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The Standardization of Track Gauge on North American Railways, 1830–1890

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  • Puffert, Douglas J.

Abstract

Early North American railways chose different track gauges partly on the basis of differing engineering traditions and partly for mutual compatibility. The resulting dynamic process produced nine district common-guage regions by the 1860s. Growing demand for interregional traffic and increasing among railways yielded incentives to resolve this diversity, and the specific regional pattern of gauges led to selection pf 4'8.5†as the continental standard. The case offers support for aspects of differing views on the role of path dependence in determining features of the economy.

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  • Puffert, Douglas J., 2000. "The Standardization of Track Gauge on North American Railways, 1830–1890," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 60(4), pages 933-960, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:60:y:2000:i:04:p:933-960_02
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    Cited by:

    1. Puffert, Douglas J., 2002. "Path Dependence in Spatial Networks: The Standardization of Railway Track Gauge," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 282-314, July.
    2. Lynne Kiesling, 2021. "Plug-and-play, mix-and-match: a capital systems theory of digital technology platforms," The Review of Austrian Economics, Springer;Society for the Development of Austrian Economics, vol. 34(1), pages 13-32, March.
    3. Wiegmann, Paul Moritz & de Vries, Henk J. & Blind, Knut, 2017. "Multi-mode standardisation: A critical review and a research agenda," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(8), pages 1370-1386.
    4. David Prentice, 2006. "A re-examination of the origins of American industrial success," Working Papers 2006.02, School of Economics, La Trobe University.
    5. Nicholas Sheard, 2022. "The Railway Gauge Muddle in Australia," Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre Working Papers g-327, Victoria University, Centre of Policy Studies/IMPACT Centre.
    6. John A. James & David F. Weiman, 2007. "The Political Economy of the US Monetary Union: The Civil War Era as a Watershed," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 97(2), pages 271-275, May.
    7. Cárcamo-Díaz, Rodrigo, 2007. "Coordination of public expenditure in transport infrastructure: analysis and policy perspectives for Latin America," Macroeconomía del Desarrollo 5423, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    8. David Prentice, 2012. "The rise of the US Portland cement industry and the role of public science," Cliometrica, Journal of Historical Economics and Econometric History, Association Française de Cliométrie (AFC), vol. 6(2), pages 163-192, May.

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