modern engineering design principles

[rijruna]

This explains a lot of things, I see it now! Things aint changed much over time, really,,

http://komplexify.com/epsilon/2009/0...gn-principles/

cheers
rij

[GasoLane]

Good thing the author of that article doesn't live here. I forget exactly how many gauges our railways have....about 6 I think

[SteveJH]

From the comments section of the article.

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/gauge.asp

Its very well written though.

[2011G6E]

I'd seen this one years back, and also the Snopes research showing it's false...it's a beauty though isn't it?
Queensland has a rail guage of 3 foot 6 inches..."Narrow Gauge"...

[shedcoupe]

The historical background to the railway gauge thing is -

Vic - 'rich' (from gold rush) = wide gauge = expensive rolling stock, rail bed etc.
NSW = 'average wealth' = standard gauge
Qld = 'poor' = narrow gauge

(I think)

[jpd80]

Originally Posted by shedcoupe

The historical background to the railway gauge thing is -

Vic - 'rich' (from gold rush) = wide gauge = expensive rolling stock, rail bed etc.
NSW = 'average wealth' = standard gauge
Qld = 'poor' = narrow gauge

(I think)

Actually, at one point NSW, Victoria and South Australia had agreed on 4 feet 8 and a half inch gauge
which was being proposed as the new European Standard gauge at a conference in Europe.
At the urging of the NSW Chief mechanical Engineer who just happened to be an Irishman,
the other two states were convinced to go with Broad gauge and that by grouping the orders
the costs of locomotives and rolling stock would be kept economical for all three states.

All was well until the CME had a dispute about his salary conditions with the Commissioner,
he felt his position was untenable and promptly left. His replacement was a Scotsman who
had just come fro a European conference on unifying European rail gauges by adopting
the four feet eight and a half inch (Roman Chariot) as Standard gauge.

The new CME convinced the NSW commissioner that locomotives and rolling stock
ordered from Europe in Standard gauge would be far cheaper than Broad gauge so
NSW did an 11th hour switch and left the other two states high and dry because they
had already been convinced by NSW to go with Broad gauge and had ordered engines
and rolling stock that were on ships to Australia. They would not change again.

The other States, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and minor routes in
South Australia would remain with the lighter and economical 3 foot 6 inch cape gauge.