 The directors of the new railroad chose the slightly narrower gauge because they believed it would allow the road to also haul standard-gauge railcars.The confusion about the C&M's gauge likely stems from the fact that the Atlantic and Great Western Railway (a broad-gauge railway) and its owned and leased subsidiaries (which included the C&M) converted to standard-gauge on June 22, 1880.The Cleveland and Mahoning Railroad initially sold stock to raise construction funds.