Word of the Day
27 January 2026
break of gauge
nounRail equipment
an occurrence where a railway with one track gauge meets another railway of a different gauge, thus requiring transhipment of goods and passengers, or a change of bogies on the train.
Why this one
The name is blunt about it: the gauge breaks, and everything on the train has to be lifted, shunted or re-bogied to carry on. It is a freight cost that shows up in national politics, since gauge choices made early are almost impossible to unpick later.
In use
Anything routed through there hits a break of gauge, so budget the extra day for transhipment before you promise a delivery date.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.