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Ice-breaking ferries were introduced at Borden in 1917. While these railway-car carrying vessels were welcomed by Island railroaders, they also posed certain problems. Namely, the Island railway was a narrow gauge rail (3' 6") and the mainland used a standard gauge (4' 8"). This variance was not an issue when cars from P.E.I. never left the province. But with the arrival of ferry service, the provincial railways had to either forgo mainland trade, or begin the slow-- and expensive-- transition to standard gauge. Even from a financial standpoint, the latter was the only option. (Historical Society).