Re: Bringing back to narrow gauge
| November 23, 2021 09:24AM |
I am impressed by how much that photograph looks like the rails in question. I think this is more evidence for my conclusion.
I am aware of the point being made: if the angle-of-view of the photograph is significantly different then it can make the perspective of the gauge look different. My point is that we can subjectively choose images that appear to be taken from a similar angle-of-view. These photographs are from about standing height facing down the railway. That's not an unusual angle, there are many photographs of that angle of both standard gauge railways and meter gauge railways. If many of those photographs of narrow gauges look like the rails in question, but none of the standard gauges do, that is sufficient for me to draw the conclusion.
Between the two photographs of the spur in question from this angle, I think the first one is from a more similar angle of view:
Conducting this analysis suggests that the suspected meter-gauge spur is slightly wider than the 914mm gauge:
The image you used for comparison looks like it was taken from a slightly higher angle than this image. And the gauge appears to match very closely. This shows how increasing the height can make the gauge of rails seem smaller. That is not in question.
The point, though, is that both photographs look very similar to this 914mm gauge and especially to other images of meter-gauge railways taken from a similar angle as this. On the other hand, there are no images of standard gauge rails presented from this angle that looks like the spur in question. For example, this is an image of a standard gauge railway that was provided earlier and it looks significantly wider than the rails in question:
The more I look at images like these the more confident I am that the spur in question cannot be 4ft 8 1/2 inches. It's not some angle trick that makes it look so narrow. It's actually narrow, or at least narrower than 1434mm / 4ft 8 1/2 inch gauge which is what I am defining as "standard" for purposes of the conversation.
And here is an image of the main line right next to this tramway/spur:
Clearly much wider than either of the two images, and it's not a trick of the angle. The angle is similar.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2021 09:31AM by Loco-Motive.
I am aware of the point being made: if the angle-of-view of the photograph is significantly different then it can make the perspective of the gauge look different. My point is that we can subjectively choose images that appear to be taken from a similar angle-of-view. These photographs are from about standing height facing down the railway. That's not an unusual angle, there are many photographs of that angle of both standard gauge railways and meter gauge railways. If many of those photographs of narrow gauges look like the rails in question, but none of the standard gauges do, that is sufficient for me to draw the conclusion.
Between the two photographs of the spur in question from this angle, I think the first one is from a more similar angle of view:
Conducting this analysis suggests that the suspected meter-gauge spur is slightly wider than the 914mm gauge:
The image you used for comparison looks like it was taken from a slightly higher angle than this image. And the gauge appears to match very closely. This shows how increasing the height can make the gauge of rails seem smaller. That is not in question.
The point, though, is that both photographs look very similar to this 914mm gauge and especially to other images of meter-gauge railways taken from a similar angle as this. On the other hand, there are no images of standard gauge rails presented from this angle that looks like the spur in question. For example, this is an image of a standard gauge railway that was provided earlier and it looks significantly wider than the rails in question:
The more I look at images like these the more confident I am that the spur in question cannot be 4ft 8 1/2 inches. It's not some angle trick that makes it look so narrow. It's actually narrow, or at least narrower than 1434mm / 4ft 8 1/2 inch gauge which is what I am defining as "standard" for purposes of the conversation.
And here is an image of the main line right next to this tramway/spur:
Clearly much wider than either of the two images, and it's not a trick of the angle. The angle is similar.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/2021 09:31AM by Loco-Motive.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
The NGDF was started by Don Richter and is currently operated in his memory by Nathan Holmes and others. Others who have contributed to the upkeep of this board are (in no particular order): Charles McCandless, Everett Lueck, Ted Wilton, Cole Adams, James Bane, John Moellmer, Jon Bentz, Linn Moedinger, lloyd lehrer, Rod Jensen, John Craft, Steven Forney, Herb Kelsey, Bill Ramaley, Russ Sperry (El Russo Loco), Josh McNeal, John West, Jim Armstrong, Bob Bergstrom, Greg Scholl, Blake Forbes Doug van Veelen and Mark Fuller.