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<FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino size=3>There are two aspects to the definition of optimum gage:</FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino><FONT size=3>1)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">      </SPAN><FONT size=3>Hauling capacity. </FONT></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 36.75pt; TEXT-INDENT: -18.75pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.75pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino><FONT size=3>2)</FONT><SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">      </SPAN><FONT size=3>Standardization of manufactured components of track and rolling stock.</FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino size=3>If you include both items #1 and #2, then 4’-8 ½” is clearly the optimum gage overwhelmingly because of item #2.</FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino size=3>However, I think the original poster was posing this question:</FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino size=3><EM>What is the optimum gage in terms of hauling capacity only?</EM></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino>I believe this question has never been answered, and that the answer has changed as railroads have evolved.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>During that evolution, traffic has grown, and so has the optimum gage as a consequence.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino>When 4’-8 ½” was adopted as standard, it was probably a little larger than optimum just based on the anticipation of traffic growth.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>Today, it may be optimum or a little less than optimum.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P><FONT size=3><FONT face=georgia,palatino> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=georgia,palatino size=3>It would take an enormous effort of number crunching, and engineering and economic analysis to discover the optimum gage for today.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>I know of no such effort.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>No such effort is needed because the choice of gage today is guided by both items #1 and #2 above, and item #2 makes 4’-8 ½” the winner by a long shot.</FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT face=georgia,palatino></FONT></SPAN> </P> <P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT face=georgia,palatino>However, if the perfect gage were sought today in terms of #1 alone, there is only the tiniest, most infinitesimal chance that it would be found to be 4’-8 ½”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </SPAN>If I were to bet, I would say that it would be found somewhere between 4’-8 ½” and six feet.</FONT></SPAN></P>
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