However, the railways were laid with high standards employing the international standard 1,435-mm gauge (called the broad gauge in Japan), and in sharp contrast to conservative Japanese Government Railways (JGR), Mantetsu tried to take advanced measures early on in its company history.
しかしながら、1,435mmの国際標準軌（日本では広軌と称した）を用いた高規格路線であり、保守的な内地の鉄道省とは一線を画した先進的な試みを早くから行っていた。