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- Standard gauge is 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches. This is the gauge used when steam railroading began. It became the common gauge of Britain, North America, and Western Europe — except for Spain, Portugal, and Ireland.
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The standard gauge is also called Stephenson gauge (after George Stephenson), international gauge, UIC gauge, uniform gauge, normal gauge and European gauge in Europe, and SGR in East Africa. It is the most widely used track gauge around the world, with about 55% of the lines in the world using it.
This odd measurement of 4 feet 8 1 / 2 inches (1.4 meters) in time came to be known as standard gauge. Other tracks in England ranged between 2 and 7 feet (0.6 and 2.1 meters). In the United States the early railroad tracks ranged from 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 meters) in width.
Mar 15, 2019 · Most railways in Europe use the standard gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in). Some countries use broad gauge, of which there are three types. Narrow gauges are also in use.
Sep 25, 2023 · Standard gauge is 4 feet, 8-1/2 inches. This is the gauge used when steam railroading began. It became the common gauge of Britain, North America, and Western Europe — except for Spain, Portugal, and Ireland.
The railway gauge: 89mm to Europe. The "standard" railway gauge of 1435 mm, originally promoted by the British engineer George Stephenson, is used throughout much of the world, but not everywhere in Europe.
Feb 25, 2021 · Standard Gauge: Familiar to millions (if not billions) of railfans and rail users across the globe, Standard Gauge is that used by some of the first and more prolific builders of railways. The UK, USA, China, Australia and most of Europe use this 1435mm wide track (still defined as 4 ft 8 1/2 inches wide and therefore 1435.1mm in some places).
About three-fifths of the rail trackage in the world is the so-called standard gauge of 4 feet 8.5 inches (1.4 m), which originated with George Stephenson’s pioneer Liverpool & Manchester line in 1829.
