Emergence. The development of railway systems during the nineteenth century had profound cultural and political consequences at a global level as railroads played a key role in industrial production, the development of high-speed mechanized travel, and the creation of colonial economic networks and political structures. The emergence of this new transportation technology relied on two technological innovations: metal rails and the steam-powered locomotive. Primitive railroads emerged in Europe during the sixteenth century, as flanged-wheel carts, propelled by human or animal power along wooden tracks, were used to transport coal from the mine face to storage yards and shipping depots. These wooden tracks imposed limits on the weight and speed of carriages and were prone to warping, resulting in high maintenance costs. In 1789 the English engineer William Jessop developed the first cast-iron rails, which were a great improvement on the capacity and durability of...