**Chapter 32**
**Railroad (5)**
“It took a year and a half after all.”
The first section of the Mexican Empire’s railroad was successfully constructed.
The construction period was 18 months.
“I’m sorry we didn’t meet the target timeframe.”
Andres, the CEO, replied to my mutter.
“No, don’t say that on a good day. It was an unrealistic expectation from the beginning.”
The total distance of the Las Truchas-Morelia-Mexico City section was 285 miles.
It was an incredibly long distance, but I thought a year would be enough. No, I thought it would be even easier at first.
“When we were doing the test construction, I said we would build 3 miles a day. I guess my expectations were too high.”
“I thought it was possible too, Your Majesty, back then.”
I had set a challenging goal because I knew that in the 1960s, the US had a record of building 10 miles a day.
‘Even considering the 30-year technological gap and the difference in terrain, I thought 3 miles would be possible, considering my civil engineering knowledge and the large number of cheap laborers I had mobilized.’
I just laughed when I thought about the unrealistic goal I had set in the past.
“Hehehe, then we encountered the first mountainous terrain and immediately lowered the goal to 1 mile a day. Thinking about it now, that was also an unrealistic goal.”
“Hahaha, didn’t everyone agree that it was a reasonable and wise decision at the time?”
Mexico’s difficult terrain made the construction drag on endlessly.
Even I sometimes wondered if this wasn’t an impossible project.
“Your Majesty, we were able to complete it because you didn’t give up and led by example at the construction site. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I patted Andres’ shoulder and said,
“You’ve worked hard. You did everything from securing manpower to demonstrating the work yourself at the construction site.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
To put it simply, neither 3 miles nor 1 mile (1.6 km) a day was feasible.
We finally completed construction 18 months after starting, which translates to a construction speed of about 0.52 miles a day.
The budget of 10,000 pesos per mile was also significantly exceeded. It cost about 15,000 pesos per mile.
‘The Americans had an incredibly easy time developing their country thanks to the Great Plains, a ridiculously easy terrain. It’s clear that the term “easy map” wasn’t just a saying.’
Records like the cost of $10,000 per mile in the 1930s and 1940s and the construction of 10 miles a day in the 1960s were all only possible in the US.
‘Even though civil engineering isn’t a field that relies solely on knowledge, I used all the knowledge of the modern era, and I still couldn’t keep up.’
I had been leading the construction with the US speed in mind, and I was starting to feel obsessive about speed myself.
It’s been two weeks since we completed it.
Today, a grand event is being held in Mexico City. A few months ago, I sent letters to influential figures throughout Mexico.
Since I had created a new artifact called the railroad, I told them to come and see it if they were interested. I also added that they wouldn’t regret it.
They had already seen the incredible power of the mechanical reaper I had invented before, so they would be curious about my boastful claim.
As a result, many people attended today’s event, including the royal family, members of parliament, and landowners from all over Mexico.
‘It’s actually a kind of promotional event.’
“CEO Andres, are you really going to ride it yourself? You don’t have to.”
“Your Majesty, wouldn’t it be more persuasive for me to ride it myself? It’s been tested dozens of times over the past two weeks, so nothing should happen.”
“Hmm… Alright.”
The emperor, the royal family, 201 members of parliament, and hundreds of landowners were gathered at Mexico City Station (Estación Ciudad de México) to see the locomotive.
I greeted CEO Andres and went to where my family was.
“You’re here. It’s really amazing. This hunk of iron moves so fast.”
Agustín I was examining the locomotive closely.
“Yes, Father. You’ll be surprised when you see it.”
“This has given me a headache too. I’ve been vetoing railroad-related bills for the past year and a half. They were laws explicitly targeting you. I’ve been putting it off, saying I’d think about it after the first section was completed, so today is important. Are you confident?”
“Thank you, Father. Don’t worry, I have a way to immediately overturn the opposition.”
“Alright.”
Agustín I patted my shoulder, seemingly trusting me.
As I was talking to my father, my mother asked curiously.
“Son, when can we ride it?”
“I’ve tested it enough, but let’s wait a few more weeks and then you can ride it, Mother.”
“Alright. I want to feel how fast it is firsthand.”
“If you have the opportunity, it would be good to see the steel industrial complex that I’ve developed on a large scale.”
***
The influential figures of the Mexican Empire who participated in the railroad opening ceremony each commented on the artifact called the railroad.
“That’s the railroad?”
“That’s what they say. It’s supposed to move incredibly fast. I heard it’s 6 or 7 times faster than a stagecoach?”
“Wow… That’s amazing.”
“The rumors about the Crown Prince being a genius weren’t false.”
Actually, it was just an improvement on what was developed in England, but they didn’t know those details.
“Didn’t you experience it firsthand? Eight years ago.”
“Ahem. I wasn’t a member of parliament then.”
“You missed out on seeing that? What a shame. It was really amazing then.”
The rumor that the Crown Prince was a genius had already become accepted as fact throughout the Mexican Empire.
It was widely known that the idea for the confiscation of peninsular property, which solved the financial problems in the early days of the unstable independence, came from the Crown Prince.
It’s a fact that most people don’t know, but at the age of 15, he single-handedly defeated dozens of republican members of parliament in a debate.
In addition, the Crown Prince was making a huge fortune from California gold, he had invented various inventions, and he had topped it off by winning the war against Spain.
The emperor’s party members openly praised the Crown Prince, but there were those who didn’t.
“…If that thing really works as they say, the royal family’s power will be even stronger. Since the Crown Prince is the only one who can make it.”
“It’s good that the republicans can’t say anything, but it’s a bit chaotic for society to keep creating strange things.”
“There’s a bit of that. Plus, it’s unused land, but they used part of my land to build this railroad, and they gave me a pittance in compensation.”
“Wow. Even for the royal family, isn’t that too much? Land is sacred.”
The landowners’ party members and landowners didn’t express it openly, but they showed subtle discomfort. However, the most hostile were the republicans.
“He keeps creating more and more amazing things.”
“Humph, who knows if it’s just a pretty facade.”
“…I don’t think so. Didn’t you buy the most mechanical reapers here?”
“….”
The republican members of parliament knew better than anyone that the Crown Prince was intelligent.
They had faced him directly. Plus, they were also part of the landowning class, so they had adopted the Crown Prince’s mechanical reaper and admired it.
“I heard it cost over 3 million pesos. Even if that thing works properly, it won’t be easy to justify that money.”
“That’s right. The emperor has been delaying bills, saying he’ll review them after the railroad is completed. If he can’t prove it, he’ll have to pass the bills.”
“That’s right. If he unilaterally rejects the bills even though he hasn’t proven it, the criticism of dictatorship will be strengthened. These days, even the conservatives aren’t unconditionally friendly to the royal family.”
While various people were talking about the artifact called the railroad and the locomotive, and about the Crown Prince, the locomotive finally started to move.
Pwooowww-
The characteristic steam exhaust sound of a steam locomotive.
Toot toot-
The locomotive’s horn blared in my ears, and then it started to move.
Clank-
“Whoa! It’s moving.”
Clank clank-
“It’s leaving now.”
Clank clank-
The people gathered at the train station watched the locomotive leave, each in awe, but it soon disappeared from sight.
Sighs of regret came from all around.
“I should have said I would ride it myself.”
“I’ve sent my agent, so he’ll come back and give me a detailed report.”
They showed us an amazing artifact, but they were disappointed that they didn’t get to see it move much.
“I heard it moves at 34 miles per hour (54 km/h)?”
“Yes, Father. It was originally about 29 miles, but we improved it while building it, so the speed increased.”
It’s 5 miles per hour faster than the ‘Rocket’, the best locomotive of the time in England. We also improved its stability and efficiency compared to the original version.
“So, it’ll take about 8 hours to reach Morelia Station and come back. How about showing it again then? Everyone seems to be disappointed.”
“That’s a good idea. Let’s tell everyone to take a break, have some food, and gather again.”
“How about showing it a bit further ahead? Wouldn’t it be okay if it’s far from the railroad?”
“Yes, that’s a good idea too, Father.”
Agustín I seems to like the artifact called the railroad.
***
On the railroad were Andres Ortega, CEO of Ortega Construction, and his technicians, as well as Joseph Locke, who developed the locomotive, and his technicians.
In addition, 30 people, the first private citizens in the history of the Mexican Empire, who were selected with support, were riding the Mexico City-Morelia section of the railroad.
“Wow! It’s really incredibly fast!”
“Morelia is 4 hours away. Isn’t that 136 miles (220 km)? How did they achieve this kind of power?”
They were able to travel at a consistently fast speed because there were no stations in between.
“…I need to report this properly to the members of parliament. This is something that will change the world.”
“The business landscape will change completely. I need to think about how to use this locomotive.”
The passengers were a diverse group, including adventurous young men, engineers curious about how it worked, lackeys ordered to ride and investigate this new artifact called the railroad, and businessmen curious about its impact on business.
They were all amazed by this new technological marvel.
Those who had arrived in Morelia and had lunch got back on and headed for Mexico City.
A point about 1 mile away from Mexico City Station.
Hundreds of people who had stayed behind to see it again gathered.
This time, thousands of citizens of Mexico City were also watching.
“Yawn… It’s about time…”
“There it is!”
Clank clank-
The locomotive, which had looked like a dot in the distance, gradually grew in size.
Clank clank-
Whir-
The locomotive, which reached me in an instant, passed by, and the wind it generated hit my face.
I was amazed when I saw it leave the station, but this was a much more overwhelming sight.
“Woooow!!”
“…It’s amazing.”
“Damn it.”
Some were excited and cheered after witnessing the incredible speed, while others thought about the impact this artifact would have, and some were uncomfortable with the sight that surpassed their expectations.
Everyone had different thoughts, but no one wasn’t impressed.
The Crown Prince’s original intention was to show the power of the railroad firsthand. But when the emperor suggested seeing it directly on the railroad, not at the station, his intention was realized even more clearly.
The next day,
The second event began.
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