Zig Zag (railway)

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of a zig zag include speed and relative cheapness of construction, with no need to worsen the Ruling Grade , compared to the alternative which almost certainly will require tunnels which are slow and costly to build. Where traffic is modest, a zig zag may well be a sensible long term solution.

DISADVANTAGES

Zig zags suffer from a number of possible limitations:

The length of a Train will be limited by length of Track at the top and bottom points.

Reversing a train without running an engine around to the rear of the train is hazardous. Engines at the rear of the train help.

The process is slow.

ALTERNATE NAMES

In the United States, Zig Zags are called switchbacks.

LOCATION OF ZIG ZAGS

Argentina

--- Tren a las Nubes

Australia

--- Kalamunda Zig Zag - 2 reversals

--- Lapstone Zig Zag - 2 reversals

--- Lithgow Zig Zag ( see Zig Zag Railway )

India

--- Darjeeling Himalayan Railway has six full zig zags, most are from the construction of the current railway but one was added in the 1940s and at least one other was used temporarily following storm damage, Narrow Gauge

Pakistan

--- Khyber Pass

Peru

Taiwan

--- Alishan Forest Railway

United States

--- 8 Switchbacks At Cascade On GN - replaced by tunnel which was in turn replaced by a longer tunnel.

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Information About

Zig Zag (railway)