Marking 125 Years Since the Great Gauge Change 426
Arnold Reinhold writes "This month ends with the 125th anniversary of one of the most remarkable achievements in technology history. Over two days beginning Monday, May 31, 1886, the railroad network in the southern United States was converted from a five-foot gauge to one compatible with the slightly narrower gauge used in the US North, now know as standard gauge. The shift was meticulously planned and executed. It required one side of every track to be moved three inches closer to the other. All wheel sets had to be adjusted as well. Some minor track and rolling stock was sensibly deferred until later, but by Wednesday the South's 11,500 mile rail network was back in business and able to exchange rail cars with the North. Other countries are still struggling with incompatible rail gauges. Australia still has three. Most of Europe runs on standard gauge, but Russia uses essentially the same five foot gauge as the old South and Spain and Portugal use an even broader gauge. India has a multi-year Project Unigauge, aimed at converting its narrow gauge lines to the subcontinent's five foot six inch standard."
Re:And still shortsighted (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Only a few left.... (Score:5, Funny)
wow that must be one mother of a plug
Re:Only a few left.... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:And still shortsighted (Score:5, Funny)
Rouge nations? Would that be the Kingdom of Maybelline, the Covergirl Islands, or the Republique de l'Oreal?
And what's a "guage"? It sounds french. Do you pronounce it "goo-aj", "g-ow-gh", or "joo-a-jee"?
Re:Only a few left.... (Score:4, Funny)
Well, as long America is a British Empire Colony, no way to explain them the beautiful simplicity of the Metric system.
Re:And still shortsighted (Score:5, Funny)
And, how do you pronounce 'savages'?
WINN-dohs YUZ-ers
Wooshed by the wooshed (Score:4, Funny)
Wooshed! by he who himself was wooshed.
Also, for those who can't tell, I inverted the "o"s in woosh for added effect.
Re:There is only one true BROAD GAUGE (Score:5, Funny)
Because nothing says "awesome" like being named "Kingdom". Until somebody trades you for a horse.
What I can't figure out. (Score:4, Funny)