Definition
Cape gauge (1,067 mm or 3 ft 6 in) is the railway track gauge used across most of Southern and Central Africa, including the Lobito Corridor railway systems. Named for its adoption by the Cape Colony, this narrow gauge limits train speeds and axle loads compared to standard gauge.
Corridor Context
The Benguela Railway and connected rail networks in the DRC (SNCC) and Zambia all use Cape gauge, enabling through-running without gauge changes. This shared gauge is a critical advantage of the Lobito Corridor compared to routes requiring transhipment. The LAR rehabilitation programme includes upgrading track to handle higher axle loads within the Cape gauge standard.
Related Terms
Return to the full glossary for additional terms and definitions related to the Lobito Corridor.
Editorial Note
This glossary entry is designed as a concise research gateway, not as a closed encyclopedia article. Its editorial job is to define the subject, explain why it matters to the Lobito Corridor, and route readers toward deeper profiles, datasets, and primary sources. Updates are made when new public data, official disclosures, regulatory changes, or field monitoring materially alter the corridor assessment.
For institutional users, the page should be read as an index layer: it helps locate the relevant company, mine, community, regulation, commodity, or infrastructure file before moving into article-length analysis. Claims that affect investment, human-rights, ESG, or public-policy interpretation should be checked against the linked source pack and the underlying corridor database before being reused externally.
How To Use This Term
In corridor research, short reference pages are useful only when they make the next analytical move clear. This term should therefore be used as a signpost into the wider evidence base: follow the internal links for project-level detail, use the source pack where primary verification is required, and treat unsourced commercial or policy claims as provisional until checked against official data or direct disclosure. The page is intentionally kept operational: it tells an analyst what the item means, why it matters, which corridor actors are affected, and where to go next for decision-grade context.
Where This Fits
This page belongs to the Lobito Corridor institutional research graph. Use the links below to verify route context, financing, mineral exposure, and strategic relevance before treating this page as a standalone source.