Why does BART use Indian gauge?


Why does BART use Indian gauge? Summary is they wanted lighter cars so accel/decel would require less power and the gas/brake system would be lighter/smaller. So then the wider gauge is helpful to increase lateral stability (to prevent tipping over) since the cars are so light.


What gauge are Swiss railways?

The rail network of Switzerland is one of the densest and spectacular in the world. It covers a total length of 5063 km of lines with 3652 km on international gauge 1435 mm, 1312 km on metre gauge and 68.5 km of 800 mm or 750 mm gauge.


Why does Russia use a different rail gauge?

In 1970, the Soviet Union began a smooth change of the track gauge from 1,524 mm to 1,5200 mm. This process lasted over 20 years, until the early 1990s. Various official sources indicate that the aim for the change was to increase the stability of the railways when operating freight trains, increasing their speed.


Why is Irish railway gauge that size?

It was at this point that Major-General Pasley discovered that the exact average between all three gauges was 5ft 3in, and so made his recommendation that this should be the standard gauge throughout Ireland, which was readily accepted by the Board of Trade. A brilliant example of a political compromise!


What gauge are German railways?

Germany has rail links with the following countries. All are to countries of the same gauge (1435 mm), although electrification (15 kV AC 16.7 Hz) and other systems such as signalling may differ.


What gauge are Ukrainian railways?

Ukraine's railway network is in 1,520 mm gauge, which is prevalent in all post-Soviet countries, as well as in Russia.


What gauge are Russian railways?

The standard Russian railway gauge of 1,524 mm quickly spread throughout the Russian Empire, reached Warsaw, Vladivostok, Murmansk, and Baku.


How fast do BART trains go?

The size of BART's fleet will be dynamic while new trains are put into service and old trains are retired. BART has 8 DMU train cars which each have a seating capacity of 104. 70 mph maximum; 35 mph average, including 20-second station stops. For BART to Antioch DMU trains, the maximum speed is 75 mph; 60 mph average.


Why is BART so noisy?

Like most trains, BART wheels are tied together with rigid axels and no differentials. This means the wheels always rotate at the same speed, even around corners. Because the inner radius is smaller, there is less distance to travel, which can cause a slippage between the wheels and track, which is noisy.