[Tracking the Gauges, Gauging the Tracks 04] • Area 1520

Part 4 of this Seven Part series on our round-the-world odyssey has arrived! Covering what is known as ‘Area 1520’, we travel through Russia, the Baltic states, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and a number of adjacent countries, all of which share the same railway gauge of 1520 mm – or do they? While the formal organisation titled ‘Area 1520’ is pushing hard to spread its railway gauge of 1520 mm far into Standard gauge Europe, other interests are building Standard gauge lines in Area 1520 territory that will enable goods made in China to travel on the same train all the way to Germany, France and even England. Is this a new gauge war? Part 4 may just provide the answers! A must for anyone with any interest in railways.