Miniature Railway

A locomotive on the Polperro Express Railway at Drayton Manor

A miniature railway is a narrow-gauge railway employed within an amusement park both as a means of transportation and as a scenic attraction. The most common gauges are 380 mm, 610mm and 914mm (15, 24, and 36 inches).[1] For comparison most railways around the world, including those in North America, Australia, China, and much of Europe have a track gauge of 1435 mm or 56.5 inches.

Miniature railways may be powered by coal, diesel, fuel oil, propane, natural gas, or electrically via onboard batteries. The rolling stock is often designed to look like a traditional steam locomotive and in some cases produce steam, "smoke", and sound effects for purely aesthetic purposes.[2]

Many early railways within parks were built in-house or used retired locomotives from industrial railways. An early example is the Zephyr at Dorney Park which opened in 1935.

Other ride types often used for transportation include the Ropeway and Monorail.

Manufacturers

References

  1. "Theme Park Steam Trains". Train Chasers.
  2. "The Lincoln- Our Iconic 4-4-0 Western Style Locomotive". Severn Lamb.