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Standard rail gauge matches Roman chariot widths.

History worth knowing

Standard rail gauge matches Roman chariot widths.

10 min

The distance between train tracks shouldn't be a geopolitical weapon, but it is. Trace the history of 'path dependency' from Roman chariots to the current logistical war happening at the border of Ukraine and Russia.

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Show notes

Exploration of path dependency in infrastructure.

The history of George Stephenson and the 'Stephenson Gauge'.

Analysis of the Russian broad gauge as a defensive strategy.

Current updates on Ukraine's rail integration with the European Union (2025-2026).

In this episode

  1. 1Intro1 min
  2. 2The Ghost in the Machine2 min
  3. 3The Battle of the Gauges2 min
  4. 4The Russian Deviation2 min
  5. 5The Iron Curtain of Steel3 min
  6. 6Outro1 min

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Standard rail gauge matches Roman chariot widths. — Fylom