I keep getting surprised by narrow gauge RRs popping up and wondered if trains would perhaps supply a map of the month with their locations (better than Amtrak crew change points)[:D]
At one time I thought the only extant narrow gauges were the EBT, WP&Y, the 2 southern Colorado lines, and the Disney RR.
Now, I’m learning from trains that there’s a narrow gauge line near El Centro Calif and a couple months ago the Palmetto RR in South Carolina.
Heck, I’m also interested in where the very very short industrial railways are as well.
Input/photos appreciated!
(with so many folks modeling narrow gauge railways, this topic might have a special interest to those who bridge over to the model RR side)[:D]
As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, many in-house steel mill railroads are 3’ gauge, used primarily for moving ingots, bars, blooms, slabs, and other hot semi-finished shapes within the mill.
Looking beyond North America, a sizable amount of the world’s railroads are various narrow gauges, mostly meter-gauge and Imperial (3’6") gauge. South Africa even has a small network of 2’ gauge.
There are also at least two or three in Maine that are either two or three foot gauge. Also, Knotts Berry Farm in Orange CO, CA has two nice ex-DRG&W steamers on a track in their park. Of course, Edaville may still be around in MA as well.
US Gypsum mining railway, 3’ gauge runs about 26 miles from Plaster City to the gypsum mine in the Fish Creek mountains near Ocotillo Wells. As I recall, the engine they use was once used in Hawaii on a narrow-gauge railroad there. This I recall from an article in the Imperial Valley Press a long time ago.
It may be, though, that they have gotten a new one since the line has been in use at least since WW II and probably before when the Portland Cement company had the plant.
USG uses the DL535E’s that were built for WP&Y but were never delivered. You can get a photo of an export locomotive without leaving the United States.
here in Australia we have 1067mm(3ft 6inch) gauge in Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia we also have an extensive cane railway network which is 600mm gauge (2ft)
They don’t do a whole lot of running, but the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden has some 3’ stuff, too (including, at least for the time being) all three of the steamers from the last Georgetown Loop operators.