Rail Transport History:
– Smooth, durable road surfaces for wheeled vehicles date back to prehistoric times.
– Evidence of early rail transport includes the Diolkos in Greece, used from around 600 BC.
– Roman Egypt also had paved trackways for transportation.
– Cardinal Matthäus Lang described the Reisszug, a funicular railway in Austria, in 1515.
– Wagonways with wooden rails and horse haulage started in the 1550s for ore transport.
– Wooden rails were used in early rail transport, like the Reisszug in Austria.
– Wagonways with wooden rails were popular in Europe from the 1550s.
– The Wollaton Wagonway in England, completed in 1604, is often cited as an early railway.
– The Middleton Railway in Leeds, built in 1758, is one of the oldest operational railways.
– Metal rails were introduced in the late 1760s, with cast iron plates fixed to wooden rails.
Railway Power Sources:
– Steam locomotives use steam engines for adhesion.
– Electric locomotives draw power from overhead wires or a third rail.
– Diesel locomotives use diesel engines as prime movers.
– Multiple units have powered wheels throughout the train.
– Alternative methods include magnetic levitation, horse-drawn, cable, gravity, pneumatics, and gas turbine.
Railway Technological Advancements:
– Development of the Bessemer process improved steel quality and reduced production costs.
– Introduction of the open hearth furnace further enhanced steel quality for railway applications.
– Multiple-unit train control, invented by Frank J. Sprague in 1897, revolutionized electric railway operations.
– Improved boiler technology allowed for the use of high-pressure steam in steam locomotives.
– George Stephenson’s designs significantly advanced steam locomotive technology, making railways more efficient.
Railway Systems and Operations:
– Passenger trains stop at stations for embarkation and disembarkation.
– Intercity trains operate with few stops between cities.
– Regional trains connect cities with outlying areas.
– Commuter trains serve suburbs of urban areas.
– High-speed rail operates at speeds of 200 to 350 km/h.
Railway Impact and Global Importance:
– Rail transport accounts for about 8% of global passenger and freight transport.
– Railways have contributed to the development of national markets with more consistent prices.
– Rail transport has faced competition from cars and airplanes but has seen a recent revival.
– Rising fuel prices and government investments are driving the resurgence of rail transport.
– Rail transport is crucial for reducing CO2 emissions and combating environmental challenges.
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2022) |
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of land transport, next to road transport. It is used for about 8% of passenger and freight transport globally, thanks to its energy efficiency and potentially high speed.
Rolling stock on rails generally encounters lower frictional resistance than rubber-tyred road vehicles, allowing rail cars to be coupled into longer trains. Power is usually provided by diesel or electrical locomotives. While railway transport is capital-intensive and less flexible than road transport, it can carry heavy loads of passengers and cargo with greater energy efficiency and safety.
Precursors of railways driven by human or animal power have existed since antiquity, but modern rail transport began with the invention of the steam locomotive in the United Kingdom at the beginning of the 19th century. The first passenger railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, opened in 1825. The quick spread of railways throughout Europe and North America, following the 1830 opening of the first intercity connection in England, was a key component of the Industrial Revolution. The adoption of rail transport lowered shipping costs compared to water transport, leading to "national markets" in which prices varied less from city to city.
In the 1880s, railway electrification began with tramways and rapid transit systems. Starting in the 1940s, steam locomotives were replaced by diesel locomotives. The first high-speed railway system was introduced in Japan in 1964, and high-speed rail lines now connect many cities in Europe, East Asia, and the eastern United States. Following some decline due to competition from cars and airplanes, rail transport has had a revival in recent decades due to road congestion and rising fuel prices, as well as governments investing in rail as a means of reducing CO2 emissions.
