Trying to find info on the development of railways in the 1800s, specifically railroads between countries, to the extent that such things existed at all. Basically if you've got two countries that historically have not like each other, but they're currently at peace, how much of a liability would it be for a railway between them? Would it be a big enough deal that neither would allow a railway to be built to the edge of their borders, or would it be not much of a big deal? Trying to wrap my head around the logistics of the situation.

  • Vampire [any]
    ·
    3 years ago

    two countries that historically have not like each other, but they’re currently at peace

    France and Germany?

  • OgdenTO [he/him]
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    3 years ago

    I don't have any examples, but I understand that in some situations they build transfer points at the border and use different guage rails on either side so all trains have to stop at the border anyway and everything on board is transferred to a different train.

    • Parysian [they/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Different gauge rails actually makes a lot of sense. So no matter what your trains can't reasonably go into their territory. Might go for that as a simple solution.

      • KobaCumTribute [she/her]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Some countries also had a bunch of different rail gauges internally as well just due to uncoordinated construction, like IIRC both Austro-Hungary and Russia suffered from this as late as WWI.

      • OgdenTO [he/him]
        ·
        3 years ago

        I found this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break_of_gauge

        However it doesn't really talk about this being used to prevent trains from running into hostile territory. Maybe it's implied

  • Parent [none/use name]
    ·
    3 years ago

    Apparently Iran and Iraq announced this year a plan to build a rail between them and they had a very bloody war in the 80's.

  • Quimby [any, any]
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    3 years ago

    I think rational actors would acknowledge it as a very limited threat during wartime and a great boon during peacetime. Trains that move on predetermined tracks and can be seen from many miles away seem basically useless as a vehicle for war (score another point for trains!), and the track could easily be "disabled" during wartime anyway by just picking up some of the track near the border.

    Now, our leaders are often very irrational actors, but I just don't see a good argument against international railways.