Re: QR going national?

["Richo" <richardc@tpg.com.au>]

John McCandless <johnmc@topend.com.au> wrote in message
37fc595d.0@news.topend.com.au">news:37fc595d.0@news.topend.com.au...
> > > Sold!  I like the sound of that.  The only problem now is if we become
> a
> > > republic.
> > > Hmm.... how about "Southern Standard Gauge", on the basis that the two
> > > biggest
> > > systems (Sth Africa and Oz) are in the Southern Hemisphere?
> > >
> > Chauvanistic nonsense?
>
> Nah, just rampant parochialism :-)
>
>  Arguably, the "biggest" 3'6" system is Japan's (JR +
> > Private).   Japan is not in the southern hemisphere.
And probably the world's best train system and one of the easier to use.
>
> I honestly hadn't thought of Japans 3'6" system.
> Blame it on too much media attention to the 4'8 1/2"
> Bullet Trains......
Japan is much more the Switzerland of railways than even Switzerland is. And
the gems can be found in the hills- I was in Kakunodate in Northern Honshu
back in March - a tiny little 3'6 branchline which is privately owned and
has one little rail motor running on it was standing in the dock platform -
3 crew standing around, no passengers, the whole area covered in deep snow
and a real manana atmosphere happening. Not the sterotypical Japan but the
best place for rail enthusiasts by far.

> Another thought - what gauge are Brazil's railways?





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