Railway gauge

Railway gauge is the distance between the inner faces of the two rails on a track. It determines which rolling stock can run on that track.

Wheelset: A railway wheelset is an axle fitted with two wheels that run on opposite rails. The fixed spacing between its wheels must match the track gauge.
George Stephenson: George Stephenson was a British railway engineer whose locomotive designs helped establish early railway standards. His preferred track gauge became the basis of the dominant British standard.
Track gauge in India: India uses several railway gauges, with broad gauge forming the backbone of its mainline network. Its network illustrates how gauge diversity affects national rail operations.
Standard gauge: Standard gauge is a railway track gauge of 1,435 millimetres, used by most of the world's railway networks. It is the most widely adopted specific gauge and a useful reference point.
Railway track: A railway track is a structure of rails, sleepers, and supporting material that guides trains. Gauge is one geometric property of the track that constrains train movement.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel: Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a British engineer who designed the Great Western Railway and its broad-gauge system. His 7-foot ¼-inch gauge challenged the standard associated with Stephenson.
Track gauge in Japan: Japan's conventional railway network primarily uses 1,067 mm narrow gauge, while its Shinkansen lines use standard gauge. The contrast within one country shows how gauge can distinguish railway systems.
Broad gauge: Broad gauge is a railway gauge wider than the standard gauge of 1,435 millimetres. It names the wider-than-standard systems often contrasted with standard gauge.
Railway bogie: A railway bogie is a wheeled chassis beneath a rail vehicle that supports it and guides it along the track. Its wheelsets must suit the gauge of the track it traverses.
Great Western Railway: The Great Western Railway was a British railway company founded in 1833 and engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Its broad gauge became the best-known British alternative to standard gauge.

Linked from 11 pages