Still in daily use on the 1000 mm Brohltalbahn in Germany: phonolith in containers, a volcanic rock used in cement and concrete production
Also note the loco which is kind of a "baby version" of the standard gauge BR 218: Henschel DHG 1100 BB Also used by Spanish FEVE and Bulgarian "Rhodopenbahn"
What is the narrowest railway gauge that can or is actually used to haul containers?
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Re: What is the narrowest railway gauge that can or is actually used to haul containers?
Metre gauge carrying containers is routine and used all over the world. Switzerland, Cameroon, Tanzania, Malaysia...
3' gauge has been trialled in Eritrea as an earlier poster commented. And also shown here in Columbia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMlzm8oKuaw
Ok, it's also only a trial, but clearly possible.
The next gauge down is 2'6" or 750mm. Here the 2.4m wide containers would be slightly >3 times the track width, so getting difficult. The axle weight would be pretty close to the limit too. About 46tons for a loaded container wagon, 11.5t axleweight. Just about theoretically possible, but not very practical.
I don't know of anywhere that has tried it. There isn't much 2'6" gauge left.
Anything less than that could be achieved only with undersize and underloaded containers, careful balance and/or concrete reinforcement under the sleepers. Utterly impractical I would have thought.
Gryffron
3' gauge has been trialled in Eritrea as an earlier poster commented. And also shown here in Columbia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMlzm8oKuaw
Ok, it's also only a trial, but clearly possible.
The next gauge down is 2'6" or 750mm. Here the 2.4m wide containers would be slightly >3 times the track width, so getting difficult. The axle weight would be pretty close to the limit too. About 46tons for a loaded container wagon, 11.5t axleweight. Just about theoretically possible, but not very practical.
I don't know of anywhere that has tried it. There isn't much 2'6" gauge left.
Anything less than that could be achieved only with undersize and underloaded containers, careful balance and/or concrete reinforcement under the sleepers. Utterly impractical I would have thought.
Gryffron
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