The story below floats around the internet about why the standard U.S. railroad gauge is 4 feet, 8.5 inches.

The reason for the odd gauge is because it is a carryover from England. The Englishmen who built their railroads used the same measurements they used previously to build their tramways. The tramways were built with measurements used to build wagons. The wagons were built so the wheels would match the ruts on most English roads. The ruts in the roads had their spacing because they were first formed by Roman war chariots. Roman war chariots were built to be just as wide as the rear of two war horses. United States railroad tracks are just wide enough for the rear of two Roman war horse.

The accuracy of the story has been called into question but the facts are largely true. The standard railroad gauge is the distance adopted by George Stephenson for his English railroad. It does match that of Roman chariot ruts.

The above story goes on to say that the width of booster rockets for the Space Shuttle were limited by the width of a tunnel through which a train traveling from the factory to the launch site had to pass. The tunnel was built just wide enough for trains traveling on the standard gauge rails under them.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done…

There is an unalterable relationship between cause and effect. Change is difficult, lasting change is more difficult. The person who simply decides to change his or her life will often fail. They will always fail if they are seeking to be good enough to merit heaven. Spontaneous regeneration of old habits will come back, that which has been done is that which will be.

The only way to succeed is to have a new life altogether. Jesus can do that for you. It is called being born again.