Re: Steam Vehicles

From: Pete Lynn (pete_at_peterlynnkites.com)
Date: 07/19/04 

Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 13:52:15 +1200

"Gulliver" <winnim3@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:357a8890.0407181128.1ca8d3ee@posting.google.com...
>
> So. Question. In summary, were the early objections against
> over-the-road locomotion versus over-rails locomotion sound?
>

The version I heard was that steam vehicles came along before the horse
drawn coach got seriously established. The aristocratic land owners
owned most of the soon to be developed roads, and were otherwise being
usurped by the industrial revolution. So they built massive stables,
developed the coach, and prevented anyone else from using their roads.

I doubt this was the whole story, though I suspect it was a part of it.
Rail locomotion may have been something of a political way around this,
indirectly giving some control to the landowners.

If dim memory serves, I think the first car crash occurred back in the
1600s, it was a steam vehicle traveling at little more than walking
pace.

Pete.