Abraham Fitzgibbon

Abraham 'Abram' Fitzgibbon (23 January 1823 – 4 April 1887) was an Irish-born railroad engineer and a pioneer for narrow-gauge railways.

He became the first chief engineer of Queensland Railways after a rise through the ranks in the early stages of the railway department development.

Despite opposition from contemporaries, he successfully advocated for the use of narrow gauge or 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) track in Australia.

In the early 1860s, Fitzgibbon was working at Dun Mountain Railway in New Zealand, a horse-drawn line upon which he worked from 1860 (914 mm (3 ft) gauge)

Fitzgibbon arrived in the colony of Queensland in June 1863. He was appointed chief engineer of the railwaysand the first operations of the Queensland Railways opened in 1865.

There was debate regarding the choice of gauge, 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) versus 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ⁄₂ in).

Pony railway will last 25 or 30 years", though in practice the pony gauge of 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) has never been changed.

By 1867, the controversies included the termination of Fitzgibbon's contract –

Involvement in the promotion of the 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) track gauge of the Toronto and Nipissing Railway and the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway in Canada, together with the Norwegian engineer Carl Abraham Pihl.

The Fitzgibbon suburb of Brisbane is named after Abraham Fitzgibbon.

In order of influence:

• Carl Abraham Pihl(1825–1897) Norwegian Railwaysopened 1863 ; 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
• Robert Fairlie(1831-1885) Fairlie locomotive on Festiniog Railway introduced about 1865. 1 ft 11 ⁄₂ in (597 mm) gauge.
• Thomas Hall (1823-1889) Namaqualand Railway built 1868 ; 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge
• Paul Decauville(1846–1922) Decauvillesystem introduced 1875
• Everard Calthrop(1857–1927) Barsi Light Railway opened 1897 ; 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) gauge.