Track gauge in Estonia
Estonia mainly uses a track gauge of 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in) (Russian gauge), inherited from the Russian Empire times.
Russian Gauge
- Soviet Union
Since Estonia converted relatively late from the Soviet Unions redefinition of the gauge from 1,524 mm (5 ft) to 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in), there are still some sections of 1,524 mm gauge left.
- Post-independence
Estonia after independence redefined its track gauge to 1,524 mm following Finland's technical specifications, though the countries do not share a border.[1] The redefinitions did not mean that a lot of actual railways or rolling stock were changed. It was more a rule change regarding new and renovated tracks.
Standard gauge proposals
There has been a proposal from the EU to build a standard gauge railway from Tallinn to Warsaw, the Rail Baltica. For cost reasons the current plans only see an upgrade of the existing Russian gauge railway to Lithuania over Riga, a new railway through Lithuania, and upgrade through Poland. It will have standard gauge only south of Kaunas, Lithuania, not in Estonia.
Narrow gauge
Historically Estonia had 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) narrow gauge installations.
Tallinn has tram with 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge.
References
- ↑ Salo, Sakari; Hovi, Ilkka (2002). "Estonian railways today" (PDF). p. 32. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
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