Chapter 356: Railway
After a night's rest and a simple meal at Anka Village's cafeteria, the group continued their journey, leaving Anka Village gradually fading from view.
As the carriage advanced, the farmlands and plantations gave way to a desolate savannah landscape once more. The straight gravel roads, amidst the wilderness, appeared starkly incongruous with their surroundings. It felt somewhat akin to a subway station constructed in the middle of farmland, a lonely presence.
After traveling for a while longer, a lengthy structure appeared on the south side of the road. From a distance, it resembled a river extending east and west on the horizon, but it was elevated above the ground, displaying a distinctly regular pattern that marked it as a man-made construction.
As the carriage drew closer, the object's complexity became apparent. It continued alongside the road endlessly, with no visible end.
As the structure ran parallel to the road, its full image became clear to everyone. Two ballast tracks paved with crushed stones stretched about ten meters wide in parallel. Strips of well-trimmed stones lay atop the ballast. These thick wooden strips resembled rusted iron bars.
Curiosity piqued, the group began to discuss what they were seeing. "What is that?"
Aryan explained, "That's a railway."
"Railway?"
"Yes, it's a form of land transportation, similar to a road but different. Instead of horse-drawn carriages, it uses steam locomotives to pull cargo wagons. Just think of it as a type of road."
"Mr. Aryan, is it named 'railway' because of the iron bars we see? But does it really have cars that run on it?"
"Yes, but the tracks aren't called iron bars; they're rails. You might be familiar with similar tracks used in some mines. However, those are wooden rails used to transport minerals. Later, the British improved this concept and applied it to land transportation, creating what we now call a railway. While there are similar principles in the Far East, where concave tracks run within ruts, railways use convex tracks, and specially designed wheels run between two rails."
"What are the wooden sleepers and gravel beneath the rails for? Can't they just lay the rails directly on the ground?"
"The wooden supports are called sleepers, and the stones beneath them are ballast. They serve to bear the weight of the rails because steam locomotives are quite heavy and would press into the ground without support. They act as a foundation to prevent the rails from sinking or cutting into the earth, much like a knife through tofu."
"So, that's their purpose; we understand now."
Aryan continued, "Furthermore, the ballast provides cushioning, stabilizes the track bed, reduces noise, and helps with water drainage."
"How much pig iron would be required for such a road?"
"I don't have exact figures, but it's a substantial amount. Railways are often measured in kilometers, and many railways in Europe and the United States span thousands of miles."
Aryan's statement left the group awestruck. It was challenging to fathom the sheer quantity of iron required for this structure known as a railway.
By 1870, the world's railway network had exceeded 210,000 kilometers in total length. The United States and Germany were becoming significant players in railway construction, while Britain and France made steady progress. Even relatively less developed regions like the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Russia had seen substantial advances in their railways.
The sixty-kilometer railway in East Africa paled in comparison to the rest of the world. Furthermore, it had been completed but was yet to be operational since the locomotives were still under development in Austria.
After lengthy discussions, the Hechingen Vienna Energy and Power Company had convinced Ernst to adhere to the original plan. So much effort had already been invested that changing direction now seemed wasteful.
"But, Mr. Aryan," someone queried, "the role of this railway seems similar to that of a road. Wouldn't it be more practical to build additional roads with the resources used for this railway?"
Aryan countered, "You're mistaken. Railways and roads have significant differences. Let me explain. The carriages we use now are powered by horses, which consume food, tire out with distance, and need to rest. In contrast, locomotives running on railways are steam-powered and don't require breaks. You've likely seen the massive smokestacks on steamships during our voyage. Those are steam engines generating incredible power, and they only need people to keep adding coal to the boiler to continually generate energy."
Members of the group nodded, having witnessed the large smokestacks on the steamship during their journey.
"Mr. Aryan, like the ship's big chimney!"
"Yes, that's it. It operates much like when boiling water creates steam that pushes a lid. In this case, steam builds up under pressure in a confined space, repeatedly propelling a piston. The piston, in turn, drives gears and a crankshaft to move the wheels. If you've seen steam engines in textile factories, it might help you understand this principle better."
Textile factories were often the first places where people encountered steam engines, especially in the Far East. The group reflected on their initial exposure to such machinery.
Upon seeing a steam engine-powered machine for the first time, most people would comment, "Impressive craftsmanship." However, witnessing a steam locomotive for the first time invoked a sense of fear. Charles Dickens had complex feelings about railways, marveling at their immense power but also fearing their uncontrollable might. In "Dombey and Son," Dickens described the railway's incredible destructive power by portraying changes in the "stage garden" with phrases like "traces of earthquakes everywhere." By using "earthquake" as a comparison, he vividly illustrated the sense of destruction brought about by railway construction. He employed negative words such as "crumbling," "disorderly," "chaotic," and "dilapidated" to convey the fractured and chaotic nature of the railway's development, leaving a profound visual and psychological impact.