Iberian-gauge railways

Iberian gauge is a railway  track gauge of ,  used by the railways of Spain and Portugal. This is the second-widest gauge in regular use anywhere in the world. Indian gauge railways, , are  wider.   

In 1955, the Iberian gauge was a compromise between the slightly different, gauges in Spain and Portugal. The main railway networks of Spain were built to a  gauge of six Castilian feet. In Portugal they were first built to a  and later to a  gauge of five Portuguese feet – close enough to allow interoperability with Spanish railways.The gauge of the early Portuguese lines built to the "English" (later: international) gauge was subsequently altered to Iberian to ensure interoperability – Assim, em 20 de Junho de 1860, funda a Companhia Real dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses que se propõe explorar as Linhas do Norte e do Leste e as linhas de que posteriormente obtivesse concessão. Thus, on June 20, 1860, founded the Society of Real Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses it proposes to exploit the lines of North and the East and the lines that subsequently obtain concession. De imediato a Companhia Real muda a bitola (1,44 metros) da linha já construída entre Lisboa e Asseca (68 Km.), passando-a para a bitola ibérica, com 1,67 metros, sem haver qualquer interrupção no serviço ferroviário. From immediate changes to the Company Real gauge (1.44 m) of the line already built between Lisbon and of Asseca (68 km), passing it to gauge the Iberian, with 1.67 metres, without any interruption in rail service.    

Standard gauge
Since the 1990s new high-speed passenger lines in Spain have been built to the international standard gauge of , to allow these lines to link to the European high-speed network. Although the 22 km from Tardienta to Huesca (part of a branch from the Madrid to Barcelona high-speed line) has been reconstructed as mixed Iberic and standard gauge, in general the interface between the two gauges in Spain is dealt with by means of gauge-changing installations, which can adjust the gauge of appropriately designed wheelsets on the move.Talgo Date=2008-09-04 :: CAF - Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, we create railway solutions :: 

There are plans to convert more of the Iberian-gauge network in Spain and Portugal to standard gauge. Concrete sleepers pre-drilled with additional bolt holes allow for moving one rail to adjust the track to standard gauge (or to dual gauge) or the narrowing of the gauge by moving both rails closer together maintaining the perfect alignment of the loading gauge.

Similar gauges and compatibility
The Indian gauge () is closely similar, with only  difference.  Chile and Argentina have bought second hand Spanish/Portuguese Iberian-gauge rolling stock. 1,668 mm trains can run on 1,676 mm gauge without adaptation, but for better stability in high-speed running a replacement wheelset may be required.  Due to the narrower gauge, a strong wear of the wheels may occur if the wheelset is not replaced.

Iberian-gauge railway networks
 Country/territory RailwayPortugalInfraestruturas de Portugal network. Adjusted from the original  in the 19th century. Other gauges used in Portugal:  or  (Azores), , , , and SpainAdjusted from the original  in the 19th century. Adif-managed national railway network (except new high-speed railway lines).Although Lleida–La Pobla de Segur Line is both managed and operated by Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), it was formerly part of the national railway network and was constructed to the  gauge. Barcelona Metro line 1 still uses the former  gauge.
References

Iberian
Category:Rail infrastructure
Category:Rail transport in Spain