Re: XYwrite mention as winning technology ...

["George Scithers" owlswickpress@xxxxxxxx]

Broad-gauge for railroads. The Great Western (London to the
south-eastern corner of England) was built to a seven-foot gauge
in England; the Erie Railroad (Jersey City NJ to Chicago IL) was
built to a six-foot gauge in the United States. Both were
converted to Standard Gauge (4 feet 8.5 inches) a couple of
decades before it became obvious that the broader gauge would be
much better for the wider locomotives and railroad cars in use
since about 1900 in both countries and throughout most of the
world. In North America, railway cars and locomotives are now
about 10 feet wide; in England and Europe, some inches less. The
overhang with Standard gauge track is ridiculous.

The Hudson automobile company had several interesting innovations
that disappeared when that company went out of business: the wet
clutch, the crab tread (front wheels further apart that the rear
wheels -- made for better handling on the highway), and the
mechanical-brake backup to the fluid-operated brakes (if you lost
brake fluid, when you stomped on the brakes, the parking brake
would take over).

----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Say" 
To: 
Cc: "Daniel Say" 
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 7:45 PM
Subject: XYwrite mention as winning technology ...


> ..... OK, I've had my say. Now it's your turn. I'd love to hear
> about inferior technologies that dominated their betters.
> Shoot me an e-mail and I'll share your comments in an
> upcoming issue.