Lines and Tracks

Como Railway Bridge, Como, NSW

Gauntlet Track

Gauntlet track or interlaced track (also gantlet track) is an arrangement in which railway tracks run parallel on a single track bed and are interlaced (i.e., overlapped) such that only one pair of rails may be used at a time. Since this requires only slightly more width than a single track, all rails can be carried on the same crossties/sleepers. Trains run on the discrete pair of rails appropriate to their direction, track gauge or loading gauge. This permits trains to travel on separate lines but share a single track-width bridge without having to pass through points.

The term gauntlet refers to the expression running the gauntlet, which means running between two confining rows of adversaries. Gauntlet track is always four rails of the same gauge, interlaced on the same set of sleepers to allow two way running on a single track bed. Trains running in opposite directions did not share the same track, thus negating the needs for points at either end of what was effectively a single line bridge.

In Sydney, the Como railway bridge over the Georges River, between Oatley and Como, was built for single line in the 1880s. The line was duplicated soon after, except for that bridge. The line across the bridge was laid as Gauntlet track, but reverts back to parallel track at both ends of the bridge. The bridge was replaced with a double-track bridge in 1972. The track on the original bridge has been lifted so this rare Australian example no longer exists


Railway Square road overbridge, Broadway, NSW

Another example in Sydney is in the Railway Square road overbridge over the spur which leads from the connection between Redfern and the Darling Harbour goods station. This was a two-track tunnel (one of the oldest on the New South Wales railways), but became gauntlet track when the line was electrified to allow electric locomotive-hauled freight trains to access the former Darling Harbour. There was insufficient clearance in the tunnel to install overhead catenary above both tracks. This track formerly served the Darling Harbour goods yards and was disconnected from the rest of the corridor which now forms part of the Inner West Light Rail.

At a number of places, including on the Metropolitan Goods line near Campsie, a low-speed weighbridge was installed on some gauntlet track, with a high-speed route being available for trains not needing weighing on the other track. Unlike the Como Bridge, some track shares a common rail, so that the track has three rails and not four. This is not strictly gauntlet track by definition, but is often refered to as such because it involves two or three lines sharing one set of sleepers.


Dual gauge track, Perth, WA

In Melbourne, broad (1600 mm) and standard dual gauge gauntlet track is located within the passenger yard of Southern Cross station, and in platforms 1 and 2. Those tracks also run on the Regional Rail Link flyover towards South Dynon yards. The northern section of the Upfield line, between the Ford sidings and Somerton, is also dual gauge gauntlet track. On the Western standard gauge line from Melbourne towards Adelaide, dual gauge track can be found between the Geelong Harbour and Gheringhap, as well as along the Newport-Sunshine freight line in Melbourne.

In Brisbane, the dual gauge track for the XPT service to Sydney runs from Roma Street railway station across the Merivale Bridge on the suburban rail network until the North Coast line branches off at Acacia Ridge.

Triple gauge turntable, Peterborough, SA

Australia's Railway Gauge Fiasco

Before Federation in 1901, Australia's colonial governments were responsible for building and maintaning their own railways. This included the selection of which railway gauge (the distance between the lines) they would use. The British Government advised the states to build their railways to standard gauge, but the states all did their own thing. As a result, there was no uniformity between states and Australia ended up with a mix of narrow gauge (3' 6"), standard gauge (4' 8 1/2") and broad gauge (5' 3"), causing headaches for goods and passengers travelling from one state to another.

Triple gauge points, Port Adelaide, SA

Multi-Gauge Points

In an attempt to bring some sort of uniformity, the Australian Govermment determined that all states should incorporate standard gauge lines interstate rail services so that freight and pasengers could move from one state and territory to another without having to transfer goods and passengers onto trains that ran on the local gauge. In some instances, new standard gauge lines were laid, but a cheaper alternative, adopted in many states, saw the addition of an extra rail to existing tracks of a different gauge (gauntlet track). This resuled in some very complex points layouts, expecually in South Australia where track had been laid in all three gauges.