Metric vs Imperial

[whistlehead]

The first full scale steam rail locomotive was built in Great Britain in 1804 by Richard Trevithick

He would have made a model first, but it's the real thing that counts
And if the whole concept of using steam had not been discovered this
side of the pond, you would still be riding in horse drawn wagons that side of the pond.

*British national anthem*

It's true, trains wouldn't be here without us Brits.

 

[American_Connections]

After an American design!

*British national anthem*

It's true, trains wouldn't be here without us Brits.

Sure! "They did it but we'll rewrite history to take the credit" type anthem.:hehe:

 

[geophil]

The rule of imperial units took a blow in both the UK and the US as early as the 1930s when new metric map coordinate systems were introduced. This may have occurred unnoticed by the public at large but nevertheless it happened. The British Grid (or Ordnance Survey Great Britain) was created in 1936, adopting the Gauss/Krueger model of a transverse Mercator projection. The Americans invented UTM, another Gauss/Krueger adoption, about five years later.

Trainz coordinates are completely metric internally, as stated before, which makes it easy to transfer UTM coordinates to it, one of the key elements of coordinate-based route-building.

 

[Euphod]

you would still be riding in horse drawn wagons that side of the pond.

And as I understand it, horses draw really poorly. I guess our wagons would be all stick figure like...

 

[Spruce]

Now thats new to me

The world's first working steam rail locomotive was designed and constructed by John Fitch in the United States in 1794.
(Timeline of United States inventions and discoveries)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

 

[BLACKWATCH]

The world's first working steam rail locomotive was designed and constructed by John Fitch in the United States in 1794.
(Timeline of United States inventions and discoveries)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_inventions

From your link .......................
"Although Fitch hoped to win backing for a full scale working locomotive by demonstrating his invention"

That says to me that what he built & demonstrated, was not "Full Scale", but a model.
The two are totally different realities.

 

[American_Connections]

Quote:

"John Fitch invented the steam railroad locomotive during the 1780s and demonstrated his little working model of it before President George Washington..."; He showed a model, true. But never the less, he invented the idea! England started with thier idea later in the 1800s. plenty of time to hear about what was going down across the pond don't ya think!
On the other hand, "Imperial" would be a british term, as americans say "Standard".

 

[BLACKWATCH]

Quote

"plenty of time to hear about what was going down across the pond don't ya think!"
Nah ............ cos you Yankees didn't invent Radio until after that, & even Yanks can't shout loud enough to be heard over here.

 

[American_Connections]

Remember the tea party!

Yanks can't shout loud enough to be heard over here.

Sure ya'll heard bout that!

 

[BLACKWATCH]

Following BOCO's warning

Due to the latest announcement by BOCO (our very own Canadian Mountie :hehe, I think I should make it clear, that I treat this thread as a light hearted bit of cross "Pond" banter, and that no offence is meant in any of my posts.
I trust my American friends are like minded.

 

[Approach_Medium]

Is all so changes the speed reading for Km to MPH. Its abit funny as the imperial system came from old england (the kings foot), yet they fell inline with the rest of europe for the meter. Something I always wondered about is why in America, it is normal to drive a car to the right. Horse-n-buggy, Ships, and Trains all go to the left! Was this just something to show the brits they could not dominate?

New Jersey Transit trains normally take the right-most track into a simple station (only 2 tracks).

FW

 

[Euphod]

Due to the latest announcement by BOCO (our very own Canadian Mountie :hehe, I think I should make it clear, that I treat this thread as a light hearted bit of cross "Pond" banter, and that no offence is meant in any of my posts.
I trust my American friends are like minded.

Divided by a common language...and now, a common fondness for trains!