The width of a railroad track is called a gauge.
Gauge is a concept that is usually used to refer to the width of railway tracks . The gauge, therefore, is the separation between the rails, measuring between their internal parts.
The etymological origin of the concept is quite uncertain. However, most experts in the field agree that it probably derives from Celtic, more precisely from the word trogium .
This meaning of train track width is not generalized throughout the world. That is, the countries that do use trail with that definition are several in South America, such as Argentina , Uruguay , Bolivia or Paraguay .
Different trails
There are more than a dozen trails that are used around the world. While some countries choose to opt for a single trail for their entire territory , in other nations several different trails coexist.
The narrowest trail in use is in Tierra del Fuego , in Argentine Patagonia . The so-called End of the World Train circulates on a track of just 50 centimeters . The Old Patagonian Express , known as La Trochita , also operates on Patagonian soil: its gauge is 75 centimeters .
The widest gauge standard usually used measures 1.67 meters . Railways that run on this type of track are classified as broad gauge trains .
It should be noted that some trains have a mechanism that makes it possible to move their wheels in or out with respect to their axle. In this way, these trains can run on tracks with different gauges.
The track may vary.
Other uses of the notion
We cannot ignore either that trocha is a word that, on other occasions and places on the planet, is used to refer to that path or path that is intended to act as a shortcut to reach a specific place .
Hence precisely, from that meaning, that in the dialect of Andalusia , for example, the verb atrochar exists. This is used to express that a shortcut has been taken to reach the desired destination much more quickly. An example of this use would be the following: “In the race that Jesús and Carlos did, the second one was smarter because he crashed and reached the finish line much sooner.”
In the same way, the idea of a trail can also be used to refer to a narrow path or a path that opens in the middle of a natural and rugged environment. For example: “We must walk along the trail about three kilometers before reaching the shelter,” “The explorer had to open a trail in the middle of the jungle.”
It should also be noted that La Trocha is a nightlife venue that exists in Madrid . It is a cocktail bar, located in the central Huertas neighborhood of the Spanish capital, which is known, above all, for the exquisite flavor of the caipirinhas prepared there.