Opinion & Answer Part 24: Narrow Gauge Light Railways Heroes
Good Day to all today
As we've reached another Friday, it's time for another part of my Opinion & Answer Series. But this Friday's (11/18/22) edition of Opinion & Answer is different because like in my last part #23: Railroad Veterans (linked down below to read) this Opinion & Answer also honors our veterans who've served in World War 1 under the British War department. But this Opinion & Answer is shifts the focus from the ROD & Railway Battalions and towards the people who've worked on the the narrow gauge Trench Railways that ran from the front line to the rear protected areas. So please enjoy Part 24: Narrow Gauge Light Railways Heroes where we look at the Narrow gauges engines that ran along the soldiers in the trenches during World War 1.
Please Note: This is my opinion that is backed with research sources that will be linked below to view more about this topic.
What were the narrow gauge trench railways?
Answer: These narrow gauge trench railways were light railways that contributed to the allies forces (France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan and later, the United States) by supplying the war fronts with soldiers and supplies and evacuation of the wounded soldiers to rear protected areas.
Why were the narrow gauge trench railways classified as "Light Railways"?
Answer: These narrow gauge trench railways were light railways because they were built with light-weight materials that were cheap to use and reduce civil engineering coast due to having lower standards than "heavy rail". Below is the actual definition of the term "Light Railway" from Wikipedia.
"A light railway is a railway built at lower costs and to lower standards than typical "heavy rail": it uses lighter-weight track, and may have more steep gradients and tight curves to reduce civil engineering costs. These lighter standards allow lower costs of operation, at the price of lower vehicle capacity." (Light Railway-Wikipedia)
How did the the Narrow Gauge Trench Railways help the allied forces in WW1?
Answer: Like previous mention, these trench railways help the allied forces by supplying the war fronts with soldiers and supplies and evacuation of the wounded soldiers to rear protected areas. The way they would do it was by running back and forth from the war front to a rear protected area's transfer point of a yard or station to meet up with standard gauge steam engines to transfer either supplies and soldiers from standard gauge engines to the narrow gauge or wounded soldiers from the narrow gauge to standard gauge engines.
How was the Narrow Gauge Trench railway built & operated?
Answer: The narrow gauge trench railways were built by soldiers who quickly assemble prefabricated 5-meter (16 ft 5 in) sections of track weighing about 100 kilograms (220 lb) along roads or over smooth terrain. The tracks would distributed heavy loads to minimize development of muddy ruts through unpaved surfaces. Then the railway would operate small locomotives that pulled short trains of 10-tonne (22,000 lb) capacity cars through areas of minimum clearance and small-radius curves. The only problem was that derailments were common, but the light rolling stock was relatively easy to re-rail. The small Steam locomotives typically carried a short length of flexible pipe (called a water-lifter) to refill water tanks from flooded shell holes.
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That's all for this Opinion & Answer today folks. Thanks for joining us as we examined the narrow gauge trench railways from World War 1. Links provided below for further reading and understanding about these little engines heroes of WW1 who played a huge role in helping the allied forces on the war front. Please join us on Sunday (11/20/22), where we examine: ALCO 2-6-2T,Barclay 0-6-0WT, Hunslet 4-6-0T and Baldwin Class 10-12-D 4-6-0T who served on the trench Railways under Great Britain.
From Conductor Wolf
Please Note: Due to Thanksgiving next Thursday 11/24 (For United States, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia) there will be no Opinion & Answer coming out on Friday 11/25, just a Post-Thanksgiving Day Message detailing the plans for December-January. Along with a Thanksgiving Message from me on Thanksgiving.
Links for Further Reading & Opinion and Answer Part 23:
- Opinion & Answer Part 23: Railroad Veterans (Where I examine the ROD & Railway Battalions of Great Britain during WW1)
- Wikipedia Links
