I don't believe that "Standard Railroad of the World" was really
refering to anything to do with equipment standards. Instead, it
was a marketing phrase intended to say that the PRR was setting
the "Standard" as to how to run a railroad. They were proud of it
successes.

Marketing people years later came up with "America's Team" to call
the Dallas Cowboys. As a Steeler fan I though it to be arroganat,
but I got over it. Some railfans seem to not be able to. The PRR
and the Cowboys eventually fell on hard times.

Walt Stafa


-- In STMFC@..., "Kurt Laughlin" <fleeta@...> wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: SUVCWORR@...

thompson@... writes:

Tell us again, Greg, which railroad it was which styled itself
the "Standard Railroad of the World."

While the PRR did call itself the "Standard Railroad of the World"

this is

an implied misconception of the origin of the moniker.

The "Standard" did

refer to a standard for other RR's to follow but referenced the
standardization
of various parts used mainly in locomotives, and infrastructure

and to a

lessor extent freight cars.
----- Original Message -----

Again, my impression from what I've read - not researched - was

that this

moniker had more to do with foreign governments believing that

because the

PRR was the biggest, it must also be the best and seeking out

technical and

management help from the PRR to develop and improve their own

systems.

Thus, elsewhere in the world, the PRR was held up as the standard

that a

modern railroad should seek to follow, in other words, "The

Standard

Railroad of the World".

KL