stiftelsen Konnerudverket; 0.5 km (operating)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Palestine

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Papua New Guinea

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Pakistan

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Philippines

|

  • Manila–Dagupan Railway (operated within Manila yards {{circa}} 1907) (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Poland

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Poland}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Portugal

|

  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Comboio da Praia do Barril|pt|3=Comboio da Praia do Barril}} (operating)
  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Minicomboio da Caparica|pt}} (operating)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Rwanda

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Somalia

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

South Africa

|

{{Main|Two-foot-gauge railways in South Africa}}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

South Korea

|

  • EcoLand Resort Forest Train{{Cite web |url=http://www.severn-lamb.com/news_archive.asp |title=Severn Lamb{{dash}}News Archive |access-date=2014-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202163731/http://www.severn-lamb.com/news_archive.asp |archive-date=2011-12-02 |url-status=dead }} (located in {{Interlanguage link multi|EcoLand Theme Park|ko|3=에코랜드}}) (operating)

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Spain

|

  • {{Interlanguage link multi|Ferrocarril Turístic de l'Alt Llobregat|ca}}
  • Funicular de Capdella{{Cite web|title=Trams of the World 2017|url=http://blickpunktstrab.net/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tramsderwelt2017.pdf|publisher=Blickpunkt Straßenbahn|date=January 24, 2017|access-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216202427/http://blickpunktstrab.net/wordpress2/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/tramsderwelt2017.pdf|archive-date=February 16, 2017}}
  • Funicular de Molinos (private) (operating){{Cite web |url=http://www.listadotren.es/funis/molinos.php |title=Listadotren.es{{dash}}Funicular de Molinos (Lleida) |access-date=2014-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304055117/http://www.listadotren.es/funis/molinos.php |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}
  • Tren Minero de Utrillas {{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/museoyferrocarrildeutrillas/|title=Tren Minero de Utrillas|website=www.facebook.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-24}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

rowspan="2"|Sudan

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

*Tokar–Trinkitat Light Railway (defunct)

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Sweden

|

{{main|Narrow-gauge railways in Sweden}}

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Switzerland

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Taiwan

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Tanzania

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Thailand

|

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Togo

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

Turkey

|

|{{RailGauge|600mm}}

United Kingdom

|

{{Main|2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways in the United Kingdom}}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}};
{{RailGauge|1ft11.75in}};
{{RailGauge|600mm}};
{{RailGauge|1ft11.5in}}

United States

|

{{Main|2 ft gauge railroads in the United States}}

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

Zimbabwe

|

  • Shurugwi Peak Railway[http://www.railwaysafrica.com/blog/2013/10/15/610mm-gauge-shurugwi-railway/ 610 mm gauge Shurugwi Railway][https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoff-cooke/sets/72157641812264283/ Shurugwi Peak Railway, Zimbabwe] (operating)

|{{RailGauge|2ft}}

See also

References

{{reflist|colwidth=35em}}

{{Navbox track gauge}}