A ridable miniature railway (US: 'riding railroad' or grand scale railroad) is a ground-level, large scale model railway that hauls passengers using locomotives that are models of full-sized railway locomotives (powered by diesel or petrol engines, live steam engines or electric motors).
Video Ridable miniature railway
Overview
Typically miniature railways have a rail track gauge between 5 in (127 mm) and 18 in (457 mm), though both larger and smaller gauges are used. These large model railroads are most often seen in urban parks or in commercial settings, such as amusement park rides.
At gauges of 5 in (127 mm) and less, the track is commonly raised above ground level. Flat cars are arranged with foot boards so that driver and passengers sit astride the track. The track is often multi-gauged, to accommodate 5 in (127 mm), 3 1/2 in (89 mm), and sometimes 2 1/2 in (64 mm) gauge locomotives.
Track can also be portable, even in gauges as large as 5 in. Typically portable track is used to demonstrate locomotives at temporary events such as fêtes and summer fairs. Portable track can be either raised or ground level.
Typically in the UK miniature lines are operated as public heritage railways, though many private lines also exist, especially in the USA. In Australia, most 5 inch gauge tracks are at ground level. Australian societies are generally members of the Australian Association of Live Steamers, Ltd, which arranges Codes of Practice for Operations, Standards and Training, for the operation of miniature railways below 8 inch gauge through their subcommittee the Australian Live Steamers Safety Committee (ALSSC), and Boiler codes for the operation of miniature steam boilers through the Australian Miniature Boiler Safety Committee (AMBSC).
Maps Ridable miniature railway
Distinction between a ridable miniature railway and a minimum-gauge railway
The major distinction between a ridable miniature railway (USA: 'riding railroad' or 'grand scale railroad') and a minimum-gauge railway is that miniature lines use models of full-sized prototypes. There are miniature railways that run on gauges as wide as 2 ft (610 mm), for example the Wicksteed Park Railway. There are also ridable miniature railways running on extremely narrow track as small as 10 1/4 in (260 mm) gauge, for example the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway. Around the world there are also several ridable miniature railways open to public using even narrower gauges, such as 7 1/4 in (184 mm) and 7 1/2 in (190.5 mm).
Generally minimum-gauge railways have a working function as estate railways, or industrial railways, or providers of public transport links; although most also have a distinct function in relation to tourism as well, and depend upon tourism for the revenue to support their working function.
Miniature railways
Gallery
See also
References
Bibliography
- Broggie, Michael (2014), Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom (4th ed.), The Donning Company Publishers, ISBN 978-1-57864-914-3
External links
- Grand Scales Quarterly the US magazine of grand scale railroading
- Miniature Railway World
- Live Steam Tracks
- Britains Great Little Railways
- City of Oxford Society of Model Engineers
- 7¼ Inch Gauge Society
Source of article : Wikipedia
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