Canada Canada became the first British colony, in the 1850s, to use broad gauge. It was known as the "Provincial gauge" in Canada. The earliest railways in Canada, including the 1836
Champlain and St. Lawrence and 1847
Montreal and Lachine Railway, however, were built to . The
Grand Trunk Railway, which operated in several Canadian provinces (
Quebec and
Ontario) and American states (
Connecticut,
Maine,
Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, and
Vermont), used it, but was
changed to standard gauge in 1873. The Grand Trunk Railway operated from headquarters in
Montreal, Quebec, although corporate headquarters were in
London,
England. The
St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, which operated in
Quebec, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine also used it but was converted in 1873. There is a longstanding rumour that the Provincial gauge was selected specifically to create a
break-of-gauge with US railways, the
War of 1812 still being a fresh memory. However, there is little supporting evidence for this, and this story appears to be traced to a single claim from the late 1800s. and intended to make a state-of-the-art system for other municipalities to emulate. The use of broad-gauge rails was one of many unconventional elements included in its design, which, in addition to its unusual gauge, also used flat-edge rail, rather than typical rail that angles slightly inward). This has complicated maintenance of the system, as it requires custom wheelsets, brake systems, and track maintenance vehicles. The
New Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Railroad (NOO&GW) used
broad gauge until 1872, and the
Texas and New Orleans Railroad used broad gauge ("Texas gauge") until 1876. The
Grand Trunk Railway predecessor
St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, which operated in
Quebec, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine also used broad gauge ("Canadian gauge", "Provincial gauge" or
"Portland gauge") but was
converted in 1873. Several Maine railroads connected to the Grand Trunk Railway shared its "Portland Gauge". The
Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad and the
Buckfield Branch Railroad were later consolidated as the
Maine Central Railroad, which converted to
standard gauge in 1871.
John A. Poor's chief engineer
Alvin C. Morton compiled the following advantages of "Portland Gauge" for Maine railways in 1847: •
Frost heaves (swelling of wet soil upon freezing) produce an uneven running surface causing an irregular rocking motion as trains moved past. A wider wheelbase offered a steadier ride with less wear on the machinery and roadbed. • Wider cars offered more room for passengers and cargo. Train length would be reduced for cars carrying the same amount of cargo. Shorter trains would lessen the effects of side winds, and permit more efficient application of power. • Wide-gauge locomotives offered more room to place reciprocating machinery inside, rather than outside, the driving wheels. Reciprocating machinery was a source of vibration before
mechanical engineering encompassed a good understanding of
dynamics; and keeping such vibration close to the center of mass reduced the
angular momentum causing rocking. • Wider fireboxes and
boilers allowed more powerful locomotives. The alternative of longer boilers held the disadvantage of poor firebox draft through the increased frictional resistance of longer boiler tubes. • More powerful locomotives carrying fewer, larger cars would have reduced manpower requirement for engine crews and shop personnel. • For locomotives of equal power, fuel consumption increased as gauge decreased, especially in colder outside temperatures. • More powerful wide-gauge locomotives would be more capable for plowing
snow; and thereby provide more reliable winter service. • Several gauges were in widespread use, and none had yet come into clear dominance. • Freight transfer was preferable to exchange of cars between railways because unowned cars were abused on foreign railways. • The
Grand Trunk Railway system, feeding the seaport of
Portland, Maine, offered little need for gauge transfer prior to loading on export shipping. • Potential advantages of freight transfer to the standard-gauge railroad from Portland to
Boston seemed insignificant as long as competitive rates were available for transport on steamships between the two ports. • The majority of Canadian freight anticipated to be carried over rail lines to Portland was heavy and bulky in comparison to its value, and must be transported cheaply in large quantities to maintain profitability for producers and transporters. ==South America==