The Fox of France - Chapter 338 (Patreon)

Chapter 338: Passenger Transport

This morning, young François left home bright and early, gearing up for school. Normally, the school wasn't far from François's house, and he didn't have to leave this early.

However, things had changed recently. The road leading to the school was closed because they were constructing a railway there. Now, it was all cordoned off with wire fences, and soldiers from the National Guard, smartly dressed in uniforms, patrolled, preventing mischievous kids like François from sneaking under the wire fences through the drainage ditches.

Signs hung on these wire fences, but François couldn't quite read them. According to Huaxite, a student two grades higher, the government was building a railway there for safety reasons, prohibiting people from crossing for construction purposes.

Of course, the government considered pedestrian traffic. They left a few openings for orderly passage. But reaching these openings meant taking quite a detour.

François, mischievous as he was, didn't fancy the long way around. When the road first closed, he took advantage of a moment when the patrolling guards moved away and snuck in through the drainage ditch.

He easily slipped through the wire fences, but while leaping out of the ditch, his school bag caught on the wire. At that moment, the patrolling guards turned back.

Losing the bag and fleeing wasn't an option. It was precious, sewn by his mother from scraps accumulated over years. If lost, he couldn't go to school. His father would surely make him pay for it.

So, François got caught, bag and all. A tall guardsman rummaged through his bag, finding his textbooks with his name and class. He escorted François to a policeman, handing both bag and François over. The policeman then took him to the school and handed him to Mr. Ramadon, the headmaster. François received a stern punishment with a ruler, then was handed over to his class teacher, Mr. Pila, who kept him back after school for multiple written apologies until satisfied.

At home, with just a few words, his father discovered the truth, and François received another scolding. After that, he never sneaked through wire fences again, taking the long way like a good boy.

From the openings left for passage, François could see clearly what the workers were doing. They said they were laying tracks but began by digging a long trench. Then, they laid large stones brought from elsewhere in the trench. Once done, they placed smaller stones until it nearly matched the original road level.

But that wasn't all. Next, they added a layer of thick gravel until it significantly rose above ground, forming a high trapezoid.

Afterward, they laid sleepers and rails on top.

François told his father what he saw. His father remarked, "Those rails must be valuable. More policemen will patrol here; otherwise, foreigners will come to steal the rails every day."

In school, during a science class by Mr. Duran, François and his classmates read an article from "The Scientific Truth Gazette" about the purpose of such railways. The article was accompanied by an illustration of a smoking steam engine.

After that class, François and his friends were deeply intrigued by trains, these magical things that moved on their own. Yet, passing by the railway, they only saw tracks being built or already built but never witnessed a steam train.

One morning, passing by the crossing, François saw a vehicle running swiftly on the tracks. It wasn't the train illustrated in the papers but a peculiar car with two people on a seesaw-like contraption – clearly not the steam engine described.

However, today was odd. When François arrived at the specially designated crossing, it was blocked by a barrier. People in blue uniforms stood behind it, shouting, "Stay calm, the train is coming. Once it passes, you can go."

Rather than calming down, the shouts made everyone more excited. Watching something rare was a universal hobby. Everyone surged forward, vying for the best view to see what this train was.

Taking advantage of his small stature, François wormed his way to the front like an eel.

"Where is it? Where?" François hugged his bag tightly, fearing the strap might break as he pushed through. His eyes followed the gleaming rails, searching left and right.

"There, there! Look, it's emitting smoke!" A sharp-eyed person pointed.

François quickly looked and indeed saw a moving column of smoke in the distance, moving toward them.

"That's the smoke from the steam engine!" François boasted to those around him, recalling what he learned in science class.

But nobody paid attention to him; everyone's eyes were fixed on the smoke. Initially slow, the smoke's source gradually gained speed. Along with it, the sound of wheels on tracks became audible.

"Look, it's coming!"

The train appeared after a turn. Perhaps due to nearing the crossing, it slowed a bit, and the driver sounded the horn.

"Whooo..."

The loud horn startled everyone.

"Wow, more frightening than a hundred horses!" someone remarked.

"So... so majestic!" said another.

By now, the train was close. No one had seen such a huge thing, moving so fast, with the clang of steel against steel, steam, and smoke enveloping it, charging forward like an avalanche.

"Ah!" Someone turned to flee.

"Amazing!" Another cheered loudly.

But all these voices were drowned by the train's noise. The steam engine rushed past them.

"It's so long!"

"Like a long snake!"

Behind the engine were freight cars, some with compartments, others mere flatbeds. It was hard to discern what the covered cars held, but the contents of the flatbeds were clear. Some carried carts, while others had an impressive display of cannons – evidently exhibition pieces for the Freedom Palace.

The train raced away, passing in a blink. Then, men in black uniforms arrived, removed the barrier, and normal passage resumed.

In the following days, people gathered along the tracks to watch the train, some painters even set up easels and chairs, turning the railway into an unexpected attraction in Paris.

Simultaneously, "The Scientific Truth Gazette" and other papers began extensive coverage of the railway. The Gazette even exclusively interviewed Mr. Messier, the executive director of the French Railway Company. He revealed a secret: the primary use of this railway from the War God Square to the Freedom Palace wasn't freight but passenger transport. On the opening day of the "Second Paris Trade Fair," the world's first passenger train would operate. Parisians could buy tickets to visit the event.

Regarding ticket prices, Messier emphasized the company's commitment to service over profit. They aimed to ensure affordability, covering costs rather than maximizing profit. The exact prices were under consideration.

As Messier didn't disclose the prices, many media outlets speculated, estimating costs and projecting ticket prices. Some reports intentionally inflated the operational costs of the railway, resulting in higher speculated ticket prices. Although cheaper than hiring a carriage, it would still be a stretch for the impoverished to afford these trains.

Later, Messier hinted that passenger ticket prices would be lower than speculated, completely accessible to Parisian workers. Luxury compartment ticket prices for the rich would balance the losses from lower-priced tickets.

"We run for service, not profit," Messier reiterated.

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