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The evolution of rail transport has unquestionably driven the progress of people’s lives. Whether in regard to the industrial economy, history, culture, or technology, the traces of the profound influence of railway networks can always be found. Over time, trains evolved to mean more than just a type of transportation. As a vehicle, trains also carry the ebb and flow of cities they pass by. By exploring the birth and evolution of the train, a mechanical system full of stories, we can find that technology has a critical influence on the advancement of rail transport. Therefore, understanding the history of rail transport should start with the trains and railways.

Track Gauge

In the early times, rails were mainly used by horse-drawn trams, so the earliest rails were L-shaped. It was only with the advancement of the mechanics of materials that rails were designed as the general I shape that we see nowadays. The track gauge of horse-drawn tram systems in Britain during this period of time was 4’ 81/2” (1,435 mm), which then became the international standard. Apart from the standard track gauge decided by the International Union of Railways, a variety of special-sized track gauges are also developed by countries to adapt to different terrains. For example, most of the rails in Taiwan come with the narrow track gauge of 1,067mm.