4.2 Introduction of pendulum-type diesel rail car (New Sprinter)
4.2.1 Speedup in narrow-gauge railway
Table 4.2-1 shows narrow-gauge railways of main countries. In the case of the maximum
speed in commercial operation, South Africa has the highest value of 160 km/h, then Japan
has that of 130 km/h (partly 140 km/h), and Thailand and Taiwan have that of 120 km/h. It
is needless to say that the narrow-gauge railway is inferior to standard- and broad-gauge
railroad in high speed traveling.
However, the national railway of South Africa achieved a high speed of 245 km/h in
1978, which was equal to the speed of standard- and broad-gauge railroad at that time
though it was the record of test traveling. Moreover, the motive power performance of a
car is greatly improved because of the recent advancement of car technology. Therefore, it
is estimated that even the narrow-gauge railway realizes a speed much higher than the
present speed.
Table 4.2-1 Main narrow-gauge railways in the world
Country name
Gauge
Commercial distance(km) (Narrow-gauge only)
Electrification rate(%)
Maximum operation speed(km/h)
Axle load (ton)
Japan
1,067
24,000
62.1
130
16.0
Taiwan
1,067
1,071
45.8
120
15.0
Philippines
1,067
805
-
75
Indistinct
Thailand
1,000
3,870
-
120
15.0
Malaysia
1,000
1,652
-
80
16.0
Myanmar
1,000
3,137
-
64
12.0
Indonesia
1,067
6,458
0.8
80
15.0
Bangladesh
1,000
1,872
-
74
12.0
Sudan
1,067
4,725
-
70
16.5
Mozambique
1,067
3,696
-
80
18.0
South Africa
1,065
23,259
33.0
160
20.5
Nigeria
1,067
3,565
-
110
20.0
(Cited from Collection of JARTS World Railway Data, 1990)
