I then began to try to compare the transcripts. I used MSWord's Document Compare function on the first file in each group. The wide format of the originals was awkward but the comparison of the names, age and occupation was clear and easy to look at, there was not one single variation between the pages contained in both files.
I then opened the files as plain text in Wordpad and visually compared over half the total pages in the entire groups in random sections. I did not locate one single instance of variation in name, occupation, age, birthplace.
Long before USGenWeb I have transcribed census myself and there is simply no way two independent transcribers are going to have absolutely no variation between works. It is my opinion and conclusion that these two transcripts were identical. That the files were reimported by the ACP into the census program and spit out at a different number of pages per file with the remarks column omitted, that changes were made to the headers and page numbering, but that the transcript itself was and is one and the same.
Below are links to the actual files I compared, download and look for yourself if you want: