Задавая вопрос "почему?", можно докопаться до интересного...

[hoffmann]

«
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?
»

We've always done it that way

Comments

[kelaskin.livejournal.com]

Наверняка слегка притянуто за ушки в погоне за хохмовостью, но очень забавно.

Сразу вспомнился анекдот про русскую ж/д колею ;)