Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? - Page 2 - SV650.org

31-03-09, 12:44 PM

This gets passed around every once in a while, Snopes says it's largely false and coincidence... horses haven't changed in size, after all.

It's apparently a shame that this won out over the Broad Gauge (as intended by the great Brunel himself) as it would have allowed for bigger, wider trains that went faster.

31-03-09, 12:50 PM

Theres 5 mins of my life I will never get back, plus the 10 mins of passing it on

Biker Biggles · 31-03-09, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by metalangel

This gets passed around every once in a while, Snopes says it's largely false and coincidence... horses haven't changed in size, after all.

It's apparently a shame that this won out over the Broad Gauge (as intended by the great Brunel himself) as it would have allowed for bigger, wider trains that went faster.

Wasnt Brunels broad guage 7ft 1/4 inch???
How odd is that for a size?Perhaps it stemmed back to the width of two of Hannibals elepants arses???

ophic · 31-03-09, 01:23 PM

are these measurements to the centre, outside or inside of each rail? surely that might account for the "odd" part inches floating about?

31-03-09, 02:28 PM

Yup, because the distance between the inside of the rail faces is measured, that's the gauge and what makes them sound like such odd choices. Because it's the flanges (steady on) on the wheels that keep the train on the tracks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gauge_EN.svg

Stingo · 31-03-09, 02:41 PM

Flanges.... *shudders*....

31-03-09, 02:49 PM

They minimise the squealing of the train's wheels on tight bends by fitting a little dispenser to the track which dispenses...

ready for it...

flange lubrication.

31-03-09, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keithd

interesting fact of the day thread...?

only if it's a fact not a porkie pie!!!!

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

31-03-09, 04:45 PM

To be even more geeky, even though both the UK and North America use the same gauge tracks, the loading gauge (that is, the possible dimensions that the rail vehicles themselves can be without hitting any trackside objects like platforms, bridges and tunnels) is much, much bigger in North America. Hence a train from the UK could be run on an American track with no problems, but an American locomotive would smash the crap out of the UK infrastructure as it's just so BIG.

embee · 31-03-09, 05:29 PM

....and then there's the profile of the wheels and tracks.......... GEEK ALERT, GEEK ALERT!

(see the pdf version for all the diagrams, they don't show in the HTML version)

31-03-09, 12:44 PM	#11
metalangel Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? This gets passed around every once in a while, Snopes says it's largely false and coincidence... horses haven't changed in size, after all. It's apparently a shame that this won out over the Broad Gauge (as intended by the great Brunel himself) as it would have allowed for bigger, wider trains that went faster.

31-03-09, 12:50 PM	#12
plowsie Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? Theres 5 mins of my life I will never get back, plus the 10 mins of passing it on

31-03-09, 01:23 PM	#14
ophic Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Whyteleafe Posts: 3,395	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? are these measurements to the centre, outside or inside of each rail? surely that might account for the "odd" part inches floating about? __________________ Silver SV650SK3, Fuel exhaust

31-03-09, 02:28 PM	#15
metalangel Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? Yup, because the distance between the inside of the rail faces is measured, that's the gauge and what makes them sound like such odd choices. Because it's the flanges (steady on) on the wheels that keep the train on the tracks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gauge_EN.svg

31-03-09, 02:41 PM	#16
Stingo Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Plymouth, Devon - mostly. Posts: 527	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? Flanges.... shudders.... __________________ Twitter: @poseidon_ashore

31-03-09, 02:49 PM	#17
metalangel Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? They minimise the squealing of the train's wheels on tight bends by fitting a little dispenser to the track which dispenses... ready for it... flange lubrication.

31-03-09, 04:45 PM	#19
metalangel Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? To be even more geeky, even though both the UK and North America use the same gauge tracks, the loading gauge (that is, the possible dimensions that the rail vehicles themselves can be without hitting any trackside objects like platforms, bridges and tunnels) is much, much bigger in North America. Hence a train from the UK could be run on an American track with no problems, but an American locomotive would smash the crap out of the UK infrastructure as it's just so BIG.

31-03-09, 05:29 PM	#20
embee Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 2,804	Re: Four foot, eight and a half inches...why? ....and then there's the profile of the wheels and tracks.......... GEEK ALERT, GEEK ALERT! (see the pdf version for all the diagrams, they don't show in the HTML version) __________________ "Artificial Intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Half man/ Half Tree - Discovery channel NOW	DarrenSV650S	Idle Banter	20	08-07-09 10:54 AM
Crash.NET - Hayden: A half-and-half race could be cool!	NewsBot	News	0	17-10-08 11:50 AM
I've lost 7 inches.....	DoubleD	Photos	15	25-07-07 02:23 PM
wanted - foot peg and foot brake lever	bikerman	Stuff Wanted	2	03-10-06 10:47 AM
half day!	socommk23	Idle Banter	1	26-05-06 01:29 PM