Gaza Railway

{{short description|A narrow gauge railway in Mozambique}}

{{for|the railway that once operated in the Gaza Strip|Palestine Railways}}

{{update|date=November 2023}}

{{Infobox rail line

| name = Gaza Railway

| other_name =

| native_name =

| native_name_lang =

| logo =

| logo_alt =

| image =

| image_alt =

| caption =

| type =

| system =

| status =

| locale =

| start = Xai-Xai

| end = Chicomo and Mauela

| stations =

| routes =

| daily_ridership =

| ridership2 =

| planopen =

| open =

| yearcommenced = Early 1990s

| yearcompleted =

| close =

| event1label =

| event1 =

| event2label =

| event2 =

| event3label =

| event3 =

| owner =

| operator =

| character =

| depot =

| stock =

| linelength_km = 140

| linelength_mi =

| linelength =

| tracklength_km =

| tracklength_mi =

| tracklength =

| tracks =

| gauge = {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}}

| old_gauge =

| load_gauge =

| minradius =

| racksystem =

| routenumber =

| linenumber =

| electrification =

| speed_km/h =

| speed_mph =

| speed =

| signalling =

| elevation_m =

| elevation_ft =

| elevation =

| website =

| map =

| map_name = map_name

| map_state = uncollapsed

| embedded =

}}

The Gaza Railway is a {{RailGauge|2ft6in|lk=on}} narrow gauge railway operating in southern Mozambique from Xai-Xai (former Villa de João Belo) via Manjacaze junction (53 km) with branches to Chicomo (37 km) and Mauela (50 km). It was constructed in the early 1900s for the transportation of passengers and cashew nuts.[https://books.google.com/books?id=MM34PPw01XYC&pg=PT193 Travel Guide to Maputo and Southern Mozambique - by Bridget Hilton-Barber] With branches, its total length was {{convert|140|km|mi|abbr=on}}. The railway operated several small American steam locomotives, including a Baldwin 2-8-0, built in 1925, a Baldwin 0-6-2 and an Alco 2-6-0.[http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trains/mozam03.htm Steam in Mocambique, August/September 1999]Durrant, A.E., A.A. Jorgensen, C.P. Lewis. Steam in Africa, London, 1981, Hamlyn. In 2000, parts of the railway line were washed away by floods and the railway has not been used since then.