Re: (erielack) The Piermont Branch 6' guage

["Blake D. Tatar" <"BDTatar_@_worldnet.att.net">]

Eleazar Lord decided to go with 6 foot gauge when he learned that the
government (who should have nothing to do with commerce at all) was going to
force the Erie to haul traffic for many other railroads in payment for their
charter. He figured by building it 6 foot gauge, it would prevent this from
happening. It semi worked but in 1875 they had to convert because they
wanted (or needed) to interchange with other railroads. It was an expensive
operation, first the went to dual gauge and then to standard gauge. We
adopted standard gauge from the English. Where did the English come up with
4' 8 1/2"? From the standard distance between the wheels on carts produced
by the Romans. I kid you not

Blake D. Tatar
"BDTatar_@_worldnet.att.net"
http://home.att.net/~BDTatar/index.htm


 ------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the erielack photopage at http://el-list.railfan.net

------------------------------