# CN Narrow-Gauge Passenger Trains



## NS VIA Fan (Sep 16, 2018)

It's been 30 years since CN's narrow-gauge railway was abandoned in Newfoundland and 50 years since the 'Caribou'......a full-service passenger train with coaches, diners and sleepers was discontinued on the 550 mile run across the Island between St. John's and Port-aux-Basques (Port O Bask). But at Corner Brook there's a nice display of equipment on a short section of remaining narrow-gauge track at the Railway Society of Newfoundland.

And there's been a bit of a play on paint schemes here......Locomotive 593 would never have hauled passenger equipment in those CN colours from the '60s.....and the Nfld Railway logo was never applied. It disappeared in 1949 when CN took over after Newfoundland joined Canada.


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## NS VIA Fan (Sep 16, 2018)

>


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## railiner (Sep 16, 2018)

Great shots! I was there a couple of times either on my auto trip in 1990, or later on a couple of cruises, but sadly, I was too late to get a chance to ride the narrow gauge...

Thanks for posting...


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## cpotisch (Sep 16, 2018)

How wide is the gauge of those trains? They don't look particularly narrower to me.


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## jis (Sep 16, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> How wide is the gauge of those trains? They don't look particularly narrower to me.


Imperial Gauge (3’6”)


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## NS VIA Fan (Sep 16, 2018)

jis said:


> cpotisch said:
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> 
> > How wide is the gauge of those trains? They don't look particularly narrower to me.
> ...


Cars were shorter too. Sleepers in Newfoundland had 8 Sections & 1 Drawing Room vs mainland cars with 12 Sections & 1 Drawing Room.


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## railiner (Sep 16, 2018)

Just guessing from those photo's and the four across seating, I would guess the cars to be about 8 feet to maybe 8 feet, 6 inches wide, compared to their contemporary standard gauge cars of ten foot wide width...

Yes, they would then have a lot of 'overhang', but they did not travel very fast, so were relatively stable.


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## NS VIA Fan (Sep 17, 2018)

railiner said:


> Just guessing from those photo's and the four across seating, I would guess the cars to be about 8 feet to maybe 8 feet, 6 inches wide.......


Here ya go!......8'-9"


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## jis (Sep 17, 2018)

railiner said:


> Just guessing from those photo's and the four across seating, I would guess the cars to be about 8 feet to maybe 8 feet, 6 inches wide, compared to their contemporary standard gauge cars of ten foot wide width...
> 
> Yes, they would then have a lot of 'overhang', but they did not travel very fast, so were relatively stable.


SAR ran some trains at 110kph on Imperial Gauge. Later they may have upped it to 120kph. Even with all that overhang and all. 
Indian Railways ran some Meter Gauge trains at 100-105kph. Their loading gauge was similar to (perhaps 6” to 9” less width) the SAR Imperial Gauge trains.

Then again IR runs Suburban EMUs that are close to 12’ wide on 5’6” at 100-105kph.


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## railiner (Sep 17, 2018)

NS VIA Fan said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> > Just guessing from those photo's and the four across seating, I would guess the cars to be about 8 feet to maybe 8 feet, 6 inches wide.......
> ...


So my guess wasn't off by much...maybe those wide points where the roof overlapped the sides? I made my guesstimate comparing the photo's to buses...


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## railiner (Sep 17, 2018)

jis said:


> railiner said:
> 
> 
> > Just guessing from those photo's and the four across seating, I would guess the cars to be about 8 feet to maybe 8 feet, 6 inches wide, compared to their contemporary standard gauge cars of ten foot wide width...
> ...


I would imagine those examples are on railways built or maintained to higher standards, with much more frequent service than that of the Newfoundland Ry.....

I would love to see those wide gauge IR cars....just imagine how luxurious a sleeper could be, with that much interior space available....


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## jis (Sep 17, 2018)

railiner said:


> jis said:
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> > railiner said:
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Wider cars are used on Suburban sections with special clearance. They are not allowed on intercity main lines outside suburban areas. So no chance of finding a sleeper in that loading gauge.


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## railiner (Sep 17, 2018)

I will be calling at Kochi, Mangalore, Mormugao, and Mumbai next May on a cruise...do those wide cars run out of any of them? If so, I may make an effort to see them...


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## jis (Sep 17, 2018)

Mumbai suburban EMUs both on Central and Western Railway are wide.


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## railiner (Sep 17, 2018)

jis said:


> Mumbai suburban EMUs both on Central and Western Railway are wide.


Thanks...maybe you can give me some suggestions on riding them, when at the Gathering?


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## jis (Sep 17, 2018)

railiner said:


> jis said:
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> 
> > Mumbai suburban EMUs both on Central and Western Railway are wide.
> ...


Sure. Just ride any EMU in the Mumbai Suburban system. But yeah, we can talk about it at the Gathering.


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## railiner (Sep 17, 2018)

railiner said:


> jis said:
> 
> 
> > Mumbai suburban EMUs both on Central and Western Railway are wide.
> ...


Or maybe not...I just took a look a little of this video, and I don't think I am 'up' for that experience...


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## jis (Sep 17, 2018)

You don’t have to ride in rush hours [emoji57]


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## cpotisch (Sep 17, 2018)

railiner said:


> railiner said:
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> > jis said:
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Doesn't look much busier than the subway during rush hour.


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## railiner (Sep 17, 2018)

Except that on the subway's, the doors are closed, the air conditioner's are on, etc........

But yeah...maybe around noon, it won't be quite as chaotic as in those scene's..


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## jis (Sep 18, 2018)

Depending on where you are staying in Mumbai, and your other plans, maybe we can come up with some viable ideas when we meet.


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