Track gauge is the distance between two rails on a track and is not standardized worldwide, causing inconvenience and safety issues. The standard meter of 1,435 millimeters is used by many countries, and double gauge is used in regions with different standard sizes. Model railroad enthusiasts value precision in track gauge.
A track gauge is the inside distance between two rails on a track designed to accommodate trains, cars, and other vehicles intended to run on the tracks. Like many things around the world, track gauge is not fully standardized, which can lead to conflict and confusion. The dominant meter in use around the world is known as the standard meter, and it measures four feet, eight and a half inches (1,435 millimeters). Many nations including the United States, Great Britain, Mexico, Egypt, Australia, Canada, China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Venezuela, Gabon, Spain, Algeria, Morocco, and Uruguay use this meter.
As people began to develop vehicles for the railway, the track gauge was initially very irregular because people worked and invented in scattered locations. Within individual nations, the indicator could vary by region, and was determined in part by the manufacturers of those vehicles. Over time, this turned out to be extremely inconvenient. At each meter break, where track meters of different sizes met, obstacles would be encountered. Irregular gauge sizes even led to derailments as vehicles under or overestimated track gauge and thought it safe to proceed.
As a result, many nations began to adopt standard gauge sizes. The meter now considered “standard meter” originated in England, and because many nations used rolling stock shipped from England, they began to adopt the standard meter for their tracks. In areas where meter breaking still occurs, meter conversion can be used to allow vehicles to traverse both sets of tracks; many vehicles have a certain tolerance and can fit on slightly wider or narrower roads.
It is also possible to see double meter. In the case of double gauge, multiple tracks are laid close together to allow trains of different gauges to travel on the same area. This technique can be used in regions where nations with different standard gauge sizes border each other. Gauges beyond the standard size are known as wide or narrow, and there are several reasons for their popularity.
Some model railroad enthusiasts also take track gauge very seriously. If they try to keep their trains scrupulously true to scale for a specific time period or region, they will take the time to select the appropriate gauge and make modifications, if necessary, to allow their trains to run on it. The precision is highly prized among some train enthusiasts, and the attention to detail will be appreciated by other fans.
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