http://www.metafilter.com/tags/trackgauge Posts tagged with 'trackgauge' at MetaFilter. Thu, 31 May 2007 04:28:45 -0800 Thu, 31 May 2007 04:28:45 -0800 en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://www.metafilter.com/61654/Railroad%2DGauges%2Dand%2DStandardization <a href="http://southern.railfan.net/ties/1966/66-8/gauge.html">The Days They Changed the Gauge.</a> Early in the development of railroads in the American South, the builders departed from the standard 4' 8 1/2" gauge and built their railroads with the rails 5 feet apart. As part of a trend of <a href="http://www.asme.org/Communities/History/Resources/Long_Arduous_March_Toward.cfm">increased government standardization</a>, between May 30 and June 1 1886, workers moved over 11,000 miles of track 3 inches to the new standard gauge of 4' 9". <small>[more inside]</small> tag:metafilter.com,2007:site.61654 Thu, 31 May 2007 04:28:45 -0800 gauge railroads standards trackgauge trains marxchivist