Remember That Entry about the Sumpter Valley Railroad?

Well, I rode it today. Had fun and learned some things:

The Railroad restoration group ownes the last Narrow Gauge (three feet between the rails) RPO (post office) car that I know of.

They own one of Four operating narrow gauge Heisler locos.

The Satandard gauge of rails was decided because the first railroad had an english loco, and the tracks were bulit to that scale: 4 Ft 8.5 In.

They were that wide because trains replaced horse drawn wagons on rails. Those axles matched those on regular wagons. Those were that size due to ruts in the roads, caused by Horse Drawn Roman War chariots. The wheels were that size because the romans wanted specifically sized horses. The reins had to fit around the rumps of two horses, which was, guess what: 4ft 8.5 inches.

Some of NASA's rockets travel by rail, and pass through tunnels that are barely wider than the tracks. So NASA made their rockets, Guess, 4ft 8.5 in.

So, thinks of this. The sizes of some of Today's advanced tech can be determined by the sizes of a horses rump!

Oh, and happy Anniversery, BZP!