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Narrow gauge railways in the Netherlands

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Narrow-gauge railways in the Netherlands

Numerous industrial narrow-gauge lines were built for peat extraction, clay extraction for brickworks and construction sites. The dominant gauge for industrial lines was 700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in), contrary to the 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) gauge used in neighbouring countries.

Contents

Nowadays, a lot of this industrial rail heritage is preserved in museums or in theme parks, such as the Efteling Steam Train Company.

The majority of the Dutch narrow-gauge railways were built as steam tram networks, predominantly with 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in) and 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) track gauge.

Tram

  • Geldersch-Westfaalsche Stoomtram-Maatschappij; 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Geldersche Stoomtramweg Maatschappij; originally 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), converted to 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
  • Rotterdamse Tramweg Maatschappij; 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Stoomtram Walcheren; 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
  • Tramweg Maatschappij De Graafschap; 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
  • Tramweg Maatschappij Zutphen-Emmerik; 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)
  • Tramweg Onderneming Gouda-Bodegraven; 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in)

    • Narrow-gauge heritage railways

  • Amsteltrein; 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), 3,7 km, park railway
  • Decauville Spoorweg Museum; 1,2 km 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in) and 400 mm (15 3⁄4 in) running line and 350 mm (13 25⁄32 in), 400 mm (15 3⁄4 in), 500 mm (19 3⁄4 in), 550 mm (21 21⁄32 in), 580 mm (22 27⁄32 in), 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), 700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in), 750 mm (2 ft 5 1⁄2 in), 900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in), 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) metre gauge and 1,200 mm (3 ft 11 1⁄4 in) collection, mainly focused on (Decauville) field railways.
  • Eerste Drentse vereniging van Stoomliefhebbers in the peat heritage museum in Barger-Compascuum; 4 km, 700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in).
  • Efteling Steam Train Company, 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), amusement park
  • Gelderse Smalspoor Stichting; 700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in), brickworks
  • Industrieel Smalspoor Museum; 900 mm (2 ft 11 7⁄16 in), a former peat railway
  • Stichting Rijssens Leemspoor; 600 mm (1 ft 11 5⁄8 in), industrial and park
  • Stichting voorheen RTM; 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in), preserves the heritage of the Rotterdamse Tramweg Maatschappij.
  • Stoomtrein Valkenburgse Meer; 700 mm (2 ft 3 9⁄16 in), 4.5 km, part of the Nationaal Smalspoormuseum (National Narrow Gauge Railway Museum)

    • References

    Narrow-gauge railways in the Netherlands Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA