Portal:Rail

Portal:Trains

Portal:Trains


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Southern Pacific 4449 leads an excursion train over Marias Pass in 2009
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In rail transport, a train is a vehicle or (more frequently) a string of vehicles capable of being moved along a continuous line of rails or other guideway for the purpose of conveying freight or passengers between points on a predetermined route. The train may be hauled or propelled by one or more vehicles designed exclusively for that purpose (locomotives) or may be driven by a number of motors incorporated in all or several of the vehicles (multiple units).

As of 2018, there are approximately 1,052,000 kilometres (654,000 mi) of railway track in use worldwide. (World Bank (via Archive.org))


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The WSMR's inclined plane before 1900

The West Somerset Mineral Railway was a 11+12-mile long (18.5 km) standard gauge line in Somerset, England, with a 310-yard (280 m) branch to Raleigh's Cross Mine. The line's core purpose was to carry iron ore northwards from mines on the Brendon Hills to Watchet harbour on the Bristol Channel. The line opened in 1861, and passenger services commenced in 1865. The mines' and line's "period of prosperity" ended in 1875 and by 1883 all mining had ceased. The line lingered on for passengers and small goods until 1898, when it closed. A new mineral venture was attempted in 1907, for which much of the line was re-opened and a 2 ft (610 mm)-gauge extension was added, but this failed and the line closed again in 1910. A section of the track was used to test and demonstrate an automatic signal warning device in 1911 and occasionally used in that connection up to 1914. The tracks were lifted for scrap in 1917, after which a light railway was laid on part of the trackbed in 1918 to carry timber. This ended in 1920 and the company was wound up in 1925. The line included a massive rope-worked inclined plane 3,272 feet (997 m) long to bring the ore down a 770 feet (230 m) vertical interval on a 1 in 4 (25%) gradient. A section of the inclined plane has been scheduled as an ancient monument. It can still be seen, along with the remains of some of the buildings and other structures.

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The former Recess Hotel Platform on the Galway to Clifden railway in 1906
The former Recess Hotel Platform on the Galway to Clifden railway in 1906

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June 14
Preserved DSP&P locomotive
Preserved DSP&P locomotive

Train News

The preserved C&O 1309 at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in October 2009
The preserved C&O 1309 at the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum in October 2009
An Avelia Liberty train on a test run in Delaware in May 2020
An Avelia Liberty train on a test run in Delaware in May 2020
Berryessa/North San José station on the first day of service
Berryessa/North San José station on the first day of service


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This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Portal:Rail, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.