Narrow Gauge Railroads in The United States - U.S. Common Carrier Narrow Gauges in The Twentieth Century

U.S. Common Carrier Narrow Gauges in The Twentieth Century

Literally thousands of narrow gauge railroads were built or projected in the U.S. The following list includes those common carrier narrow gauge railroads which operated into the Twentieth Century. Note: this list intentionally excludes tourist railroads, amusement parks, loggers, and other non-common carriers.

List of narrow gauge railroads in the United States
(all 3 ft/​914 mm gauge unless stated)
Railroad State Start
year		 End
year		 Notes
Altoona and Beech Creek Railroad Pennsylvania 1891 1916 converted to 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Anniston and Atlantic Railroad Alabama 1884 1890 converted to standard gauge
Arizona and New Mexico Railway Arizona, New Mexico 1883 1901 converted to standard gauge
Arizona Narrow Gauge Railroad, later Tucson, Globe and Northwestern Railroad Arizona 1886 1894
Arkansas Central Railway, later Arkansas Midland Railroad Arkansas 1872 1887 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge until 1883, converted to standard gauge
Batesville and Brinkley Railroad Arkansas 1882 1888 converted to standard gauge
Bellevue and Cascade Railroad Iowa 1880 1936
Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd Utah 1872 1881 Sold to D&RG in 1881, standard gauged 1883
Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad Massachusetts 1875 1940
Bradford, Bordell and Kinzua Railroad, later Buffalo, Bradford and Kane Railroad Pennsylvania 1880 1906
Bridgton and Saco River Railroad, later Bridgton and Harrison Railway Maine 1883 1941 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Carson and Colorado Railroad, later Carson and Colorado Railway, then Nevada and California Railway, then Southern Pacific California, Nevada 1881 1960
Catskill and Tannersville Railway New York 1899 1918
Catskill Mountain Railroad, later Catskill Mountain Railway New York 1882 1918
Colorado Central Railroad, later Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado 1872 1941
Colorado and Southern Railway Colorado 1898 1943 Formed from Colorado Central Railroad and the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railway
Coronado Railroad Arizona 1879 1932 18 in (457 mm) gauge, later 3 ft (914 mm) gauge
Cotton Plant Railroad Arkansas 1879 1882 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge until 1881, to Batesville and Brinkley Railroad
Crescent Tramway Utah 1883 1900 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) gauge
Denver and Rio Grande Western Railway Colorado, Utah, New Mexico 1871 1969 Utah portion standard gauged 1883
Eagles Mere Railroad Pennsylvania 1892 1928
East and West Railroad of Alabama Alabama, Georgia 1871 1890 converted to standard gauge
East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Company Pennsylvania 1873 1956
East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad Tennessee, North Carolina 1881 1950
Eureka and Palisade Railroad Nevada 1874 1938
Farmville and Powhatan Railroad, later Tidewater and Western Railroad Virginia 1882 1917
Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad Colorado 1894 1915
Franklin and Megantic Railroad, later Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Maine 1884 1908 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Fulton County Narrow Gauge Railway Illinois 1880 1905 converted to standard gauge
Golovin Bay Railroad Alaska 1902 1906
Hot Springs Branch Railroad Arkansas 1875 1889 converted to standard gauge
Kane and Elk Railroad Pennsylvania 1896 1911
Kennebec Central Railroad Maine 1890 1929 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Lancaster, Oxford and Southern Railroad Pennsylvania 1873 1919
Lawndale Railway and Industrial Company North Carolina 1899 1945
Lewisburg and Buffalo Valley Railroad Pennsylvania 1897 1906
Linville River Railway North Carolina 1899 1913 sold to East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad
Little Cottonwood Transportation Company Utah 1910 1925
Magma Arizona Railroad Arizona 1914 1923 converted to standard gauge
Maryland Central Railroad, later Baltimore and Lehigh Railroad Maryland, Pennsylvania 1882 1900 converted to standard gauge; became Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad
Monson Railroad Maine 1883 1943 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Montgomery Southern Railway Alabama 1882 1889 converted to standard gauge
Montrose Railway Pennsylvania 1872 1903 converted to standard gauge
Morenci Southern Railway Arizona 1899 1932
Mount Gretna Narrow Gauge Railway Pennsylvania 1889 1915 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Nantucket Railroad Massachusetts 1881 1917
Nevada and Oregon Railroad, later Nevada and California Railroad, then Nevada-California-Oregon Railway Nevada, California, Oregon 1882 1929
Nevada Central Railway Nevada 1880 1938
Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad California 1876 1942
Nevada Short Line Railway Nevada 1913 1918
New Berlin and Winfield Railroad Pennsylvania 1905 1916
Newport and Shermans Valley Railroad Pennsylvania 1891 1934
North Pacific Coast Railroad, later Northwestern Pacific Railroad California 1873 1930
Oahu Railway and Land Company Hawaii 1889 1947
Ohio River and Western Railway Ohio 1877 1931
Oregonian Railway Oregon 1878 1893 to Southern Pacific; converted to standard gauge
Otis Elevating Railway, later Otis Railway New York 1892 1918 Funicular railway
Pacific Coast Railway California 1873 1941
Pajaro Valley Consolidated Railroad California 1890 1929
Phillips and Rangeley Railroad, later Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Maine 1890 1908 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Pioche Pacific Transportation Company Nevada 1891 1948
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad Pennsylvania 1871 1909 3 ft 4 in (1,016 mm) gauge
Pittsburgh and Western Railroad Pennsylvania 1878 1911
Potomac, Fredericksburg and Piedmont Railroad Virginia 1876 1926
Rio Grande Southern Railroad Colorado 1892 1951
Sandy River Railroad, later Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Maine 1879 1908 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Maine 1908 1935 2 ft (610 mm) gauge
Shannon-Arizona Railway Arizona 1910 1932
South Pacific Coast Railroad California 1878 1940
Sumpter Valley Railway Oregon 1891 1947
Susquehanna and Eagles Mere Railroad Pennsylvania 1902 1917
Talladega and Coosa Valley Railroad Alabama 1884 1889 converted to standard gauge
Tanana Valley Railroad Alaska 1904 1930
Tionesta Valley Railroad Pennsylvania 1882 1941
Seaboard Railway of Alabama, later Tombigbee and Northern Railway Alabama 1891 1904 converted to standard gauge
Tonawanda Valley & Cuba Railroad New York 1881 1894 Converted in 1896, Operates as A&A R.R. today
Tonopah Railroad Nevada 1904 1905 converted to standard gauge
Tuscarora Valley Railroad Pennsylvania 1893 1934
Tuskegee Railroad Alabama 1871 1963
Uintah Railway Colorado, Utah 1904 1939
United Verde and Pacific Railway Arizona 1894 1920
Utah & Pleasant Valley Utah 1875 1881
Wasatch & Jordan Valley Utah 1872 1879 Merged with Bingham Canyon & Camp Floyd, standard gauged 1883
Waynesburg and Washington Railroad Pennsylvania 1877 1944 converted to standard gauge
White Pass & Yukon Route Alaska 1898 1982
Wild Goose Railroad, later Nome Arctic Railroad, then Seward Peninsula Railroad Alaska 1900 1955
Wiscasset and Quebec Railroad, later Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Maine 1895 1933 2 ft (610 mm) gauge

Read more about this topic:  Narrow Gauge Railroads In The United States

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