Holy Roman Empire

Chapter 140: Standard Gauge

Before embarking on the massive railway construction, there was another issue that troubled the Austrian government – the standard gauge for the railways.

This standard couldn’t be arbitrarily decided upon; whether broad gauge or narrow gauge railways were better depended on actual needs.

Options ranged from the narrowest gauge of 610mm to the widest at 2141mm, and even these could be further adjusted depending on the real requirements.

Broad gauge railways offer advantages such as improved train stability, reduced risk of derailment, enhanced smoothness and comfort during train operation. However, they come with the drawback of requiring larger turning radii, which can increase construction costs.

Of course, with wider tracks, railway carriages can also be made wider, potentially increasing their carrying capacity. However, this depends on the railway’s ability to support heavier loads, which is a complex consideration not solely determined by gauge width.

In general, broad gauge railways tend to have a larger freight carrying capacity, but the overall load weight may not necessarily increase due to other factors that influence carrying capacity.

For passenger transportation, broad gauge railways indeed offer advantages, providing more spacious interiors and a more comfortable travel experience.

The concept of gauge-changing technology and advanced high-performance trains, which are available in later eras, wasn’t in consideration as they couldn’t be reproduced in this era.

Perhaps in the future, on narrow-gauge railways, trains wider than three meters could operate, but it was clearly impossible in this era. While flat terrain didn’t pose many problems, once you encountered hills and slopes, derailments could happen within minutes.

Furthermore, political and military factors played a role. For the sake of national defense and security, intentionally constructing railways with different standards from neighboring countries was a strategy to prevent potential enemies from quickly using their railroads during times of war.

……

“Your Majesty, why do we have to standardize the gauge for all railways? Couldn’t we just switch trains at fixed stations? This way, we could build railways according to different needs and minimize construction costs,” questioned the Minister of Railways, Stein.

Franz explained, “We have to consider efficiency. Think about how much time and additional labor it would take to unload cargo from one train and reload it onto another.”

Stein thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, that little extra time is negligible. Train transport is already much faster than traditional methods. The additional labor cost compared to the cost of railway construction is not worth mentioning. Our funds are limited, and there’s no need to waste them here.”

Franz rubbed his forehead; he finally understood the chaotic state of railways in various countries during this era.

Due to the era, people’s thinking and perceptions during this time were different from the future.

They hadn’t yet entered the fast-paced lifestyle of later years, and time wasn’t considered as precious. Labor costs were unbelievably low, and the value of labor wasn’t fully appreciated.

However, Franz still had to find a way to convince them. It wasn’t just the Germans who were stubborn; in fact, Austrians weren’t much different, especially these low EQ engineers.

As high-level talents of their time, they had their own principles. If persuasion doesn’t work, Franz would have no choice but to issue orders to make them comply.

Clearly, this wasn’t his preferred approach. If he couldn’t get these people to work diligently, even a slight lack of enthusiasm or negligence in railway design could result in losses amounting to tens of millions.

To avoid being taken advantage of, the core designers of the Austrian railways were all tech enthusiasts from their own country. Even if they hired foreign technical personnel, they all came from the German region and shared the same “three views.”

Franz replied, “It’s about the future needs of the country, which is related to the nation’s next strategic steps. Any other questions?”

“No, Your Majesty,” Stein replied.

Differences in cognitive thinking were not something that could be explained in the short term, and Franz couldn’t be bothered to explain further. He decided to use a reason to placate them for now.

After all, persuading these single-minded technical experts was much easier than persuading politicians. He still needed to use the design criteria provided by the Ministry of Railways to convince the government, which was a headache in itself.

There was no way around it; this was the Austrian Empire. While the emperor’s authority was high, the ministers below him also held significant positions. If the emperor went too far and made them unhappy, they could simply resign.

Is it easy to replace them?

Indeed, it is relatively easy since there are many people aspiring to hold office.

However, finding ministers with both ability and loyalty, along with sufficient prestige, was a challenge.

If he acted as he pleased, it wouldn’t be long before he was surrounded by a bunch of sycophants who would treat the emperor's orders as sacred decrees, offering unconditional support.

Whether these orders could be effectively implemented would remain uncertain. Franz knew that in this world, around eighty percent of good policies turned sour once they reached the lower levels of bureaucracy.

Without strong government oversight, officials tended to interpret things in their own interest, ultimately distorting the original intent.

Nobody likes subordinates who stick too rigidly to principles. Such individuals often hurt their leaders’ pride. Since the emperor set an example, they would naturally follow suit. In the end, all that would remain in the government would be smooth talkers.

Franz dared not think about the consequences. In any country, as long as the upper echelons are rotten, the rate of decay among the lower levels would exceed anyone’s imagination.

To avoid such a situation, a set of rules had to be established. As the maker of these rules, Franz understood that he, too, had to be bound by them.

“In consideration of Austria’s actual situation, calculate according to an annual economic growth rate of five percent, taking into account our transportation needs for the next fifty years, and design a standard system suitable for Austria. Any problems?” Franz asked.

“None!” answered Stein.

Technically, he still had confidence in the matter. As for the economic growth rate, that was the government’s concern. Whether they could achieve five percent was not his problem.

Franz seemed to think of something and added, “Wait a moment, we also need to consider connecting the Holy Roman Economic Alliance and the Balkan region. In the future, we will promote this standard to them, and eventually, everyone's railway network will be interconnected.”

The ultimate goal of establishing the Holy Roman Economic Alliance was to achieve economic integration, and having a unified railway standard was an essential part of it.

Other parts of the Balkan Peninsula could be optional, but Belgrade had to be secured. It was the gateway to the Balkan Peninsula, and controlling it meant controlling the lifeline of the Balkans.

The control of the two principalities in the Danube River Basin, Wallachia and Moldavia, was also essential. This was related to Hungary’s grain exports, and these regions served as vital trade routes for Austria.

Before the railway network’s establishment, Hungary’s grain was transported through the Danube River Basin to the Black Sea for export to various European countries. Hungary’s trade, both imports and exports, heavily relied on these regions and the Danube River.

This is also why Austria as a whole vehemently opposed Russia’s occupation of the Black Sea Straits, as it posed a threat to Austria’s national security.

It’s better to leave professional matters to professionals. Austria’s large railway project was launched somewhat hastily, and it was because Franz underestimated the enthusiasm of the nobility for investment.

Perhaps in many sources, the nobility are portrayed as decadent and backward, but in reality, they also had a progressive side.

From a young age, nobles received the best education and were exposed to information that ordinary people couldn’t access, which broadened their horizons.

In such a situation, how could the next generation they nurtured all be fools and idiots?

Their conservative stance against political reform was driven by their own interests. It’s impossible for vested interests to oppose their own benefits, right?

The real fools had long departed for the afterlife. During the 1848 Austrian Revolution, there was a significant reshuffling within the noble class as well. Many who had made erroneous judgments or were blinded by greed were ousted.

The nobility’s mindset underwent a transformation during this time, or one could say that circumstances forced them to change.

In order to quickly quell the rebellion, Franz promoted measures like emancipating serfs and land redemption, which were essentially concessions made by the noble class.

The example of the French Revolution taught them that if they didn’t make concessions, the revolution would spread further, leading to even greater losses. So, they simultaneously made concessions while assisting the government in suppressing the rebellion.

Among the unfortunate individuals caught in the whirlwind of revolution, some chose to flee during the upheaval. However, by the time the situation had settled down, their land had been forcibly redeemed.

After losing their land, which was their foundation, these individuals were the first to start looking for new projects to pivot towards. At this point, railways emerged, and many people recognized the potential of this new mode of transportation.

They needed a new industry to sustain their livelihoods and prevent their estates from declining. Railways became the choice for many, and with the efforts of numerous individuals, the pace of railway construction was artificially accelerated.

This is why we see situations where construction preparations are underway on the field, but the standards for railway tracks have not yet been finalized.

The basic data for transportation requirements have already been provided by the government. Calculating capacity requirements and determining railway standards based on these requirements was not a difficult task for railway designers, making it even simpler.

Soon, the design standards were presented to Franz, and various parameters that he, as a layman, couldn’t fully comprehend. The one thing that caught his attention was the track gauge.

The Ministry of Railways proposed four different gauge systems: 1524mm standard gauge, 1600mm standard gauge, 1665mm standard gauge, and 1712mm standard gauge.

The initial construction phase focused on main lines in commercially prosperous areas. Both passenger and freight demands were highest in these regions.

When establishing the railway standards, the requirements of this specific region were naturally a major consideration. Combined with a fifty-year timeframe, this standard had naturally increased significantly.

Narrow-gauge railways were not common in this era due to limitations in train manufacturing technology. Narrow-gauge railways restricted transport capacity and were prone to stability issues, making them rarely used for mainline railway construction.

The final decision ultimately rested with the Austrian government. In theory, all of the proposed options were feasible, making the choice a challenging one.