Some Death Railway Facts

Neil MacPherson, William’s Force, Burma Railway

Length of Railway 414.916 kilometres (257.9 Miles) Single line

Bridges 688 total, 680 timber, 8 Steel

Track Gauge 1 metre

Rails Southern part mainly 60lbs per yard (29.8kg/metre) 30-foot lengths

Rails Burma mostly 60 or 75lbs/Yd (29.8 or 37.2kg/metre 30 to 39 foot lengths

Rail Fastening Spiked direct to sleeper four per sleeper

Sleepers Hardwood 25 by 15 cm (10 by 6 Inches) 1400 to kilometre

Ballast Broken stone from local quarries and river bed gravel

Locomotives, Japanese C56

Gradients Highest point, 273.45 metres (897 feet) above sea level, Three Pagoda Pass

Gradients Second highest, Tampi 266.6 metres

Telegraphic Communication, Telegraph Line

Japanese Railway Regiments 5th Burma end & 9th Thailand

Work commenced in June 1942 at Non Pluduc, Thailand, and in October 1942 at Thanbuzayat in Burma, both ends were joined near Nikki 23rd October 1942