THE EARLY HISTORY OF RAILWAYS
1. 600 BC. the first basic form of a railways system was built in Greece and Italy. The Wagon ways tracks were between four to six miles long and the Wagons were pulled by human or animal. At that time, the routes were frequently used because it was the only way of transportation on land, even smaller boats were moved in that way on land. The Wagons wheels ran in grooves in limestone, which was the basic track element and prevented the wagons from leaving the intended route. These techniques disused as the Roman Empire collapsed.
2. In 1550s in Europe railways out of wood were widespread, they were mostly pulled by horses, or used in the mining industry to easier transport the heavy stones to the earth's surface. One of the biggest advantages of the Wagon ways are the reduction of friction, which saves a lot of energy in transporting heavy goods. |
3. In 1776 the wood rails were replaced with iron, which drastically increased the lifetime of the rails. The Wagon ways became finally became tramways.
4. 13 years later in 1789 William Jessop, a British engineer, developed wagons with flanged wheels, which was crucial in the history of the trains, the design allowed wheels to move securely along the rail. |
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