Chapter 1073 Big changes in transportation
The national economy of East Africa is currently mainly responsible for these seven urban agglomerations. According to Ernst’s opinion, the future industrial development of East Africa will still revolve around these seven urban agglomerations. .
Although East African industries are concentrated in these seven major regions, it also reflects the coordination of regional economic development by the East African central government.
Although it is not as good as Germany, compared with other powerful countries, the industrial distribution in East Africa is relatively balanced. This is actually closely related to the topography, resource distribution, and transportation pattern of East African countries.
Like the balanced distribution of German industry, it is also inseparable from these factors. German industry is mostly distributed in river valleys and other terrains, and cannot be concentrated like the United States or France. And due to historical reasons, as early as in the country where there are many countries The era has laid the overall pattern of the country's economy.
Although the overall terrain of East Africa is relatively flat, it is also divided into several plateaus, coastal plains, and basins. This results in the current distribution of East Africa's economy and population. However, the area of these areas is relatively moderate. For example, the East African Plateau is nearly one million square meters. Kilometers are not too big or too small compared to the territory of East Africa. No geographical unit among the major territories of East Africa has an absolute advantage.
If it was the early days of East Africa, it would naturally be concentrated in the East African Plateau plate, because at that time the core territory of East Africa was centered on the East African Plateau. However, with the rapid expansion of East Africa's land area, the East African Plateau no longer has this condition.
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After analyzing the overall pattern of the national economy, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Railways began to summarize the work of the two departments during the Second Five-Year Plan.
During the Second Five-Year Plan, East African railways still maintained rapid development, with a length of 200,000 kilometers, consolidating East Africa’s status as the world’s second largest railway network, but the status of railways in national transportation has declined. .
Transportation Minister Rusher said: “In the past few years, the national railway network has been relatively complete, with the national railway mileage reaching 200,000 kilometers. Highways have developed more rapidly and accounted for an increasing share of transportation methods. , and can even become competitive with railways.”
Before the development of automobiles, the advantage of railway transportation in land transportation was almost unshakable. Now the automobile industry in East Africa is booming, and East Africa is rapidly becoming an automobile power. development, thus creating strong competitive pressure on railways.
"As of 1909, the number of cars in my country was 7.52 million. During the Second Five-Year Plan period, the average annual car production was 1.2 million. Next year, the number of cars in my country will exceed 10 million. , Since the end of the First Five-Year Plan, the annual automobile production in East Africa has remained above one million vehicles year-round.”
“This has had a huge impact on the transportation industry, and automobile transportation is more important than railway transportation. Being more flexible, especially in short- and medium-distance transportation, cars have undoubted advantages.”
The strong position of East Africa’s automobile manufacturing industry has been difficult to be overturned by other countries in a short period of time. As a reference, the battle in the past life. At the end of the year, there were more than 5 million passenger cars registered in the United States, so the number of cars in the United States at that time should be above this number, but it is unlikely to exceed the current level in East Africa.
At present, the cost of automobile production in East Africa has been suppressed to less than 2,000 Rhine guilders. Cars have changed from a luxury product to a necessary and common means of transportation in East Africa. You must know that the population of East Africa was only more than 100 million at that time, which means that most families in East Africa have Already equipped with a car.
“Cars are now very common in all parts of the country. Whether in cities or rural areas, travel or transportation, cars have become the most common tool. Even in remote cities, cars exist.”
< br>“And this is inseparable from With the vigorous development of my country's highway transportation, as of 1909, the total mileage of hardened roads in our country reached more than four million kilometers, basically meeting the needs of the country's transportation industry. "
"It is no exaggeration to say that highway transportation has already reached an all-time high. Replacing railways as my country’s top The first mode of transportation has also become a strong driving force for my country's oil production and imports. "Raschel continued: "At the same time, the scale of my country's inland water transportation and maritime transportation is also expanding rapidly. During the Second Five-Year Plan, my country's inland water transportation will be expanded rapidly. Navigable river sections relative to the First Five-Year Plan It has increased by 25%. Although it is not as good as railway and road transportation, it has also made great progress. In terms of maritime transportation, the construction of ports in coastal areas has been increasingly improved, which has greatly improved our country’s maritime service capabilities.”
Through two five-year plans, East Africa has made great progress in modern transportation. Behind this progress is the bones of millions of black workers. A large number of black workers participated in the construction of roads and canals. This is also the rapid development of black workers in East Africa. One of the reasons for the decline.
Compared with Raschel's high spirits, the railway department is more discouraged. As Raschel said, although the East African Railway has achieved brilliant results in the past ten years, it is not complete when viewed within East Africa itself. In this way, it is mainly the development of highway and water transportation that poses a huge challenge to railway transportation.
Of course, the Ministry of Railways cannot imagine at this time that in the future they will encounter another challenger that is not inferior to the road, and that is aviation. Nowadays, East African aircraft manufacturing technology is advancing rapidly. In Ernst It is envisaged that even if the scale of East Africa's aviation industry does not reach the astonishing proportion of the United States, it will not be too bad.
It was precisely because of his understanding of the development of highways, aviation and other transportation modes that Ernst restricted the blind and radical development of his country's railways before the First Five-Year Plan like the United States and European countries.
This is undoubtedly correct. Nowadays, road transportation has formed a strong competitiveness against railways, and the scale of highway transportation is still expanding rapidly.
Of course, although the Ministry of Railways is somewhat frustrated by the competition brought about by highways and other transportation modes, it is undeniable that the advantages of railways make it impossible to completely replace them.
Minister of Railways Juris said: "From the First Five-Year Plan to the Second Five-Year Plan, our country's railways have nearly doubled the expansion of the national railways in the entire 19th century. The two five-year plans have built 110,000 kilometers of new railways. , its dominant position in the national transportation mode is still irreplaceable, playing a role in connecting major cities across the country, and undertaking the main task of transporting bulk commodities such as timber, grain, and minerals, and also plays a huge role in national defense.”
"At the same time, the Ministry of Railways actively promoted railway technological innovation during the Second Five-Year Plan, including railway information systems, locomotives and other innovations."
"Although highways and other transportation modes have emerged, in long-distance transportation across the country, railways Its role cannot be replaced, even with the cheapest water transportation.”
Ernst affirmed: “Railway plays a huge role in the transportation industry, although transportation modes such as roads are rising rapidly, and It has replaced the railway to a certain extent, but as long as it is properly arranged, the railway will not decline. I have said long ago that the national railway mileage is expected to be about 300,000 kilometers. Although it is not as good as the United States, it is enough. ”
The U.S. railways have reached an astonishing 400,000 kilometers, and one thing that cannot be ignored is that the United States is several million square kilometers smaller than East Africa, so the United States has a great advantage in railway density compared with East Africa.
However, this advantage is only temporary. When the Panama Canal opens in about four years, American railways will face a major crisis, especially rail freight connecting the two oceans. Many may choose to bypass the Panama Canal. .
Although the domestic automobile industry in the United States has been severely impacted by East Africa, it is also booming. When American road transportation develops to the level of East Africa today, it will have a second impact on American railways. Of course, the premise is that the United States Railroads were unable to make adjustments in a timely manner.
(End of this chapter)