Decauville, Railway manufacturing company in France
Decauville was a French manufacturing company founded by Paul Decauville that specialized in producing portable narrow-gauge railway tracks, locomotives, wagons, and complete railway systems for industrial, military, and civilian applications worldwide.
Founded in 1857 by Paul Decauville, the company gained prominence during the late 19th and early 20th centuries for its portable track systems, which were extensively used during World War I and World War II by French, British, and German forces in trench warfare and fortifications.
Decauville's innovations in portable railway technology contributed to industrial mobility and military logistics, supporting infrastructural development in colonial territories and becoming symbols of engineering adaptability and efficiency in narrow-gauge railway projects worldwide.
Decauville manufactured standardized track panels, locomotives, and wagons designed for quick assembly and disassembly, with narrow-gauge tracks ranging from 15 inches (381 millimeters) to broad gauges, with popular sizes like 23.6 inches (600 millimeters).
The company's modular track design allowed rapid deployment over uneven terrain without ballast, supporting speeds of up to 1,312 feet (400 meters) per day and revolutionizing temporary rail logistics for agricultural sites, quarries, and construction projects.
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