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Originally Posted by Ari
Bart swears to this day it’s instead because the wider overall train gives more roomy space and a smoother ride reducing potential motion sickness.
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I googled and skimmed the first result which is as deep as I care to dive into this matter, but according to this the official story is that the wider gauge helps provide stability during high wind events.
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The 13-page report – though brief and small in size – describes BART’s need for a wider gauge to keep its proposed ultra-lightweight cars on the tracks during high Bay Area wind events.
“It is now conclusive that the lateral stability of lightweight vehicles in the 800-pounds-per-linear-foot class can be assured through designs incorporating a 5’-6” gauge track,” the pamphlet says. “This is the most effective and most economical design measure by which the desired stability can be obtained.”
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50 years of BART: Why BART uses a nonstandard broad gauge | bart.gov