Empire Rising: Spain

Chapter 284: Chapter 174: Railway Track Synchronization_3

The benefit of using this as the standard width for railway tracks is that railways can easily achieve cross-border connectivity, enhancing the transportation capacity of railways and avoiding some unnecessary transfer and junction processes.

However, not all countries use the 1435 mm standard width. The two countries on the Iberian Peninsula each have their own railway track width standards.

The railway width in Spain is 1674 mm, which is a truly broad-gauge railway. There are many benefits to broad-gauge railways; firstly, the wider carriages make train travel more comfortable and also increase the transportation capacity of train carriages.

Whether used for passenger or freight transport, trains running on wider tracks can carry a greater total tonnage, thus having greater transport capacity.

Wider tracks are also more stable, greatly enhancing train safety and reducing the risk of derailment. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

However, this does not mean broad-gauge railways are without drawbacks. They take up more space, require more rails and other materials to construct, and therefore incur higher costs.

Especially in a country like Spain, with more mountainous regions, constructing railways that necessitate tunneling significantly increases construction costs.

Why did Spain choose to construct broad-gauge railways, despite knowing that it would indefinitely increase its costs, with a standard very different from most mainstream European countries?

The main reason is to guard against France in the north. As Spain’s only neighbor besides Portugal, France has always been very powerful.

Since the time of the Napoleon Empire, France has been the dominant power on the European Continent. During the Napoleon Empire period, France even occupied Spain, which deepened Spain’s wariness of France.

When France was powerful, its military could easily break through the Pyrenees Mountains and enter Spain’s mainland.

If the train tracks were completely identical to those in France, the French could easily utilize the railways built by Spain, significantly enhancing their logistical supply capabilities.

It is for these reasons that the two countries on the Iberian Peninsula have railway standards completely different from the standard gauge used by France, making it difficult for the French to utilize the railways in Spain and Portugal.

Similarly, to guard against the Spaniards, Portugal also made certain modifications to its broad-gauge railways. Although both Portugal and Spain use broad-gauge railways, Portugal’s track width is slightly narrower by nine millimeters, ensuring that Spaniards cannot easily use Portugal’s railways either.

Carlo suddenly raised the issue of Spain and France’s railway connectivity, which naturally did not genuinely mean wanting to connect Spain and France’s railways.

Spain’s industry is not as robust as imagined, and connecting with the railways of the rest of the European Continent would merely allow industrial products from strong industrial nations like France and Germany to swiftly enter the Spanish market.

This is not a beneficial situation for Spain and would also increase France’s influence over Spain.

The reason for raising the issue of railway tracks at this time was actually to inform King Louis that if Spain and Portugal wish to sign a non-aggression treaty, Portugal must connect its railways with those of Spain, and the Iberian Peninsula nations must adopt a unified railway gauge standard.

To some extent, a unified railway gauge standard for the twin Iberian nations is indeed advantageous.

The train lines between the two countries could easily connect, allowing trains to travel smoothly from Spain’s railways to Portugal’s railways without any special procedures.

This would greatly facilitate the movement of people and transport of goods, enabling Portugal and Spain’s economies to rapidly improve.

But this is under the premise of overlooking the impact of industrial goods influx into the Portuguese market on Portugal’s industry. While this may indeed boost the economy, what could be sacrificed might be Portugal’s industry.

The industrial scale of Spain, while relatively small compared to superpowers like the UK, France, and Germany, is still competitive against a tailing great power like Italy.

For Portugal, a country that does not even qualify as a great power, if Spanish industrial products enter the Portuguese market, it could bring about a devastating blow to Portugal’s industry.

The larger the industrial scale, the lower the price of industrial products. The small-scale Portuguese industry stands no chance competing against Spanish industry unless the government strongly supports the development of domestic industry, such as increasing tariffs and restricting imports, etc.

But doesn’t doing so directly negate the impact of synchronizing railway tracks? Would the Spaniards allow this?

As it turns out, Louis I is not a foolish king. He immediately understood the implications of Carlo’s words, but precisely because of this, he was very hesitant.

Given the authority of Louis I, he would face virtually no resistance in pushing for the synchronization of railway tracks between Portugal and Spain. ƒrēewebnovel.com

But the impact on Portugal by doing this needs serious consideration. Is it truly worth paying this price just for a non-aggression treaty?

"Your Majesty Louis, our country has already achieved a comprehensive victory in the colonial war of the East Indies; I’m sure your nation is already aware of this news?" Seeing Louis I’s lack of response, Carlo switched topics, smiling as he asked.

"Of course." Louis I nodded, with a hint of envy in his eyes, saying, "The powerful combat strength of your country’s army is enviable, and Spain’s colonial territory has expanded greatly again."

Carlo smiled, clearly King Louis was not yet aware that Spain had already begun to discreetly colonize the much larger lands of the Congo River Basin.

Portugal’s West Africa Colony happens to be located just downstream of the Congo River, with only a wall separating it from the Congo River lands.

This act of secretly colonizing the Congo River Basin lands right under the nose of the largest colonizer near the Congo River even gave Carlo a sense of trespassing before someone’s spouse.