A Horse’s Ass

[Ron Bibler]

Railroads, Space Shuttles, and a Horse’s Ass

Railroad tracks
This is fascinating.

Be sure to read the final paragraph; your understanding of it will depend on the earlier part of the content. The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That’s an exceedingly odd number.

Why was that gauge used? Because that’s the way they built them in England, and English expatriates built the US railroads.

Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that’s the gauge they used.

Why did ‘they’ use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing.

Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that’s the spacing of the wheel ruts.

So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (and England) for their legions. The roads have been used ever since.

And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.

So the next time you are handed a specification/procedure/process and wonder ‘What horse’s ass came up with it?’, you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses (Two horse’s asses.) Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRB’s. The SRB’s are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah . The engineers who designed the SRB’s would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRB’s had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRB’s had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses’ behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world’s most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse’s ass. And you thought being a horse’s ass wasn’t important? Ancient horse’s asses control almost everything … and CURRENTLY, as we are sure you have noticed, Horse’s Asses are controlling everything else.
It sould be noted that this is all B.S.
Best

Ron

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[Jerry McCarthy]

Good post Ron, ain’t historical facts interesting?.
BTW, there’s a rumor going around northern California that three of Brian’s regular posters where seen breaking bread in John’s Grill in San Francisco last Monday, 09-28-2009. They are known as the EC & WC Jerrys and Gunnar. Apparently Ron Bibler and Sam Spade couldn’t make it?

[BARRY ADAIR]

Good post Ron, ain’t historical facts interesting?.
BTW, there’s a rumor going around northern California that three of Brian’s regular posters where seen breaking bread in John’s Grill in San Francisco last Monday, 09-28-2009. They are known as the EC & WC Jerrys and Gunnar. Apparently Ron Bibler and Sam Spade couldn’t make it?

WCJ,
Any photos to document this sighting or is this another left coast urban myth

[Ron Bibler]

I did want to make that Guys But my Wife was in surgery on the 28th at Kaiser... in Santa Rosa... Hope you had a good time and a LAUGH on Me... L.O.L.

Next Time...

bEST

rON

[John Brown]

Sounds great, but alas, another internet myth....

snopes.com: Railroad Gauges and Roman Chariots

[Jim Luttrall]

Sounds great, but alas, another internet myth....

snopes.com: Railroad Gauges and Roman Chariots

I don't know what snopes said, but the last line of the story tells you up front:

It should be noted that this is all B.S.

[John Brown]

I apologize for not reading closer. I am the horse's ass.

[Jerry McCarthy]

I suppose Barry if I told you my dog ate the photos of Gunnar, EC Jerry and I having lunch would not be believed?
Actually my PC ate them when I was transfering my camera's reader card to my PC. Very weird and I don't know the cause at something like this has never happened before. You're just going to trust me that we broke bread and Gunnar's & EC Jerry's wife where witnesses.

[Gunnar Alquist]

I suppose Barry if I told you my dog ate the photos of Gunnar, EC Jerry and I having lunch would not be believed?
Actually my PC ate them when I was transfering my camera's reader card to my PC. Very weird and I don't know the cause at something like this has never happened before. You're just going to trust me that we broke bread and Gunnar's & EC Jerry's wife where witnesses.

It's true. I think that JP took a pic with his phone, so we will just have to wait until he gets home from his trip. I didn't think to bring a camera (duh). Unless there is some bizarre EMF at John's that scrambles cameras.

[Jerry Peck]

Hi Gunnar and WC Jerry,

Great to meet you guys at John's Grill.

I was going to take a photo with my phone (left camera in bag in car) but did not because Jerry Mc., thought took some photos with his camera.

I CAN ATTEST IN COURT if need be ... ... that I did in fact meet Gunnar, his wife, and Jerry Mc., at John's Grill in San Francisco on September 28, 2009.

I've been trying to get some e-mail out but am having e-mail problems where we are now staying.

If you go into John's Grille, go to the stairs, first thing you will notice ... should notice ... is the light is the wrong type of light for the stair, that there is no junction box, that the wires are taped up, the lamp is an exposed lamp, and then turn your attention to the handrails - only one (not on both sides) and has the wrong supports and the ends not returned to the wall or floor, in addition to not being long enough. Then there was ...

[Rick Cantrell]

"If you go into John's Grille, go to the stairs, first thing you will notice ... should notice ... is the light is the wrong type of light for the stair, that there is no junction box, that the wires are taped up, the lamp is an exposed lamp, and then turn your attention to the handrails - only one (not on both sides) and has the wrong supports and the ends not returned to the wall or floor, in addition to not being long enough. Then there was ... "


Yeah, and almost every other grill in the country.

[Gunnar Alquist]

JP & Jerry Mc.

Apparently, we are going to have to meet again soon. A picture is a necessity. Maybe dinner this time?

[Ron Bibler]

OK You 3 amigo's have pick the ( HORSE'S ASS ) To do your little reunion... and now you want us to believe this without any Photos

Glad you guys had a good time...

Best

Ron

[Jerry McCarthy]

John's Grill, circa 1908, opened before California had a building code (CBC 1927) and part of its charm is its sloping floors, dangerous stairway and electrical defects. For those not from the land of Oz check it out: John's Grill seafood steak salad pasta restaurant in San Francisco

Our next get-together - God willing, will be at Tadich Grill, circa 1849.
There you will see building defects beyond your wildest imagination. But OMG, what food!
A grand old Grill / After 155 years, San Francisco's iconic restaurant still packs them in

[Gunnar Alquist]

Our next get-together - God willing, will be at Tadich Grill, circa 1849.

I'm all over that! Just set the time and date.

[Ron Bibler]

John's Grill, circa 1908, opened before California had a building code (CBC 1927) and part of its charm is its sloping floors, dangerous stairway and electrical defects. For those not from the land of Oz check it out: John's Grill seafood steak salad pasta restaurant in San Francisco

Our next get-together - God willing, will be at Tadich Grill, circa 1849.
There you will see building defects beyond your wildest imagination. But OMG, what food!
A grand old Grill / After 155 years, San Francisco's iconic restaurant still packs them in

You said ( GOD )

Best

Ron

[Jerry Peck]

Ron,

Hope your wife gets better soon.

[Dan Harris]

Hi Gunnar and WC Jerry,

Great to meet you guys at John's Grill.

I was going to take a photo with my phone (left camera in bag in car) but did not because Jerry Mc., thought took some photos with his camera.

I CAN ATTEST IN COURT if need be ... ... that I did in fact meet Gunnar, his wife, and Jerry Mc., at John's Grill in San Francisco on September 28, 2009.

I've been trying to get some e-mail out but am having e-mail problems where we are now staying.

If you go into John's Grille, go to the stairs, first thing you will notice ... should notice ... is the light is the wrong type of light for the stair, that there is no junction box, that the wires are taped up, the lamp is an exposed lamp, and then turn your attention to the handrails - only one (not on both sides) and has the wrong supports and the ends not returned to the wall or floor, in addition to not being long enough. Then there was ...

How does one summit information to snopes to find out if things posted on this site are true?

[Richard Stanley]

Why is snopes the final authority? Can you believe them?

[John Armstrong]

Tadich Grill is incredible, a real SF institution. If you go late enough you might see the twins. EXOSKELETON: Tadich Grill Twins, I see them most times that I go.

John-

Our next get-together - God willing, will be at Tadich Grill, circa 1849.
There you will see building defects beyond your wildest imagination. But OMG, what food!
A grand old Grill / After 155 years, San Francisco's iconic restaurant still packs them in