The US and European standard railroad gauge, which refers to the distance between the rails, is approximately 1.435 meters.
This seemingly peculiar measurement prompts the question: why was this particular gauge chosen? The answer lies in a captivating journey through history.
It all began with the construction of the first US railroads, which English professionals engineered. But why did they opt for this specific gauge? It turns out, they adhered to the standards used in England. But what led the English to adopt this gauge? The initial rail lines were built by individuals who also constructed wagon tramways, and they simply used the same gauge they were accustomed to.
Roman war chariots?
Delving deeper, we discover that the odd gauge of the wagons was inherited from the spacing of the wheel ruts on ancient English roads. These rutted roads can be traced back to the extensive roads built by Imperial Rome for their legions. The Roman war chariots determined the width of these roads, and consequently, the spacing of the ruts, which were all made to a standardized width for consistency.
Therefore, a railroad gauge of approximately 1.435 meters can be directly attributed to the specifications of an Imperial Roman war chariot. The influence of ancient Roman infrastructure continues to permeate modern transportation systems, underscoring the enduring impact of historical norms.
But there’s a fascinating twist to the story
Even the design of the Space Shuttle, one of the most advanced transportation systems in the world, was influenced by ancient standards. The solid rocket boosters (SRBs) used on the Space Shuttle were manufactured by Thiokol in Utah. Engineers initially wanted to make the SRBs wider, but they had to adhere to the gauge of the railroad tracks.
The railroad line from Thiokol’s factory ran through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. Since the tunnel was slightly wider than the railroad track, which was based on the width of Roman war chariots, the design of the SRBs had to accommodate this constraint.
In essence, a major feature of the Space Shuttle, a pinnacle of modern technology, was influenced by a standard established over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse’s rear end. This quirky anecdote serves as a reminder of the unexpected ways in which ancient traditions continue to shape our world today.
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