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Breitspurbahn

The Breitspurbahn was a wide-track railroad planned by Adolf Hitler during his rulership of Germany. This wide-track railroad had a track width (rail separation) of 3 meters (twice the width of standard track). Hitler's plans were to connect Berlin with Munich, Hamburg and Linz, not only with standard gauge railroad, but also with a broad-gauge system. Hitler's ultimate goal was to connect the "re-conquered" "Lebensraum" in the East with this system, with an eventual goal of making Rostow accessible to Germans via this network.

The broad-gauge railroad has some advantages. The wider the track, the better the running properties of the course, especially over long distances and in areas with poor foundation. The disadvantages are mainly higher construction costs and larger turning radii. Thus, in cities and in the mountains, or in close valleys, narrower gauges tended to be preferred for railroad tracks.

Last updated: 02-10-2005 15:53:00
Last updated: 05-03-2005 02:30:17