Correct Answer - Option 2 : 2 and 3 only
Explanation:
Railway Gauge:
(i) The clear horizontal distance between the inner faces of the two rails forming a track is known as a Railway Gauge.
(ii) The distance between the inner faces of a pair of wheels is called the wheel gauge.
Types of Gauges in India
In India the following gauges are used:
- Standard Gauge or Broad Gauge: Gauge width 1.676 m.
- Metre/Meter Gauge (M.G): Gauge width 1.000 m.
- Narrow Gauge (N.G): Gauge width 0.672 m.
- Feeder Track Gauge or Light Gauge: Gauge width 0.610 m.
Advantages of Uniform Gauge:
The use of a uniform gauge has the following advantages:
- The delay cost and hardship in shifting passengers and goods from the vehicle of one gauge to the other are avoided.
- Labour expenses of shifting are saved.
- Breakage of goods due to shifting is avoided.
- The possibility of thefts and misplacement during the shifting operation is eliminated.
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Large sheds to store goods are not required.
- Labour strikes etc. do not affect the service and operation of trains.
- Wagons can be efficiently used on all the tracks if the gauge is uniform.
- Locomotives can be effectively used on all the tracks if a uniform gauge is adopted.
- During military movement, no time is wasted in shifting personnel and equipment if the gauge is uniform.
- Duplication of equipment such as platforms, sanitary arrangements, etc is avoided.
Factors Affecting Adopting of a Particular Gauge
The following factors govern the choice of different gauges:
- Cost of construction and funds available for the railway project.
- Volume and nature of traffic.
- The intensity of the population.
- Industrial and commercial development of the locality.
- Prospects of future development of the area.
- Topographical and geological features of the country.
- Speed of movement required.
