2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways

Two foot and 600 mm gauge railways are narrow gauge railways with track gauges of 2 ft (610 mm) and 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), respectively. Railways with similar, less common track gauges, such as 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) and 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm), are grouped with 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways.

Track gauge
By transport mode
By size (list)
Minimum
  Fifteen inch 381 mm (15 in)
Narrow
 
  • 600 mm
  • 610 mm
  • (1 ft ​11 5⁄8 in)
  • (2 ft)
 
  • 750 mm
  • 760 mm
  • 762 mm
  • (2 ft ​5 1⁄2 in)
  • (2 ft ​5 15⁄16 in)
  • (2 ft 6 in)
 
  • 891 mm
  • 900 mm
  • 914 mm
  • (2 ft ​11 3⁄32 in)
  • (2 ft ​11 7⁄16 in)
  • (3 ft)
  Metre 1,000 mm (3 ft ​3 3⁄8 in)
  Three foot six inch 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  Standard 1,435 mm (4 ft ​8 1⁄2 in)
Broad
  Dresden gauge 1,450 mm (4 ft ​9 3⁄32 in)
  Leipzig gauge 1,458 mm (4 ft ​9 13⁄32 in)
  Toronto gauge 1,495 mm (4 ft ​10 7⁄8 in)
 
  • 1,520 mm
  • 1,524 mm
  • (4 ft ​11 7⁄8 in)
  • (5 ft)
 
  • 1,581 mm
  • 1,588 mm
  • 1,600 mm
  • (5 ft ​2 1⁄4 in)
  • (5 ft ​2 1⁄2 in)
  • (5 ft 3 in)
  Baltimore gauge 1,638 mm (5 ft ​4 1⁄2 in)
 
  • 1,668 mm
  • 1,676 mm
  • (5 ft ​5 21⁄32 in)
  • (5 ft 6 in)
Change of gauge
By location
A BL 9.2-inch howitzer with shells lined up on the ground recently delivered from the trench railway in the foreground during World War I.

Overview
The Chemins de Fer du Calvados's Caen station in France.
A steam outline Schöma diesel locomotive on the Pelion railway in Greece.
The Groudle Glen Railway Sea Lion locomotive c. 1910 on the Isle of Man.
The Tateyama Sabō Erosion Control Works Service Train in Japan.
Beira Railroad Corporation Class F4 No. 38 in Mozambique.
The gasoline engine Crown Prince of the Otavi Mining and Railway Company in South West Africa (now Namibia). This railcar was able to reach a speed of 137 kilometres (85 mi) per hour.
The Efteling Steam Train Company, located in Efteling in the Netherlands, runs some locomotives that are more than a century old.
Lyd2 locomotive built by 23 August Locomotive Works (FAUR) in Romania.
A Spoornet Class 91-000 on the Avontuur Railway in South Africa.
A locomotive and turntable 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 Festiniog Railway in Wales and the Cripple Creek and Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado.

World War I trench railways produced the greatest concentration of 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge railways to date. In preparation for World War II, the French Maginot Line and Alpine Line also used 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge railways for supply routes to the fixed border defenses.

Australia has over 4,000 kilometres (2,500 mi) of 2 ft (610 mm) gauge sugar cane railway networks in the coastal areas of Queensland, which carry more than 30 million tonnes of sugarcane a year.

Many 2 ft (610 mm) gauge and 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) 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 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) 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 1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm) gauge Welsh Highland Railway and the 1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm) gauge Brecon Mountain Railway.

Installations
Country/territory Railway Gauge
Albania
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Albania
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Angola 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Argentina 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Australia
Main article: Two foot gauge railways in Australia
 2 ft (610 mm)
Austria
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Austria
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Belarus 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Belgium 2 ft (610 mm)
600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Brazil
  • Perus-Pirapora Railway (operating)
  • São Mateus Railway (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Brunei
Main article: Transport in Brunei
 2 ft (610 mm)
Bulgaria
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Bulgaria
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Burundi 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Cambodia 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Canada 2 ft (610 mm)
Cameroon 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Central African Republic 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Chile 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
China
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in China
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Comoros 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Czech Republic
  • Dráha Kateřina; 15 km (operating)
  • Kolínská řepařská drážka; 10.6 km (operating)
  • Mladějovská železnice; 10.5 km (operating)
  • Muzeum Průmyslových Železnic (Zbýšov, Czech Republic) ca 2.7 km (operating) (converted from standard gauge)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Democratic Republic of the Congo 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Denmark
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Denmark
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Egypt 2 ft (610 mm)
Eritrea 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Estonia 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Falkland Islands 2 ft (610 mm)
Fiji
Main article: Rail transport in Fiji
 2 ft (610 mm)
Finland
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Finland
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
France
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in France
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Germany
Main article: 600 mm gauge railways in Germany
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Greece 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Greenland 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Guatemala
  • Transcostero (located in Xetulul) (operating)
 2 ft (610 mm)
Hong Kong 2 ft (610 mm)
Hungary 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Iceland 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
India 2 ft (610 mm)
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)[9]
  • Local tram service in Karawang and Rambipuji, all closed.
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Isle of Man 2 ft (610 mm)
Italy
  • Cividale-Tarcetta Railway (defunct)
  • Montevecchio Sciria-San Gavino Monreale Railway (defunct)
  • Porto Empedocle-Lucia (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Japan 2 ft (610 mm)
Laos 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Latvia
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Latvia
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Lithuania 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
North Macedonia
  • Skopje - Ohrid line; 167 km (partially converted to standard gauge)
  • Gradsko - Bitola (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Madagascar
  • Sugar cane, industrial and military railways[14] (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Mauritius
  • A network of sugar cane railways[15] (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Mexico 2 ft (610 mm)
600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Montenegro
  • Podgorica - Plavnica railway (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Morocco
Main article: History of rail transport in Morocco
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Mozambique 2 ft (610 mm)
Myanmar 2 ft (610 mm)
Namibia 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Nauru 2 ft (610 mm)
Netherlands 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
New Zealand 2 ft (610 mm)
Norway
  • Åmdals Verk Gruver;[17] 0.6 km (operating)
  • Gruvemuseet pa Litlabo[17] (operating)
  • Høyanger funicular (operating)
  • Kristiansand Kanonmuseum[17] (operating)
  • Lommedalsbanen;[17] 0.6 km (operating)
  • Sulitjelma Besøksgruve[17] (operating)
  • Stiftelsen Konnerudverket;[17] 0.5 km (operating)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Palestine 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Papua New Guinea 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Pakistan 2 ft (610 mm)
Philippines
  • Manila–Dagupan Railway (operated within Manila yards c. 1907) (defunct)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Poland
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Poland
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Portugal
  • Comboio da Praia do Barril (operating)
  • Minicomboio da Caparica (operating)
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Rwanda 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Somalia 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
South Africa
Main article: Two-foot-gauge railways in South Africa
 2 ft (610 mm)
South Korea
  • EcoLand Resort Forest Train[19] (located in EcoLand Theme Park) (operating)
 2 ft (610 mm)
Spain
  • Ferrocarril Turístic de l'Alt Llobregat
  • Funicular de Capdella[20]
  • Funicular de Molinos[20] (private) (operating)[21]
  • Tren Minero de Utrillas [22]
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Sudan 2 ft (610 mm)
600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Sweden
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Sweden
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Switzerland 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Taiwan 2 ft (610 mm)
Tanzania 2 ft (610 mm)
Thailand 2 ft (610 mm)
Togo 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
Turkey
Main article: Narrow gauge railways in Turkey
 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in)
United Kingdom
Main article: 2 ft and 600 mm gauge railways in the United Kingdom
 2 ft (610 mm);
1 ft 11 3⁄4 in (603 mm);
600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in);
1 ft 11 1⁄2 in (597 mm)
United States
Main article: 2 ft gauge railroads in the United States
 2 ft (610 mm)
Zimbabwe
  • Shurugwi Peak Railway[24][25] (operating)
 2 ft (610 mm)

See also

References
  1. The Very Special Electric Tramway in Valle Hermoso, Argentina
  2. Railways of the Far South - The Ushuaia prison railway & the FCAF
  3. World Wide Listing of Two foot, 1' 11 1/2", 600 mm (60cm) & 610mm Railroads (from archive.org) - Argentina
  4. "The Vennbahn: Belgium's railway through Germany". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
  5. Canadian Rail No, 439 - The Magazine of Canada's Railway History
  6. "Niagara Rails - Other Lines". Archived from the original on 2014-02-21. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
  7. Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre - official website
  8. Railways of the Far South - Chiloe Island
  9. World Wide Listing of Two foot, 1' 11 1/2", 600 mm (60cm) & 610mm Railroads (from archive.org) - Java
  10. "RailScape - Musashino-Mura". Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  11. Musashino-Mura - official website
  12. Steamlocomotive.info - Chiba
  13. Narita Yume Bokujō Railway - official website
  14. Industrial Heritage in Madagascar, 2012
  15. Narrow Gauge Railway Relics in Mauritius, 2012
  16. Preserved Narrow Gauge Steam in Mexico 2012, Part 2
  17. "Directory of preserved narrow gauge railways in Norway". Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-18.
  18. Changa Manga Forest Railway
  19. "Severn Lamb - News Archive". Archived from the original on 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  20. "Trams of the World 2017" (PDF). Blickpunkt Straßenbahn. January 24, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
  21. "Listadotren.es - Funicular de Molinos (Lleida)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  22. "Tren Minero de Utrillas". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  23. Funimag - "Die Puschlaver Geisterbahn" Cavaglia
  24. 610 mm gauge Shurugwi Railway
  25. Shurugwi Peak Railway, Zimbabwe
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