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

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"Bruce Greening" <norrail@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
3ADEC343.9291DE7F@optusnet.com.au">news:3ADEC343.9291DE7F@optusnet.com.au...

> I agree there is little if any advantage in using 3'6" as opposed to wider
> gauges, but the conversion costs are very expensive, as most of the
Queensland
> bridges are not designed for wider gauges. Even on the GNR where the
upgrade in
> the 60's provided for standard gauge on the bridges, newer bridges have
not been
> constructed for a wider gauge.
>
> Given the huge cost with little benefit It is unlikely that Qld. will ever
> convert.

Nobody has suggested that QR should convert (well, nobody remotely credible,
that is). But there have been suggestions that 3'6" is cheaper to build,
which might have been true 100 years ago, but is hardly true now.

Dave