Dictionary

loading gauge en · NOUN

Meanings

1. (UK) The maximum permitted height and width for a rail vehicle, governed by clearances in tunnels, under bridges and past lineside structures.
   • In Russia, where experiments on a considerable scale have been made with condensing, the railways have the considerable advantage of a loading gauge 17 ft. high (the biggest in the world), as compared with the British 13 ft. or slightly over. 1946 January and February, “The Why and The Wherefore: Condensing Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 62:
   • But there is a continuing distinction between the loading gauge (the size of the trains) of the deep-level Tube trains and the loading gauge of the cut-and-cover trains. The latter are bigger - as big as main-line trains. 2012, Andrew Martin, Underground Overground: A passenger's history of the Tube, Profile Books, →ISBN, page 33:
   • The total of wagons generally conforming to Continental standards but specially built to our loading gauge so that they are capable of use on the ferry routes is now 8,000. 1960 March, “Talking of Trains: London-Paris in four hours”, in Trains Illustrated, page 134:
   • The first "K" class 4-8-4 appeared in 1932. Designed and built in New Zealand, these are probably the biggest non-articulated locomotives possible within the loading gauge. 1954 August, J. B. Snell, “The New Zealand Government Railways—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 561:
   • The coaches are similar to those of the Hampshire diesel-electric units, which went into service in September, 1957, but have 8ft 6in wide bodies, instead of 9ft, because of loading gauge limitations on the South Eastern Division. 1962 December, “The Oxted Line diesel-electric multiple-units”, in Modern Railways, page 383:
2. A physical structure, often a metal frame above a railroad track, to check the maximum height and width of a vehicle.

Forms

Translations (5)

fr gabarit (maximum permitted height) · de Fahrzeugbegrenzungslinie (maximum permitted height) · fr gabarit (structure) · ar مِقْياس الحُمُولَة (maximum permitted height) · de Ladelehre (structure)