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Rail gauge in North America
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Most North American railroads are standard gauge, with some narrow gauge lines particularly in the West, eg the isolated White Pass and Yukon Route system and the former Newfoundland Railway, and some streetcar, subway & rapid transit systems.
As well as the usual reasons for having one gauge ie being able to operate through trains without transfer arrangements, the North American continent-wide system of freight car interchange with rolling stock having the same standard gauge, couplings, and air brakes meant that individual companies could minimise their rolling stock requirements by borrowing from other companies.
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Encyclopedia
Most North American railroads are standard gauge, with some narrow gauge lines particularly in the West, eg the isolated White Pass and Yukon Route system and the former Newfoundland Railway, and some streetcar, subway & rapid transit systems.
As well as the usual reasons for having one gauge ie being able to operate through trains without transfer arrangements, the North American continent-wide system of freight car interchange with rolling stock having the same standard gauge, couplings, and air brakes meant that individual companies could minimise their rolling stock requirements by borrowing from other companies. Peak demand periods varied over the continent, with seasonal requirements eg for grain shipments occurring at different times in different areas so that freight cars could be redistributed to cover peaks as required.
Canada
In 1851 the broad gauge, called the the Provincial Gauge or Indian gauge, was universally adopted as the standard gauge for the Province of Canada. However in the 1870s, most Canadian railroads (apart from some narrow gauge lines, eg in Newfoundland) were changed to standard gauge to facilitate interchange with U.S. railroads.
Canadian railroads originally built as broad gauge included the Grand Trunk Railway which was changed to standard gauge by 1873. Other broad gauge lines were the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad and the Champlain and St. Lawrence Railroad until 1873, and the Intercolonial Railway of Canada until 1875.
The Toronto subway uses an overgauge of .
Guatemala
The narrow gauge railroad system of Guatemala no longer operates, see Rail transport in Guatemala.
Mexico
(to be added)
Panama
The Panama Railroad was originally broad gauge (Russian gauge), but the gauge was changed to when it was rebuilt in 2000, see Rail transport in Panama.
United States
Many American railroads, particularly those in the South were originally built to broad rather than standard gauge; some to the Russian gauge of .
The Indian gauge, also called the "Provincial gauge" or "Texas gauge" of , was used by the New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad (NOO&GW) until 1872, the Texas and New Orleans Railroad until 1876, and the Maine Central Railroad until 1871 (and is currently used by the Bay Area Rapid Transit System).
The Erie Railroad was originally gauge, while adjacent railroads used the or Ohio gauge. This led to the Erie Gauge War in 1853-54 when the Erie mayor and citizens temporarily prevented a gauge standardization, as there would then be less trans-shipping work and through passengers would no longer have to stopover at Erie.
The Pacific Railway Act of March 3, 1863 specified that the federally funded transcontinental railroad was to use standard gauge and helped to further popularize it among American railroads, although the standard gauge was already in use on many other lines prior to 1863.
Most of the southern rail network was converted from gauge to gauge, then the standard of the Pennsylvania Railroad, over two remarkable days from Monday, May 31, 1886, see Broad gauge#United States. This was close enough for standard gauge equipment, and so by June, 1886 all major railroads in North America used approximately the same gauge. The final conversion to true standard gauge took place gradually as track was maintained.
See also
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