"The Iron Way" (part II)

(Continued From Before)

The Istanbul-Ankara train leaves from Haydarpaşa Station, a beautiful old building on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. It was a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, one of his many gifts to the last Ottoman sultan trying to convince the empire to join Germany's side in WWI; the station is still very much in-use even after the empire's unhappy ending.

I walked out along the tracks before boarding, finding my compartment (#14b) with the help of an excited little boy (half his body hanging out the train window) calling out ticket numbers. From the window of cabin #14 three large grain sacks were hanging. Two bulging with rice, and the third perhaps with wheat grain. They belonged to the family inside---an old woman and man, and the same excited boy I now recognized as their grandchild. They greeted me when I stepped in, and introduced me to two university students also sharing the compartment. And inside this already crowded compartment three more sacks of grain were stored. I asked the grandmother, "Why are you bringing these to Ankara?" She cast a glance at her husband, lowered her eyes, and didn't answer me. I didn't try again...

I suppose I could attribute it to a language mistake (though by this time I'm fairly confident in my ability to ask simple questions); or perhaps her reluctance to talk with a foreigner, an uncovered young woman travelling alone. But I'd almost like to believe that this quiet Muslim family is part of Turkey's black market trade. I'd rather it were valuable antiquities than firearms or drugs hidden among the rice grains; however, burası Türkiye, herşey olabilir (this is Turkey, anything is possible). Including the innocent possibility that they own a dry-goods shop in Ankara...

Returning to Istanbul the next night (a different train) I was talking with the manager of the small cafe car. Now, one-way Istanbul to Ankara is between 7-10 hours depending on the train. The manager tells me that one of the AK party's promises was to build a train that would make the journey in 3 hours. "And they've already begun construction," he claims.

Why is this government investing in the rail system? I suppose there are a few reasons why it should... In Turkey today petrol (roughly converted) is about $US 7.75/gallon. This makes train travel much more affordable for the majority of people. The trains almost always arrive on time, and they are powered primarily by electricity (which can be cleanly generated). The efficiency factor is important here, because as TCDD is publicly funded and state-run, its efficiency is constantly being questioned.

Even though gas is so expensive, the number of cars on roads in Turkey is still rising exponentially. I've been told a few times that the leading cause of death in Turkey is by road accidents. Hearing individual stories and experiencing Turkish traffic is enough to convince me this could be true (and this World Bank report puts Turkey's accident rates at 3-6 times above the EU average). The government's plan to reduce this involves more safety trainings, further investment in the already-complex highway system across the country, and redesigning the rail system for successful commercialization. And what will follow? For the trains, more accountability, and fewer and better trained personnel. For passengers on Turkish trains, significantly higher prices.

I'll end this now, leaving the issues of smuggling, subsidies, and social standards open-ended and unconnected. The Turkish rail system is a fascinating central focus. Through the lenses of economics, cultural values, and environmentalism all issues can become bound together; at this moment, however, I'm sleepy and too tired for the clarity effort.

~~~alice