A fact from Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton Railway appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 27 July 2013 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:
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The article speaks of an extension from Ashley to Wilkes-Barre on a 1040-foot long viaduct that was 34 feet (10 meters) high on the steam railroads of Wilkes-Barre. This section of the railroad was termed the "cannon ball". This states that only part of the railroad—the section over the viaduct—was referred to as the "cannon ball". That is not what the source says. The relevant paragraph starts with a mention of the initial segment to Ashley (26 1/4 miles, according to the map), then mentions the final segment to Wilkes-Barre, including the viaduct, and concludes: It was a 45 minute roller coaster ride nicknamed the "Cannon Ball". In context this must mean the entire route from Hezleton to Wilkes-Barre. According to the schedules printed in the source 45 minutes was the time taken by express trains to travel the whole 30-mile route; it only took a few minutes to go the 3 1/4 miles from Ashley to Wilkes-Barre (the last part of which was over the viaduct). Therefore the route itself was nicknamed the cannon ball, not just part of it.
That source also give the 9' figure as the length of the ties for third rail, not the length of the third rails themselves, as stated now. And the viaduct was not "on" the steam railroads; it crossed above them. Kablammo (talk) 15:13, 8 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
