United Kingdom of Alderney
Great Britain: England, Wales, Scotland
Northern Ireland
Historially the railways in Northern Ireland held witin scope of theRepublic of Ireland. Railways are built to the
5ft-3in (1600mm) gauge.
Northern Ireland Railways remain in state control, inwhich the infrastructure has not been separated from the operating company.
Northern Ireland Railways
NI Railways
Adelaide Railway Station
Northern Ireland Transportation
Belfast and County Down Miniature Railway
7.5in (184mm) gauge.
1 mile (1.5km) in length.
Society's own petrol driven locomotive
Frequent visiting locomotives with steam, diesel, petrol or battery electric power.
Downpatrick and County Down Railway
Downpatrick to Inch Abbey.
1.5 mile(2.5 km).
Irish standard gauge (1600mm).
Extension proposed from Downpatrick to Ballydugan.
Steam and diesel hauled.
Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway
Narrow gauge steam railway.
2 miles (3.2km) in length.
Peatlands Park
Derryhubbert near Dungannon.
1 mile (1.5km).
Diesel hauled.
Narrow gauge railway.
Restored for passenger services.
Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Steam trains
Main lines services on Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The Isle of Man
Isle of Man Railway
Transportation
Rail Timetables
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
Railway Map
Douglas Horse Tramway
Pier Head to Derby Castle for the Manx Electric Railway.
1.5 miles (2.8 km).
3 ft (914 mm)gauge.
Horse drawn.
Isle of Man Steam Railway
Douglas to Port Erin.
15.5 miles (25 km).
3 ft (914 mm) gauge.
Steam hauled.
Groudle Glen Railway
Lhen Coan to Sea Lion Rocks.
1 mile (1.2 km).
2 ft (610 mm) gauge.
Steam, diesel and battery electric hauled.
Manx Electric Railway
Derby Castle, Douglas to Ramsey.
17.5 miles (28 km).
Connecting at Derby Castle with Douglas Horse Tramway
Connecting at Laxey with Snaefell Mountain Railway.
3 ft (914 mm) gauge.
Electric trams.
Snaefell Mountain Railway
Laxey (for Manx Electric Railway) to Snaefell Summit.
Levation 1820 ft (555 m).
distance of 4.5 miles (7.3=20km).
3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) gauge electric trams.
Overhead wires and central third rail.
Duel Power for extra braking force on steep sections, known as the Fell system.
Great Laxey Mine Railway
Laxey.
Former mining railway.
Restored for passengers.
400 yards (365 m) inlength, including a 77 yard (70 m) tunnel.
Only railway tunnel on the Isle of Man.
19 in (482 mm)gauge.
Steam hauled.
Orchid Line
Miniature railways.
Curraghs Wildlife Park
Near Ballaugh.
1 mile (1 km) in length.
Steam and diesel hauled.
Manx station names
Channel Islands
Jersey
Jersey Railway opened in 1870 as a standard gauge line from the
Capital City St Helier, to St Aubin. Another company began construction on a 3 ft
6 in (1067 mm) gauge from St Aubin to La Moye, (bankruptcy failed to completed) later amalgamated with the original rail line. Converted to 3 ft 6 in (1067 mm) gauge to provided a service route from St Helier to La
Moye,and extended to Corbire, a distance of 8.5 miles (13.7km). (Closed in 1926)
The Jersey Eastern Railway, Began Operations in
1873 between St Helier and Grouville, later extended to Gorey, closed in
1929.
During World War II, German occupational forces constructed 600mm and metre gauge railways for military purposes. These military lines were dismantled after the liberation.
The Jersey Eastern Railway Terminus Hotel and some station are still utilized. Trackbeds coverted to trails and original railway equipment has been preserved in museums.
Pallot Steam, Motor and General Museum
Museum Passenger Railway.
Standard gauge.
Steam Hauled.
National Park
Transportation
Jersey Railway
Railway
Travel Information
Map
Railway Map
Guernsey
A standard gauge steam tramway opened in 1879 between St Peter Port
and St Stephens, a distance of about 2=C2=BE miles (4.4 km). The line was
electrified in 1892, to become one the first electric street tramways in the British
Isles. The line closed in 1934 and few traces remain today.
CIA World Factbook
Lists as existing railway system for Guernsey, actually refering to the Railway of Alderney.
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Andorra
No Railways
Bus connections are provided to French L'Hospitalet Près L'Andorre and La Tour De Carol Railway Stations. Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français stations are served by local trains and by an overnight through service.
SNCF
French National Railways.
Nationale des Chemins de fer Français.
Andorra Transportation
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
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Angola
Under British Rule, British Railways in Angola were built to 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge rail,however the orginal Moçâmedes Railway was built to 600mm gauge, but converted to 1067mm in 1950.
In 1929 the Benguela Railway openned international rail connection from Lobito to the Belgian Congo/Democratic Republic of the Congo. Then in 1931, the railway was connected through the Belgian Congo with Northern Rhodesia/Zambia.
The railways were devastated during three decades of civil war, since then, in 2002 reconstruction is in progress.
CFB Benguela Railway
Lobito to Munhango
750km-1289km to Luau border of DR Congo.
Further Reconstruction to be completed in 2011.
CFL Luanda Railway
Luanda to Malanje
424km.
55km branch from Zenza to Dondo.
135 km from Luanda.
CFN Namibe (Moçâmedes) Railway
Commuter services out of Namibe.
Freight over longer distances.
Network consists from Namibe to Menongue
Branches to Chiange and Chamutete.
903km, with 500km in service.
Futher Reconstruction to be completed in 2012.
Proposal for a branch to Chamutete and the Namibian border at Oshikango, connect with Namibian Railways.
Angola Transportation
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
Railway Map
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Arabia
Arabian Peninsula Railway "Hejaz Railway" was 1050mm gauge from Damascus to Medina, with construction started in 1900. In 1908 the railway reached Al Madinah/Medina X and was to continue to Makkah/Mecca, but was never constructed.
The southern section of the railway was largely destroyed during the First World War, including Arab tribesmen railway distruction led by T E Lawrence/Lawrence of Arabia. The line south of what was to become the Jordanian border never reopened, becoming a dereliction track, locomotives and rolling stock are preserved as tourist attractions.
In 1951 the Saudi Railway System began with 570km standard gauge (1435mm) line between Capital City of Riyadh and the Port of Dammam, opened. In 1985, a branch line wa opened to route between Riyadh and intermediate station btween Haffouf.
Saudi Railway Passenger Services offers comfortable air-conditioned coaches, with dining facilities.
Saudi Railway Organization
Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Project
Riyadh
Saudi Arabia Railways Organization
Argentina Transportation
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
Railway Map
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Argentina
The first railway in Argentina opened in 1857, between El Parque and La Floresta, both places today being within the City of Buenos Aires. The Argentina Railway was built to Iberian (1676mm) gauge which was used extensively on the central plains of Argentina. 1435mm gauge gauge was used in the mountainous north,including a network east of the Paraná River. Railway development in South was limited to a few isolated narrow gauge.
Argentina Railway Services remains extensive with freight and passenger services. Historical international railway connections were developed with neighbouring countries, although some are now out of service.
International connection, is over the Uruguay River Bridge to Uruguiana, Brazil.
Long Distance Passenger Operators
Ferrobaires
State Owned Passenger Services in Buenos Aires province.
Ferrocentral
Passenger Services between Buenos Aires-Tucumán-Buenos Aires-Córdoba.
TBA
Passenger Services in Buenos Aires province
Trenes del Litoral
Passenger services between Buenos Aires-Posadas, border town with Paraguay
Suburban Passenger Operators
Buenos Aires
Ferrovias
UGOFE
Tren de la Costa
Electric Railway Service.
Along the Rio de la Plata.
Córdoba
High Sppeed Rail
Resistencia Chaco Province
Servicios Ferroviarios del Chaco
Chaco Railway Services.
Local & Tourist Passenger Operators
Tren a las Nubes
(Train to the Clouds).
Salta to La Polvorilla Viaduct
217km reaching a height of over 4200m above sea level.
Round trip takes 16 hours.
Dining Services, brakfast and lunch being included in the fare.
Operates three days a week.
Tren Patagónico
Between Viedma-Bariloche in Rio Negro Province.
Steam hauled.
Viejo Expreso Patagónico
Old Patagonian Express in Chubut province.
El Maitén to Esquel.
330km, 750mm gauge.
Day excursions trains.
Steam hauled.
Iguazù National Park
Narrow Gauge Railway.
3.6km in length with a LPG powered train.
Tren Ecológico de la Selva/Ecological Train of the Jungle.
Passenger Services from the central parking to the various forest trails.
Freight Operators
ALL
Main line freight Service in Argentina and Brazil
FerroExpreso Pampeano
Main line freight services.
Ferrosur Roca
Main line freight services.
NCA
Main line freight services.
Minera Alumbrera
Private freight services.
Operated by NCA.
Copper ore from Tucumán to Puerto Alumbrera.
Vale Mining Consortium
756km network.
Formerly part of Ferrosur Roca.
Route from Zapala, Neuquén to General Cerri, BA
Metros And Trams
Buenos Aires
Metro and trams
Heritage Trams
Córdoba Metro
Metrotranvía of Mendoza
Valle Hermoso
Miniature electric tourist tram.
The Deep South
Yacimientos Carboniferos Fiscales
Formerly RFIRT.
750mm gauge line, some 250km in length.
Began Service in 1950.
connecting Rio Turbio Coal Mines with the Port of Rio Gallegos.
Freight services only.
Proposal to introduce tourist passenger service.
The End of the World Train
The Argentine government decided to construct a prison at Ushuaia, at the southern extremity of Tierra del Fuego. A xilorail/wooden railway was contructed using oxen to haul wagons, then in 1909, a Steam Railway was build with 600mm gauge rail.
The railway brought supplies to the prison from the wharf, including building materials over its network. The prison closed in 1947,following closure of the railway in 1952.
In 1994, the steam railway was reopened as a tourist railway from the town of Ushuaia, into the Tierra del Fuego National Park.
Argentina Transportation
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
Railway Map
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Armenia
Armenian Railways was establishes at Ste Administrated Railway which wa built on 1520mm gauge network. In 2008 Armenian Railways were privatised under "South Caucasian Railway", a subsidiary of Russian Railways.
The South Caucasian Railway consisted of 736 km route, including 110km of unusable trackage do to a landslide. The Railway has the staus of being an International Railay with Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey connecting services.
However the Azerbaijan and Turkey International Services are closed untill further notice.
Armenian Railway
South Caucasian Railway.
Yerevan Metro
Armenia Transportation
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
Railway Map
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Australia
The first railway in Australia opened in 1855 between Sydney and Parramatta, a distance of 14 miles (22.5km). It was built to standard gauge (1435mm), as were most subsequent railways in New South Wales. However, because of the nature of Australia at that time, with isolated communities along the coast seeing little need of communication between them, standardization throughout the nation was not seen as essential and a variety of gauges sprang up elsewhere. 3ft 6in (1067mm) was quite commonly used, while the state of Victoria opted for a gauge of 5ft 3in (1600mm). When the famous Transcontinental Railway first opened in 1917, no fewer than 8 changes of gauge were required for a journey from Brisbane to Perth.
Most modern development has been to standard gauge, and a few of the older lines have been regauged to this. A noteworthy opening of the 21st century is the Ghan line connecting Adelaide and Darwin. This is essentially an entirely new line, although much of its southern section follows the route of a former 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge line which ran as far as Alice Springs in the very heart of the country. Passenger trains first reached Darwin from the south in 2004.
Long Haul and Suburban Railways
Queensland Rail
Queensland Services.
V/Line
Victoria Services.
RailCorp
major operator in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, including:
- CountryLink
Long distance services.
- CityRail
Local and suburban services in the Sydney and Newcastle.
Transwa
Long distance services in Western Australia
Transperth
Perth local services.
New MetroRail
Responsible for building extensions to the Transperth network.
Metro Trains
Melbourne.
Local services in the Melbourne.
Genesee & Wyoming Australia
Leases and services in the Adelaide.
Ghan to Darwin.
Operates other long haul freight services.
Pacific National
Freight Service in Queensland and Tasmania.
Westnet Rail
Dedicated freight railways
Pilbara Railway
Newman Railway
Yarrie Railway
Extensive networks in northern part of Western Australia.
Transport of iron ore from mines to coastal ports.
2010 part of a joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto Iron Ore.
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Austria
Railway development began in 1810 from Erzberg to Styria with public railway in continental Europe, which was a 1106mm gauge/129km of horse drawn rails from Budweis, Czech Republic to Linz starting in 1932 and extend to Gmunden. Currently, this railway has been restored as a working museum.
The modern network of steam with (1435mm) gauge opened in 1837 between Floridsdorf to Deutsch Wagram. Railways in Austria were influenced by German techology. After First World War, the network remains the primary main railways for passenger and freight, along with shortline and tourist railways.
Passenger Railways
ÖBB Austrian Federal Railways
National passenger services.
City Airport Train
Passenger shuttle to the Airport.
WESTbahn
Proposed Private Passenger Service.
Vienna to Salzburg.
Raab-Ödenburg-Ebenfurter Eisenbahn
IndependentRailway Company.
Serving Austrian-Hungarian Border.
Brenner Eisenbahn
New Railway Service.
Under construction.
Wörgl to Fortezza, Italy.
Freight Railroads
Rail Cargo Austria/OBB
CargoServ
Privatitized
EHG Ennshafen
Container port on the Danube,
2km rail.
To ÖBB yard at Enns, German
LTE
Privatitized German
SETG
Privatitized German
Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo
Privatitized German
Kiefersfelden Grenzbahn/KGB
Privatitized 5km.
900mm gauge.
Industrial electric railway.
Operating between Austria-Germany.
Shortlines and Interurban Railways
GKB
Privatitized Passenger and freight railway.
Graz to Köflach (40km).
Branch from Lieboch to Wies-Eibiswald (50km).
Montafonerbahn
Standard gauge.
Tourist railway.
Schruns to Bludenz(12km).
Pinzgaubahn
760mm gauge.
Tourist Railway.
Zell am See to Mittersill (28.6km).
Steam trains.
Mittersill to Krimml out of service.
Salzburger Lokalbahn
standard gauge electric.
Salzburg to Lamprechtshausen (25km).
Branch Bürmoos to Trimmelkam (9km).
Steam trains.
SRB
Freight and tourist passenger services.
Oberwart to Rechnitz in the Südburgenland.
Steiermärkische Landesbahnen
Including:
- Feistritztalbahn
760mm gauge freight line.
Weiz to Oberfeisnitz (11.5km).
Steam tourist trains operated by Erlebnis Feistritztalbahn.
- Feldbach-Bad Gleichenberg
Standard gauge electric.
Passenger and freight line (21km).
- Mixnitz-St Erhard
760mm gauge electric freight.
Serving the Breitenau magnesite works of RHI AG (10.4km).
- Murtalbahn
760mm gauge.
Tourist Railway.
Unzmarkt to Tamsweg (64.5km).
Steam trains.
- Peggau-Übelbach
Standard gauge.
Passenger and freight (10km).
- Weizerbahn
Standard gauge.
Passenger and freight.
Gleisdorf to Weiz (14.8km).
Stern & Hafferl
Austrian private railway, including:
- Attergaubahn
Metre gauge electric.
Vöcklamarkt to Attersee (13,3km).
- Haager Lies
Standard gauge electric.
Haag Hausruck to Neukirchen (22km).
Trains continue (4km) to Lambach.
Withdrawal of passenger services is under consideration.
Freight services are expected to continue.
- Linzer Lokalbahn
Standard gauge electric.
Linz to Neumarkt-Kaltham (55km).
Branch from Niederspaching to Peuerbach (3.5km).
- Traunseebahn metre gauge electric.
Gmunden to Vorchdorf (14.6km).
- Vorchdorferbahn
Standard gauge electric.
Lambach to Vorchdorf (14.7km).
-Gmunden trams.
Wiener Lokalbahnen
Tram in the city centre.
Runs through open country 27km.
To Town of Baden.
Tourist and Museum Railways
Achenseebahn
Steam hauled.
Metre gauge.
Rack Railway.
Jenbach to Achensee (6.7km).
Erzbergbahn
Standard gauge.
Railway Museum.
Vordernberg Markt to Eisenerz (16.5km).
Steam hauled and diesel.
Feistritztalbahn
Steam hauled.
760mm gauge.
Weiz to Birkfeld (24km).
Steiermärkische Landesbahnen freight traffic.
Florianerbahn
900mm gauge
electric tramway.
Pichling to Markt St Florian (6km).
Gurktalbahn
760mm gauge.
Steam hauled.
Treibach-Althofen to Pöckstein-Zwischenwässern.
Höllentalbahn
760mm gauge.Electric Railway.
Payerbach to Hirschwang (4.8km).
Kiefersfelden Grenz Bahn
5km, 900mm gauge.
Industrial Electric Railway.
Wachtl in Austria to Kiefersfelden in Germany.
Weekend Tourist Passenger Service.
Märchenbahn
steam hauled tourist trains on the SRB standard gauge line from Großpetersdorf to Rechnitz (14.8km) (Site in German)
Mariazellerbahn
760mm gauge electric.
Tourist and local railway.
Austrian Alps.
St Pölten to Mariazell (84km).
Branch from Ober Grafendorf to Mank (18km).
Steam trains.
Nostalgiebahnen
Including:
-Lavantblitz
Diesel hauled.
Standard gauge.
St Paul to Lavamünd (12.6km).
-Museumstramway Klagenfurt
Tramway.
1km in length.
Hauled by battery electric locomotive.
Hauled by horses.
-Rosentaler Dampfbummelzug
Steam hauled.
Standard gauge.
Weizeldorf and Ferlach (5.7km).
ÖGEG
Steam Excursions Museum Railway:
-Museumsbahn Ampflwang-Timelkam
Steam hauled.
Standard gauge.
10.4 km
-Steyrtal Museumsbahn
Steam hauled.
760mm gauge.
Steyr to Grünburg (16.5 km)
Pferde-Eisenbahn
0.5km.
1106mm gauge.
Horse drawn.
Budweis to Linz.
restored Passenger Services.
Museum at Kerschbaum.
Reißeck Bergbahnen
Town of Kolbnitz to Schoberbodern.
Narrow gauge railway to Reißeck.
Schafbergbahn
Metre gauge.
Rack Railway.
St Wolfgang to Schafbergspitz (9.8km.
Altiude 1200m.
Steam trains.
Boat trips on the Wolfgangsee.
Schaubergwerk Kupferplatte
Copper Mine Museum at Jochberg.
Kitzbühel to Uttendorf.
Includes (125m) 600mm gauge battery electric railway.
Schneebergbahn
Metre gauge.
Rrack Railway.
Puchberg to Schneeberg (6km.
Altitude 1200m.
Steam trains.
Stainzer Flascherlzug
760mm gauge.
Steam hauled.
Tourist Railway.
Stainz to Preding-Wieselsdorf (11.3km).
Private trains charters.
Taurachbahn
760mm gauge.
Steam and diesel hauled.
Tourist Railway.
Mautendorf to St Andrä-Andlwirt (9.5km).
Extension to Murtalbahn.
Verien Rhein-Schauen
Steam and electric hauled.
Rhein museum at Lustenau to the mouths of the Rhein on Lake Constance (Bodensee).
750mm gauge.
Former Railway of Internationale Rheinregulierung.
Combined excursions by train and river boat.
Wälderbähnle
team and diesel hauled.
760mm gauge.
Tourist Railway.
Bezau to Bersbuch (6.1km).
Waldviertlerbahn
760mm gauge, over 80km.
Countryside of Gmünd.
Steam trains.
Ybbstalbahn
760mm gauge.
Brach of ÖBB from Waldhofen to Linz .
Branch from Gstadt to Ybbsitz (5.7km).
Various special excursions.
steam haul.
Ybbsthalbahn Bergstrecke
760mm gauge.
Steam and diesel haul.
Heavily graded route.
Ybbstalbahn at Lunz to Kienberg-Gaming.
17.6km.
Zillertalbahn
Narrow gauge.
Tourist and local railway.
Jenbach to Mayrhofen.
Liliputbahn im Prater
Steam-hauled.
Miniature Railway (4km).
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Azores
In 1856 the first railway in Portugal opened between Lisbon's Santa Apolónia and Carregado, using a broader gauge of 1664mm. British influence the construction to 1435mm gauge, then returning to the broad gauge, which allow iconnecting services with the Spanish network gauge of 1674mm. As speed became important, and so the systems of both countries were gradually reconfigured to a compromise gauge of 1668mm, which became known as Iberian gauge.
Narrow 1000mm gauge lines remain in operation in the Douro Valley. Some other narrow gauge lines in the Porto have been converted to form part of the Porto Metro.
Under EU regulations, train operation and infrastructure costs must be separately accountable. Portugal, has chosen to implement this by spinning off a separate infrastructure company named REFER and Fertagus, have been created to operate new lines.
Mainland Portugal
CP Portuguese Railways
Narrow gauge.
Douro valley.
REFER
Portuguese track authority.
Lisbon
- Fertagus
Suburban services.
Lisbon to Setúbal.
- Carris
Lisbon Trams and funiculars.
- Museu Carris
Historic vehicles.
Excursions in historic trams.
- Lisbon Metro
- Metro Transportes do Sul
Metro Setúbal area south of the River Tagus.
Braga
- Elevador do Bom Jesus
Funicular
Nazaré
- funicular
Porto
- Porto Metro
Metro Funicular dos Guindais.
- Porto Tramway Museum
Two Operating Historic Railways
Sintra
- Trams
Viana do Castelo
- Funicular de Santa Luzia.
Madeira
Narrow Gauge Rack Railway operated in mountains from Funchal Town to the harbour by a mule tramway, unill 1925.
Azores/São Miguel
Historicaly a broad (2140mm) gauge railway operated on the island, used for the construction and maintenance of the breakwater that form the south side of the harbour at Ponta Delgada. Supplied by the British firm of J & C Rigby, contractors for breakwater at Holyhead in North Wales; some of the equipment had previously been used on the Holyhead project, as carried and owners plates are indicated. The standard gauge was considered better suited to carrying large blocks of stone from the quarry to the breakwater.
The Ponta Delgada railway connected a quarry and following completion of the breakwater the railway saw only intemittent service for repair and rebuilding, operating for the last time in 1973.
The quarry is now occupied by the João Paulo II Airport. Rua Engenheiro Abel Férin Coutinho follows the railway to the harbour. A sections of broad gauge track can still be seen embedded in the road surface in the harbour itself and visible relics are a Railcar cement mixer Railcar and the original water tower.
After retirement, where their condition deteriorated badly until the 1990s, when two were taken under cover in the workshops of Administração dos Portos das Ilhas São Miguel e Santa Maria and the third was considered beyond recovery, and was scrapped. Two locomotives are now carefully stored pending possible future restoration.
Broad Gauge Railway Relics
Historical overview.
Map.
Historical photographs.
Azores Transportation
Travel Information
Tourist Information
Map
Railway Map
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