Non-steam Narrow Gauge Railways round the World

This is a new page (May 2011) and is very much an embryonic offering, it is just a brief introduction and it will only serve its purpose if readers send me reports of their travels or ideas for inclusions. Originally I planned to concentrate on industrial operations but there seems no reason to exclude common carrier railways although I would expect to put very little emphasis on purely tourist operations. I would particular welcome a review of surviving Indian narrow gauge lines.

I have been a narrow gauge steam freak for over 30 years, back then, many countries boasted working narrow gauge steam - by which I mean (by and large) railways with a gauge of less than one metre, but which are not 'miniature' again it is an arbitrary decision on my part. Now those countries with real narrow gauge steam can be counted on the fingers of one hand and nowhere is it remotely plentiful. 

Many steam enthusiasts have naturally stepped sideways to visit and record non-steam narrow gauge railways which are in similar decline. While living in China, I had access to all kinds of such railways, human powered as well as those using internal combustion, battery and overhead electric locomotives. Personally, I am not yet ready to mount dedicated expeditions but I have spent increasing time looking at such systems when I happen to be in an area for steam activity. As always, updates, additions and corrections will be very welcome, but please send European information to Steve Thomason (see link below).

The following sites also provide useful information:

• Narrow Gauge Steam Railways round the World - my own contribution
• Narrow Gauge Steam Railways in Europe - my own contribution
• Steve Thomason's site on European Industrial narrow gauge railways - http://www.ingr.co.uk/index.html.
• The Narrow Gauge Railway Society - http://www.ngrs.org/.

I don't include gratuitous advertisements to commercial products, but I am happy to make exceptions for

Narrow Gauge World, a bi-monthly UK publication with a significant international slant

Voie Etroite a bi-monthly French publication with a significant international slant

At the moment, I am merely dipping my toes in an ocean of unknown size providing links to reports on my own site and elsewhere. Depending on how much response and support there is, there is no reason why it should not develop into a comprehensive resource.

Latest additions are John Raby's 2012 China visit and detailed surveys for India and Russia (16th April 2012)

China

John Raby has been to the following lines in Sichuan (added 4th May 2012)

• Jianghe (again), Yongchuan, Guangshunchang and Mojiang

These reports are of Wilson Lythgoe's visit in March and April 2011:

• The Mojiang Coal Railway (Shawan, Sichuan)
• The Yudan Railway (Xuchang, Henan)

These reports are of John Raby's visit in August 2009:

• Tongliao Sand Railways 
• Pikou Salt Railway
• Fuzhouwan Salt Railway (including Wudao)
• Yingkou Salt Railway
• Jincheng Reed Railway

A minor Classic from John Raby's 2001 Bash

• Jianghe Coal Railway

Over my many visits to Shibanxi I have added brief reports on short coal mine railways in the area.

• Long March to Ma Miao (2009)
• Huangdan Coal Mine (2009)
• Waterside Collieries (2009)
• The backside of Yuejin Coal Mine (2007)

Egypt

• Egyptian Sugar Mills (2009) - Lok Repoirt's article on this has now vanished.

India

Many lines have closed or been converted to broad gauge.

Wilson Lythgoe has produced a 2012 survey of the known survivors (16th April 2012)

There are trip reports on the IRFCA site, if you read this one - Upper Class to Sheopur Kalan http://irfca.org/apps/trip_reports/show/402 - you'll probably want to get on a plane and go and experience it for yourself.

Indonesia

There's not just steam narrow gauge in Java::

• Diesels in the sugar mills of Java

This page has links which show samples of Java sugar 'critters':

• http://members.fortunecity.com/elteecee/critter/critter_page.html  (Link is dead by May 2012)

Here's a little something out of the ordinary:

• Gold Mine Railways in Sumatra (4th July 2009)

Russia

Alex Malianov has supplied a survey of surviving narrow gauge railways of Russia - an extraordinary list with many of them at death's door (16th April 2012).

USA

I was amazed to hear from Trevor Heath that a number of steelworks operate 3ft gauge systems, also

• US Gypsum operation in eastern California which is 3ft gauge and uses two Alco Diesels built around 1980 from the same build group as the White Pass and Yukon 114. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Gypsum#Active_narrow_gauge_railroad. 

• Palmetto Brickworks has a 3ft gauge system which has worked in recent years when demand is sufficient, http://www.tarheelpress.com/ngc/zpalmetto.html . 

Other countries where I believe there are 'real' narrow gauge railways still at work, suitable links would be welcome.

Australia

The Queensland sugar mills still have extensive 610mm (2ft) gauge systems.

Fiji

Despite threats of closure, I believe there is still a significant amount of rail borne cane traffic.