**Capítulo 32**
**Ferrocarril (5)**
"Después de todo, tomó un año y medio".
Se construyó con éxito la primera sección del ferrocarril del Imperio Mexicano.
El plazo de construcción fue de 18 meses.
"Lamento no haber cumplido con el plazo previsto".
Andrés, el director general, respondió a mi murmullo.
"No, no digas eso en un buen día. Era una expectativa poco realista desde el principio".
La distancia total del tramo Las Truchas-Morelia-Ciudad de México fue de 285 millas.
Era una distancia increíblemente larga, pero pensé que un año sería suficiente. No, al principio pensé que sería aún más fácil.
"Cuando estábamos haciendo la construcción de prueba, dije que construiríamos 3 millas por día. Supongo que mis expectativas eran demasiado altas".
"Yo también pensé que era posible, Su Majestad, en ese entonces."
Me había fijado una meta desafiante porque sabía que en la década de 1960, Estados Unidos tenía un récord de construir 10 millas por día.
"Incluso teniendo en cuenta la brecha tecnológica de 30 años y la diferencia de terreno, pensé que 3 millas serían posibles, considerando mis conocimientos de ingeniería civil y la gran cantidad de trabajadores baratos que había movilizado".
Me reí cuando pensé en el objetivo poco realista que me había fijado en el pasado.
"Jejeje, luego nos encontramos con el primer terreno montañoso e inmediatamente bajamos la meta a 1 milla por día. Pensándolo ahora, ese también era un objetivo poco realista".
"Jajaja, ¿no estuvieron todos de acuerdo en que fue una decisión razonable y sabia en ese momento?"
El difícil terreno de México hizo que la construcción se prolongara interminablemente.
Incluso a veces me preguntaba si no era un proyecto imposible.
"Su Majestad, pudimos completarlo porque no se rindió y lideró con el ejemplo en el sitio de construcción. Gracias, Su Majestad".
Le di una palmada en el hombro a Andrés y le dije:
"Has trabajado duro. Hiciste de todo, desde asegurar la mano de obra hasta demostrar el trabajo tú mismo en el sitio de construcción".
“… Gracias, Su Majestad".
En pocas palabras, ni 3 millas ni 1 milla (1,6 km) al día eran factibles.
Finalmente completamos la construcción 18 meses después de comenzar, lo que se traduce en una velocidad de construcción de aproximadamente 0.52 millas por día.
También se superó significativamente el presupuesto de 10.000 pesos por milla. Costó unos 15.000 pesos por milla.
"A los estadounidenses les resultó increíblemente fácil desarrollar su país gracias a las Grandes Llanuras, un terreno ridículamente fácil. Está claro que el término "mapa fácil" no era solo un dicho".
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-
La locomotora, que había parecido un punto en la distancia, creció gradualmente en tamaño.
Clank clank-
Zurrir-
La locomotora, que me alcanzó en un instante, pasó y el viento que generó me golpeó la cara.
Me quedé asombrado cuando lo vi salir de la estación, pero esta era una vista mucho más abrumadora.
"¡¡Guau!!"
“… Es increíble".
"Maldita sea".
Algunos estaban emocionados y vitoreados después de presenciar la increíble velocidad, mientras que otros pensaron en el impacto que tendría este artefacto, y algunos se sintieron incómodos con la vista que superó sus expectativas.
Todos tenían pensamientos diferentes, pero nadie no estaba impresionado.
La intención original del príncipe heredero era mostrar de primera mano el poder del ferrocarril. Pero cuando el emperador sugirió verlo directamente en el ferrocarril, no en la estación, su intención se realizó aún más claramente.
Al día siguiente,
Comenzó el segundo evento.
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