RailRoadFan.com

Although I've seen this mentioned in many places. I was reading the Wiki article on the Bessemer & Lake Erie. Its says "At the end of 1925 B&LE operated 228 miles of road on 631 miles of track; at the end of 1970 mileages were 220 and 489."

What does that mean? What makes "miles of road" different from "miles of track"?

Miles of road is basically the length of the railroad. As in route miles. Mileposts.

Miles of track includes such things as yard and siding track. Thus your railroad might be 100 miles long but adding in sidings, double track, etc you have 150 miles of track.

Well.....duhhhhhhhhhh.

Saturnalia wrote:Miles of road is basically the length of the railroad. As in route miles. Mileposts.

Miles of track includes such things as yard and siding track. Thus your railroad might be 100 miles long but adding in sidings, double track, etc you have 150 miles of track.

Thanks, that's a lot easier to understand now.

hoborich wrote:Well.....duhhhhhhhhhh.

Never said I was smart.

I heard something similar recently referring to the nearby I-275 construction project. It is a 5 mile stretch being done in both directions but it was referred as a "88 lane miles" including all the individual lanes and on/off ramps, etc.. Sure sounds more impressive!!!

Probably because it's four or five lanes wide. The contractor probably bills for each lane paved or constructed.

Well.....duhhhhhhhhhh.