Ever since past generations managed to transport heavy goods -- and later on, of course, themselves -- on board trains, many things changed for the better. The industrial revolution as well as the discovery of new lands became an option. First trains and ports, then tracks and airports went hand in hand. Now we basically take all of that for granted. Learning from the Japanese and their amazing Shinkansen high-speed trains, Europeans started to enter the age of rapid travel by train, too. France's TGV high-speed train notably springs to mind; it was one of their modernization projects and has been in service since 1981. The French had a similar approach to the one we currently witness in Turkey: You should lay new tracks altogether instead of merely refitting the old ones, which could cause fatal accidents indeed.The timeline of Turkish train history dates back just over 150 years. The Oriental Rail Company (ORC) got a hold of its first concession for a local train line starting in İzmir in 1856. There is confusion about when the train actually made its maiden voyage, which is believed to have taken place a few years later. The date the concession was granted to ORC is, however, recorded and undisputed.
Those who want to read more about this fascinating period of traveling by train should consult Trains of Turkey (www.trainsofturkey.com).
While admitting one had to start somewhere, the real problem with the state of railways in Turkey is that for many decades, no one acted like a locomotive and took a serious step toward the modernization -- and in particular, future enlargement -- of the network. Taking a look at the map of Turkish railways in 1912 and then again in 2009 underlines that much still needs to be put onto the right tracks.
Allow me a brief detour as if on board a local train: not that Turkish politics aren't a fascinating subject to watch on any given day, a new chapter of blurring historical facts with election campaign strategies has been opened. Grown up men and women, who should know better, seriously thought it was a wise idea to compare Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to an emperor, or sultan. It is not about the banner that a protester recently unfolded during the opening of the new Metrobus line in İstanbul. I saw a much more sinister approach in a Turkish newspaper a good number of weeks ago where a map had been drawn up likening plans by the present Turkish government to those of the former Ottoman Empire. This happened after the prime minister's Davos walkout. I do detect a certain tendency in arguments put forward by those who talk in earnest about this subject. Their unfounded fear is, as always: someone -- and the present government, in particular -- is going to take away "their" republic, or shall we say "their state"? They must acknowledge that the present government is doing more to put projects to the benefit of its citizens on a fast track than many leaders who came to power before them.
March 13, 2009, is a key date -- not only in any trainspotters diary -- which should have been celebrated many decades ago. I fully appreciate that there was not enough money floating around, but then again, Turkey started its journey toward full European Union membership in 1959 and 1963, respectively! We all know that both sides made mistakes, the EU and Turkey: "The furnace was not necessarily burning overtime on either side of the negotiating table," adapting a quote from a famous tune to be more in sync with my topic. But similar to the first bridge across the Bosporus, perhaps some state planners could have designed a comprehensive rail network and started asking for external funding?
Yesterday was March 13, 2009, and that date means the age of high-speed trains (HSTs) is finally arriving in Turkey. Neither the emperors nor previous leaders but the present government made it possible. Yes, in a favorable climate of both domestic and international support, but nevertheless according to their own and independent economic foresight.
The next step is to design a train map of Turkey and to make certain that the ability to travel in comfort and safety is extended beyond the İstanbul-İzmir-Ankara triangle. Turkey has vast open spaces and will not encounter too much opposition from environmentalist stakeholders -- as valid as their arguments may be -- when laying new tracks.
Similar to the Black Sea motorway, all regions of Turkey should, over time, become accessible by train. Pricing must reflect purchasing power. Old trains and high-speed trains can compete for passengers through a clever pricing structure. The new Eskişehir-Ankara season ticket is one such initiative.
Turkish HSTs carry much more weight than that of their coaches and a greater load than their passengers. It is a reassuring symbol of modernity in a period of global crisis. I do hope that domestic headlines on March 14 read "Turkey enters era of traveling by high-speed train" instead of "The empire strikes back"!
