Inconvenience
Transhipping of freight from cars of one gauge to cars of another is very labour- and time-intensive, and increases the risk of damage to goods. If the capacity of freight cars on each system does not match, additional inefficiencies can arise. Technical solutions to avoid transhipping include variable gauge axles, replacing the bogies of cars, and the use of transporter cars that can carry a car of a different gauge.
Talgo and CAF have developed dual-gauge axles (variable gauge axles) which permit through running between broad gauge and standard gauge. In Japan the Gauge Change Train, built on Talgo patents, runs on standard and narrow (1067 mm) gauge.
Breaks-of-gauge are avoided by installing dual gauge track, either permanently or as part of a project to replace one gauge with another.
At almost every break-of-gauge passengers have to change trains, but there are a few trains that run through, for example, the Talgo (variable-gauge axles, see above), and Moscow-Beijing trains (bogie exchange), although on the latter passengers usually have to leave the train for some time whilst the work is done.
Read more about this topic: Break-of-gauge