From Phily to Wang

PHILADELPHIA and Wangaratta are worlds apart; Philadelphia being the principal city in Pennsylvania, United States, and Wangaratta a provincial city in Victoria, Australia. In the United States people often refer to Philadelphia as Phily and in Australia where shortening of names can be rather excessive, Wangaratta is frequently called Wang. There is at least one link between the pair, albeit somewhat tenuous. Late in the 19th century the Victorian Railways were looking at the possibility of building narrow gauge lines to mountainous areas as a way of serving small communities without a railway. Fourteen districts were suggested and it was decided to build a handful on an experimental basis. If this proved successful, more could be built.