On This Day
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The railroads of the Southern United States convert 11,000 miles of track from a five foot rail gauge to standard gauge,

The railroads of the Southern United States convert 11,000 miles of track from a five foot rail gauge to standard gauge, beginning May 31

Originally, various track gauges were used in the United States. Some railways, primarily in the northeast, used standard gauge of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm); others used gauges ranging from 2 ft (610 mm) to 6 ft (1,829 mm). As a general rule, southern railroads were built to one or another broad gauge, mostly 5 ft (1,524 mm), while northern railroads that were not standard-gauge tended to be narrow-gauge. The Pacific Railroad Acts of 1863 specified standard gauge be used for the first transcontinental railroad.

Notable exceptions were the 6 ft (1,829 mm) railroads that predominated in the first part of the 19th century in New York State, and the 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) lines centered on Portland, Maine.

Historical Significance

Originally, various track gauges were used in the United States.

Events Before

  1. King Leopold II of Belgium establishes the Congo as his personal colonial possession

    From 1885 to 1908, many atrocities were committed in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) under the absolute rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.

  2. Mark Twain publishes "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the US

    Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a picaresque novel by American author Mark Twain that was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885.

  3. Berlin Conference gives Congo to Belgium and Nigeria to the United Kingdom

    From 1885 to 1908, many atrocities were committed in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) under the absolute rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.

  4. W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's comic opera "The Mikado" premieres in London at the Savoy Theatre

    The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J.

  5. American socialite Edith Jones (23) weds American businessman Edward Robbins Wharton (35), at the Trinity Chapel, New Yo

    American socialite Edith Jones (23) weds American businessman Edward Robbins Wharton (35), at the Trinity Chapel, New York City, becoming Edith Wharton; divorce in 1913

Events After

  1. Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Otello" premieres at La Scala Teatro in Milan, Italy, Verdi's first new opera for over 15 years

    Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Otello" premieres at La Scala Teatro in Milan, Italy, Verdi's first new opera for over 15 years

  2. Anne Sullivan begins teaching 6-year-old blind-deaf Helen Keller

    Anne Sullivan begins teaching 6-year-old blind-deaf Helen Keller

  3. Business magnate Andrew Carnegie (51) weds Louise Whitfield (30) in NYC, New York

    Business magnate Andrew Carnegie (51) weds Louise Whitfield (30) in NYC, New York

  4. "Europe's first motoring competition" is 'won' by The Marquis de Dion on a steam-powered quadricycle built by French toy

    "Europe's first motoring competition" is 'won' by The Marquis de Dion on a steam-powered quadricycle built by French toymaker and engineer Georges Bouton; French newspaper Le Velocipede organized the 'test', and Bouton was the only participant

  5. Yellow River or Huáng Hé floods in China, killing between 900,000 and 2 million people, one of the deadliest natural dis

    Yellow River or Huáng Hé floods in China, killing between 900,000 and 2 million people, one of the deadliest natural disasters in history

More from the 1880s

The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., to promote "the increase and diffusion of geographic kno

The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., to promote "the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge" [1]

The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jers

The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey

American painter Thomas Eakins (40) weds American painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony in

American painter Thomas Eakins (40) weds American painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until his death in 1916

Abolitionist Frederick Douglass marries his second wife suffragist Helen Pitts

Abolitionist Frederick Douglass marries his second wife suffragist Helen Pitts

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 1, 1886?
Originally, various track gauges were used in the United States. Some railways, primarily in the northeast, used standard gauge of 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm); others used gauges ranging from 2 ft (610 mm) to 6 ft (1,829 mm). As a general rule, southern railroads were built to one or another broad gauge, mostly 5 ft (1,524 mm), while northern railroads that were not standard-gauge tended to be narrow-gauge.
Why is The railroads of the Southern United States convert 11,000 miles of track fro... significant?
Originally, various track gauges were used in the United States.

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June 1 in HistoryYear 1886