Broad gauge

nounStandard termRailroad

Any track width wider than the standard 4 feet 8.5 inches.

A railway track configuration where the distance between the inside faces of the load-bearing rails exceeds the standard 1,435 millimeters. While standard gauge dominates North America, wider gauges were historically used by some regional lines to increase car capacity or prevent rival equipment from using their tracks.

Heard on the job

The old logging outfit originally laid broad gauge track before they rebuilt it to connect with the mainline.