I just got a silly e-mail about standard widths or rail lines being based on the old Roman chariot wheel tracks, etc etc. Has anyone heard this line? Does anyone have any specific proof for/against this? I know rail width in US is different from Europe, and Spain I believe differs from the rest of Europe, even. Actually, I can’t imagine that chariots were as wide as train cars…Anyone know about this? Urban legend/ false factoid?
We debunked this one before… umm… use the search engine cause I ain’t got the addy 
“I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
I’d like to kill the sumbitch responsible for that UL. The fact he/she/it put the power of spam behind it should be punishable by death.
I’m closing this thread even though I cannot point to the old ones - you’ll have to look through the thread list, since the search engine is totally useless. Sorry.
Nickrz
GQ Mod
Geesh, on second thought, go at it if you’ve a mind. But please be nice, because I’m not looking in here again.
Yeah, Im not too enthused about finding an old thread, but here’s a good place to start your debunking:
http://www.urbanlegends.com/misc/railroad_gauge.html
Back off, man. I’m a scientist.
Hey Nickrz and gang. Here they are. Not a heck of a lot of info but better’n nuttin.
http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/002425.html
http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/002437.html
My sources at Norfolk & Southern and The Ann Arbor Railroad have also struck out.
Dopeler effect:
The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
You guys obviously don’t lead the charmed life that I do. 