text_combined: boingboing rssfeedsspamassassintaintorg url httpboingboingnet85485894 date supplied ben hammersley posts parable design specifications showing link roman chariots space shuttle ring something apocraphyl good read nevertheless us standard railroad gauge distance rails 4 feet 85 inches exceedingly odd number gauge used thats way built england us railroads built english expatriates english build way first rail lines built people built prerailroad tramways thats gauge used use gauge people built tramways used jigs tools used building wagons used wheel spacing wagons particular odd spacing well tried use spacing wagon wheels would break old long distance roads england spacing wheel ruts snopes says false1 notes appears actually largely true albeit subject interpretation link2 discuss3 1 httpwwwsnopescomhistoryamericangaugehtm 2 httpwwwbenhammersleycomarchives001404html001404 3 httpwwwquicktopiccomboinghibhlzvewnwez wed 25 sep 2002 080343 0000 roman chariots responsible space shuttle design constraints