When the painters were about to arrive in Luoyang with the Dunhuang suicide notes, Ju Ming sent a telegram to his father.
What is Zhu Guoxiang doing?
He personally went to Jiaozuo to wait for the first steam train to be put into trial operation!
The coal used in Kaifeng during the Song Dynasty mainly came from Jiaozuo, Hebi and Anyang, and was mainly delivered by water transportation.
However, the entire journey cannot be transported by water.
Take Jiaozuo as an example. From the coal mine to Qinhe River, there is a distance of fifty miles that requires land transportation.
Nowadays, not only Kaifeng needs Jiaozuo coal, but Luoyang also needs Jiaozuo coal. The land transportation task there is extremely heavy. So much so that the imperial court directly ordered that Jiaozuo coal can only be transported to Luoyang and is not allowed to be transported to Kaifeng. Anyway, there are other places in Kaifeng.
Two coal mines can supply it.
Ju Ming and Zhu Guoxiang discussed and decided to develop steam trains.
Steam engines and rails have been used in the Jiaozuo coal mine for nearly ten years. However, the steam engines are only used to pump out the accumulated water in the mines, while the rails use mules to pull mine cars to transport coal out of the mountain.
Now, the two are finally combined!
The first steam train had six freight cars with a designed load capacity of 20 tons and a speed of about 5 kilometers per hour. People could run faster than trains.
The starting point is the foothills where the coal mine is located, and the terminal point is in the north of Qinyang City. The total length of the railway track is 49.6 miles. The coal is transported to Qinyang by train, and then it can be loaded on ships and transferred to Qinshui River, and transported by water all the way to the outside of Luoyang City.
The railway track has been laid for more than two years and crosses three small rivers along the way. For safety reasons, the three original stone bridges were left for people and animals to pass through, and the stone bridges carrying trains were rebuilt nearby.
The fourth month of the lunar calendar.
Zhu Guoxiang came to Meishan Town, accompanied by officials from Huaizhou Prefecture, Hanoi County (Qinyang), and Xiuwu County.
In the Northern Song Dynasty, the Jiaozuo area belonged to Hebei West Road.
After the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Jiaozuo, together with nearby Xinxiang, Hebi, and Anyang, were all assigned to Henan Province. For example, Yue Fei changed from a native of Hebei to a native of Henan.
Hebei also did not suffer a loss, and its jurisdiction even became larger, because the land of Youyan was annexed to the north.
Meng Xichang, the prefect of Huaizhou, was from Sichuan. As a Jinshi, he was naturally proficient in mathematics and had some knowledge of physics.
But Meng Xichang was always dubious about steam trains.
The railway spans Xiuwu and Hanoi counties, both within the territory of Huaizhou Prefecture. Officials from the Ministry of Industry are responsible for building the railway, but Meng Xichang has to cooperate with recruiting workers and ensuring logistics.
He hasn't seen the train yet!
"Your Majesty, the auspicious time has come." An official from the Ministry of Works came running.
Zhu Guoxiang nodded and said: "Let's get started."
"Boom!"
The gong rings.
The huge red cloth covering the locomotive was torn off, and a big red flower was tied in front of the locomotive.
The six carriages at the rear are all filled with coal.
"Fire the boiler!"
While waiting for the boiler to heat up, the whistle sounded, and a large amount of smoke spewed out from the front of the car.
"哐哐哐哐..."
The wheels made a sound as they hit the rails, and the train slowly moved forward, dragging twenty tons of coal.
The speed was so slow that several technical officers from the Ministry of Industry could catch up with the train. Gradually, people began to jog, always following the train.
In the eyes of people at this time, the garbage train, which was extremely slow and carried a small load, looked like a giant beast swallowing fire and spitting smoke. The visual impact was simply suffocating.
The officials in Huaizhou Prefecture, Hanoi County, and Xiuwu County were all stunned and stood speechless behind Zhu Guoxiang for a long time.
"Long live! Long live!"
The administrative officers and technical officers of the Ministry of Industry at the scene cheered and shouted in celebration. This was the result of their three years of work.
There was even a technical officer who trotted to catch up with the locomotive and jumped onto the steps at the front of the locomotive. He held on to the iron handrail with one hand and hung half of his body from the front of the locomotive. He stretched out his other hand to feel the wind and feel the speed.
Zhu Guoxiang smiled and praised: "Excellent. Whether they are officials from the Ministry of Industry or local officials, all their achievements will be counted. Workers who participate in building bridges, roads and vehicles will receive additional rewards ranging from one to thirty dollars depending on their working hours and positions."
The magistrate Meng Xi often expressed sincere emotion: "His Majesty is a scholar of heaven and man, and has the ability to control all things. I am so impressed that I am so impressed."
The prefect took the lead in flattering him, and officials such as the general magistrate, Cao Yu, the county magistrate, and the chief registrar also followed suit.
Zhu Guoxiang said to the local officials: "An additional Cao army will be set up here to be responsible for garrisoning and maintaining the railway. The number will not be large. We will recruit and train from the people who originally transported coal. Hanoi and Xiuwu counties must assist in recruiting troops."
"I accept the decree!" The two county magistrates bowed quickly.
The railway replaced dozens of miles of land transportation, and all relevant practitioners were unemployed. Some of the able-bodied people were recruited and trained into the land army (railway corps), responsible for protecting and maintaining the railway.
A few hours later, the train reached the north of Qinshui at a very fast speed.
The roaring siren alarmed the people in Hanoi, and they rushed to the south bank of Qinshui River to take a look. More and more people gathered outside the city. Even teachers from the government school and the county school took their students out of the city to watch the excitement.
.
The boatmen at the ferry were doing a prosperous business, ferrying people to the north shore one by one.
People gathered dozens of steps away, watching the coolies unload the coal and transport it to the coal station warehouse on the north bank of Qinshui River for stacking.
"This iron car is really big. It came from Meishan Town, right?"
"I asked why so many wooden irons were laid. It turned out that they were paving the way for this big iron car."
"The government had already said it when recruiting workers. This kind of road is called a railway, and this kind of large iron car is called a train. They were built under the supervision of the Emperor."
"The name train is so good, no wonder the smoke it sprays is filled with sparks."
"How did it move?"
"Have you forgotten the big antenna in the city? It must be like a telegraph machine. This kind of train consumes electricity and spits out smoke and fire. Most of them are blessed by eminent monks with Buddhist teachings."
"You guys are doing weird things all day long. The telegraph has nothing to do with the Buddha and the monks. The reason why the big antenna is set up on the pagoda is purely because the pagoda in Fucheng is the tallest."
"It turns out to be Mr. Tian. Mr. Tian is indeed a scholar, and he knows a lot."
"With this kind of train in the future, the price of coal in Huaizhou City will definitely drop, and both you and I can benefit from it."
"Yes, Mr. Tian is the wiser."
"..."
Huaizhou City is the transportation hub for Jiaozuo coal. Naturally, the people here have abandoned firewood and have long used coal for cooking and heating. The briquettes "invented" by Ju Ming also spread to Huaizhou.
The first batch of beneficiaries of the train were these people in Huaizhou City.
Suddenly an official came over and said to everyone: "From now on, if you are going to Qinghua Town or Meishan Town, you can take a coal cart there. The fare will definitely be cheaper than taking a donkey cart. Well, it's just a little dirty.
You may get covered in coal dust. Merchants transporting goods there can also take the train with their goods."
This is an effective use of train resources, otherwise the train will be empty on the return trip.
For ordinary people, taking the train is still very cost-effective. If their clothes are stained by soot, they can just wash them. Merchants are even happier because the goods are packed and they don't have to worry about getting dirty.
There is only one train for the time being and more will be added gradually in the future.
The people of Huaizhou stood there and watched, and two to three thousand people gathered one after another. The boatmen at the ferry were shaking their oars, and they made a lot of money today.
They were not in a hurry to leave. They didn't even bother to eat, and just watched the workers unloading coal.
Someone also asked: "Can I take the train today?"
The coal station official, who is also the person in charge of the railway station for the time being, replied with a smile: "Tickets have not been sold yet, but the Emperor has issued an order that you can ride the train at half price today, and all the fares collected will be donated to the government school and the county school."
Today we charge half-price fares because we are afraid of too many people taking the train, not because we want to earn a few fares.
Even so, there are some people who are willing to try something new and rush to pay and wait for the train. It doesn't matter if their clothes get dirty, they can just walk back when they return, just to try the feeling of taking the train.
Finally, all the coal was unloaded.
People who had already paid and lined up climbed up the ladders and entered the empty truck compartment used to load coal.
There were even a few wealthy businessmen and scholars who were not afraid of getting their clothes and hands dirty, and were observing and touching around in the carriage.
There is no place to sit, and there are only iron handrails on the inside of the carriage. Passengers must stand the whole time. Even the walls of the carriage are too high, so shorter passengers cannot effectively enjoy the scenery outside.
"Woo~~~"
"哐哐哐哐..."
The whistle sounded and fireworks erupted.
People burst out in exclamation: "It's moving, it's moving, it's really moving!"
"This train is so majestic as it spits out smoke and fire."
"Can't run as fast as a horse."
"A big car can't run as fast as a horse."
Many people who were watching were walking forward with the train. When the train picked up speed, they started trotting along.
Two to three thousand people kept chasing the train until they were exhausted and panted. Some people were extremely physically strong and chased the train for several miles.
The previous Mr. Tian was named Tian Shougeng, and he was already a scholar in Huaizhou Prefecture at a young age.
At this moment, Tian Shougeng was standing in the carriage. The hand holding the armrest was already black, and the end of his skirt was stained with soot. He didn't care that he was getting dirty, he just put his feet up and looked out. The scenery along the way kept looking back.
pass by.
"It's really a miraculous craftsmanship!" Tian Shougeng praised.
A wealthy businessman named Li laughed and said, "Can Mr. Tian know how to build this kind of train?"
Tian Shougeng said: "Although I don't know how to make it, I know its principles."
The wealthy businessman surnamed Li was surprised and said: "Xianggong Tian really knows?"
Tian Shougeng said: "There are steam pumps in coal mines. I also know that there are steam coin machines and steam forging machines. This kind of train is also powered by steam. Just like boiling water at home, when the water boils, the lid of the pot will be opened."
The wealthy businessman surnamed Li suddenly realized: "It turns out it's just boiling water."
Tian Shougeng shook his head: "Steam engines are extremely complex and sophisticated and can be mastered by extraordinary people. The power of this thing depends on nature. I plan not to take the Jinshi exam and go to a mechanical school next year."
"It would be a pity not to take the Jinshi examination." The wealthy businessman surnamed Li lamented.
Tian Shougeng couldn't even pass the imperial examination, so how could he have the confidence to pass the imperial examination? Now that he saw the train, he suddenly had the intention to change his career. He planned to study mechanics and become a technical officer in the future.
This can be regarded as a step forward.
Tian Shougeng got off the bus at Qinghua Town on the way. It was almost evening and it was twenty miles away from Fucheng.
He and the wealthy businessman surnamed Li rented a donkey cart back to the city, but more passengers walked back in the dark. Everyone did not feel that it was a hassle, but they were all very excited. The experience of taking the train would allow them to brag for months.