Gauge display

This is the gauge display at Belair station

The Adelaide to Belair and Bridgewater line opened in 1883 and it was broad gauge, 5' 3"   In 1995, the track used by Adelaide bound services was converted to standard gauge as part of the Adelaide to Melbourne standardisation project. A standard-gauge railway is a railway with a track gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in).

The first of the main line railways in Adelaide were built in the 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) broad gauge, with broad guage meaning wider that standard.

Russia and the other former Soviet Republics use a 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in) (originally 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge, while Finland continues to use the 5 ft (1,524 mm) gauge inherited from Imperial Russia. The Trans-Siberian train runs on this gauge, meaning a chance of trains at the Chinese border. What a mixup this has been.

The broad track gauge of 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in) is practically dead in South Australia, with the Mt. Barket to Victor Harbor Steam Ranger train being the only significant survivor.