Narrow-gauge railways in Latvia

Around 1935, Latvian narrow-gauge railways consisted of 536 km (335 miles) of 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge, 432 km (270 miles) of 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge, and 48 km (30 miles) of meter gauge.[1][2]

Narrow-gauge train at Alūksne

One public, one museum, and some industrial peat railways survive.

Common carrier

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Track gauges were 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge unless otherwise specified.

Peat railway

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The peat companies mainly use 750 mm (2 ft 5 12 in) gauge, but there also exists 700 mm (2 ft 3 916 in) and 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) gauge railways.

  • Peat railway based at Ozoli
  • Peat railway based at Seda
  • Peat railway based at Misa
  • Peat railway based at Puikule
  • Peat railway based at Zilaiskalns
  • Peat railway based at Strūžāni
  • Peat railway based at Līvāni
  • Peat railway based at Baloži

Other

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  • There is an historic train in Ventspils. The track gauge is 600 mm (1 ft 11 58 in) and the length is a 2 km circle. The locomotives are former "Brigadelok" steam locomotives. From 1918 until the early 1960s they ran a regular service from Ventspils along the coast to Mazirbe and further down to Talsi and Stende.
  • The Riga Pioneer Railway, 2 km long, was in existence from 1956 to 1997.

References

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