Distance
Link
Chain
Mile
Kilometre
1 li
=
0.01 ch
=
0.0001 mi
=
0.0002 km
100 li
=
1 ch
=
0.013 mi
=
0.020 km
4970.97 li
=
49.710 ch
=
0.621 mi
=
1 km
8000 li
=
80 ch
=
1 mi
=
1.609 km
Sometimes shown as: M - miles, C - chains, L - links
or as 00.00.00 for miles chains and links

Length
Inch
Feet
Metres
1 in
=
0.083 ft
=
0.025 m
12 in
=
1 ft
=
0.305 m
39.370 in
=
3.281 ft
=
1 m
Sometimes shown as 00'00" with ' - feet, " - inches

Power
Horse power
KiloWatts
1 hp
=
0.746 kW
1.341 hp
=
1 kW

Pressure
Pounds per square inch
KiloPascal
0.145 psi
=
1 kPa
1 psi
=
6.895 kPa

Speed
Miles per hour
Kilometres per hour
0.621 mph
=
1 km/h
1 mph
=
1.609 km/h

Volume
Imperial gallon
Liter
0.220 gal
=
1 L
1 gal
=
4.546 L

Weight
Hundred weight (UK)
Long ton (UK)
Metric ton
1 cwt
=
0.050 LT
=
0.051 t
19.684 cwt
=
0.984 LT
=
1 t
20 cwt
=
1 LT
=
1.016 t
Some rollingstock have weights listed a T C Q (or even as T C Q L)
Where: T - long ton, C - hundred weight, Q - quarter (qt), L - pound (lb)
1 pound ≈ 453.6 g
28 pounds to the quarter (12.7 kg)
4 quarters to a hundred weight (50.8 kg)

Gauge
Name
Metric
Imperial
Broad
≈ 1,600 mm
5 ft 3 in
Standard
≈ 1,435 mm
4 ft 8 1/2 in
Narrow
APC, BR
≈ 1,067 mm
3 ft 6 in
Rubicon
≈ 1,029 mm
3 ft 4 1/2 in
Powelltown
≈ 914 mm
3 ft
Yallourn
900 mm
≈ 2 ft 11 7/16 in
 
≈ 826 mm
2 ft 8 1/2 in
 
800 mm
≈ 2 ft 7 1/2 in
VR
≈ 762 mm
2 ft 6 in
 
750 mm
≈ 2 ft 5 1/2 in
 
700 mm
≈ 2 ft 3 1/2 in
Cheetham
≈ 610 mm
2 ft
Minimum
CEF
≈ 470 mm
18.5 in
 
≈ 457 mm
18 in
 
444 mm
≈ 17.5 in
 
≈ 432 mm
17 in
 
≈ 406 mm
16 in

Whyte Wheel Arrangement (Steam, small diesel and petrol locomotives)
2-2-2
0-4-0
0-4-2
0-4-4
2-4-0
2-4-2
4-4-0
4-4-2
0-6-0
0-6-2
0-6-4
2-6-0
2-6-2
4-6-0
4-6-2
4-6-4
0-8-0
2-8-0
2-8-2
2-8-4
4-8-0
4-8-2
4-8-4
0-4-4-0
0-6-6-0
2-6-0+0-6-2
2-6-2+2-6-2
4-8-2+2-8-4

Shay Locomotives
A-type
2 cylinders, 2 trucks
B-type
3 cylinders, 2 trucks
C-type
3 cylinders, 3 trucks
D-type
3 cylinders, 4 trucks

Climax Locomotives
A-type
2 vertical cylinders mounted in the center of the locomotive
B-type
1 cylinder either side of the boiler, 2 trucks connected by a driveshaft
C-type
1 angled cylinder either side of the boiler, 3 trucks connected by a driveshaft

Commonwealth Wheel Arrangement (Large diesel locomotives)
= Powered wheel
A1-A1
Bo-Bo
Co-Co

Suffix
-
Tender
B
Battery
CT
Crane Tank
D
Diesel
E
Electric transmission
G
Geared (steam)
H
Hydraulic transmission
K
Kerosene
M
Mechanical transmission
P
Petrol
RT
Rack
ST
Saddle tank
T
Side tank
T+T
Tank & tender
VB
Vertical boiler
WT
Well tank
w
Axles coupled by chains or shafts or are individually driven