The Day The Gauge Changed [10:05]

YouTube ^ | June 16, 2018 | The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered

[SunkenCiv]

The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 was not the only amazing feat of American railroad engineering in history. In 1886, railways in the south managed to convert the gauge on an estimated 11,500 miles of track in a period of just 36 hours. The History Guy remembers the 1886 Southern Railroad Gauge Change, an important moment in railroad history. 

The Day The Gauge Changed | 10:05 
The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered | 1.61M subscribers | 1,173,812 views | June 16, 2018

[SunkenCiv]

Sidebar:

Welcome to two questions. 1. Why did Broad Gauge Fail? 2. Why do we have the rather specific 4ft 8.5 inches here in the UK and maybe over 50% of the rest of the world.  

Railway Gauges did NOT Evolve from a Roman Chariot. | 14:16 
Paul Whitewick | 216K subscribers | 501,281 views | January 1, 2024

[SunkenCiv]

The AI-generated transcripts look nice, other than their length.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

I've seen that History Guy video. It's quite interesting. What's most interesting is how fast it was accomplished. If that were to be done today it would take 10 years, and hundreds of pounds of "environmental studies", court cases, discovery of "endangered species", DEI initiatives, etc. etc. etc.

And not to mention the endless lines of tractor trailers full of cash and treasure.

[Paal Gulli]

Considering the primitive nature of portable mechanization in 1886, that’s pretty astonishing.

[mikey_hates_everything]

What's most interesting is how fast it was accomplished.

Not counting today's bureaucracy, work or starve is a pretty good motivator.

[one guy in new jersey]

Meticulous preparation and coordination were the key ITGRC

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Great video. Thanks for posting it.

[Inyo-Mono]

I’ve got to let my brother know about this video, he’s a huge railroad fan.

[SunkenCiv]

The rapidity of the changeover impressed me.

[Olog-hai]

JFTR, the gauge change was from 5’ to 4’ 9”, the narrower gauge still interoperable with standard 4’ 8½” gauge.

[zeestephen]

11,500 miles in 36 hours...

More than 5 miles per minute!

I would not have volunteered to operate the first locomotive on the new gauge.

[SunkenCiv]

This one was a total surprise to me. I'd known the rail gauges had been standardized over time, had no idea how rapid this was. Their methodical approach to get things set up for rapid transformation on a set day is where much of the time was spent saving time for the actual switch -- replace the wheels over a period of moths so they need only be flipped around and meanwhile can continue to be used on the old gauge, excellent idea.

[SunkenCiv]

The Jeff Beck Group - New Ways/Train Train (1971)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drawgbKsMng

Blackfoot — Train Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBP15lRprPs