Re: National guage standardisation - why 4'8.5"?

[Peter Homann <"peter.homann"@@prr.org.au>]

Dave Proctor wrote:
> 
> What about the SA 3'6" system - not sure where it ran to and from, but there
> was definitely some 3'6" between Adelaide and Port Augusta.
> 
> Dave

SA's 3'6" was in patches, and was not even close to Adelaide.
South East - Wolesley to Mt Gambier and branches.
Eyre Peninsula - mostly still in place and in use
Flinders Ranges area - Terowie to Port Augusta via Peterborough and
Quorn; Port Pirie to Broken Hill (actually Cockburn, then Silverton
Tramway to BH); Quorn to Alice Springs (handed to CR).
All of the bits of 3'6" were linked by 5'3" (except Eyre Peninsula), so
there's the ultimate is craziness - multiple gauge/train changes in one
state.
There was no 3'6" all the way between Adelaide and Pt Aug - one either
travelled on 5'3" to Terowie then 3'6" to Pt Aug, or after 1937, 5'3" to
Port Pirie then 4'8.5" to Port Aug.

Cheers,
-- 
============================
 Peter Homann
============================
The light at the end of the tunnel will be turned off
until economic conditions improve.  Management.