Ingabe Umzila Wensimbi Uyohlala Ukhona? — Watchtower UMTAPO OKUYI-INTHANETHI

Ingabe Umzila Wensimbi Uyohlala Ukhona?

Ngumlobeli we-Phaphama! EBrithani

UKUTHOLA indlela engabizi nesheshayo yokuthutha impahla nabantu ezweni kuyinselele engapheli. Kusukela inguquko yezezimboni yandisa isidingo sezinto zemvelo zokusetshenziswa, ujantshi (ngezinye izikhathi obizwa ngokuthi umzila wensimbi) uye waba neqhaza ekuxazululeni le nkinga. Njengoba namuhla kwethenjelwa kakhulu kangaka ezimotweni futhi kunokukhathazeka ngokungcola, abaningi sebekucabangela kabusha ukusebenzisa ujantshi.

Waba khona kanjani umzila wensimbi?a Ufeza yiphi indima emphakathini wanamuhla? Liyini ikusasa lawo?

Intuthuko Ekhulwini Le-19

Ngo-1804 isitimela samalahle, esaklanywa unjiniyela waseCornwall uRichard Trevithick, sadonsa izinsimbi ezingamathani ayishumi kujantshi ongamakhilomitha angu-14 sihamba ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha angu-8 ngehora. Kodwa lo mzila wensimbi wokuqala oyimpumelelo awuhlalanga isikhathi eside, ngoba ngokushesha lo jantshi owawungaqinile wawohloka ngenxa yokusinda kwesitimela. Khona-ke, inselele kwakuwukuklama isitimela esisindayo esasingahamba ezinsimbini zikajantshi singasheleli kodwa singawuphuli umzila.

Eminyakeni engu-8 kamuva, uJohn Blenkinsop waklama ujantshi wezitimela onamazinyo, ezimayini zamalahle zaseYorkshire. Kamuva, uWilliam Hedley wayinqoba le nkinga yokushelela kukajantshi ngokufaka amagiya esitimela anamandla emasondweni esitimela angaphezu kwamabili. Kamuva, izitimela ngokuvamile zazihamba kujantshi ongenamazinyo. Ngo-1820, imizila yensimbi exutshiwe eyizingxenye ezingamamitha ayisithupha ubude yayihamba izitimela zamalahle ezinkulu nezisindayo ezazakhiwa.

Inkampani yaseNgilandi i-Stockton & Darlington Railway yazuza udumo ngo-1825 lapho isitimela sokuqala samalahle esithutha abantu emhlabeni sithwala izimpahla ezingamathani angu-69 nabantu abangaphezu kuka-600 emzileni ongamakhilomitha angu-34 sihamba ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha angu-24 ngehora. Omunye walabo bagibeli, umMelika waseBaltimore, eMaryland, u-Evan Thomas, waphindela ekhaya futhi wanxusa osomabhizinisi bakubo ukuba bakhethe umzila owakhiwe ngensimbi edolobheni labo kunokuba bakhethe umzila ohamba izikebhe. Ngakho, kwasungulwa umzila kajantshi i-Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ngo-1827.

Kwaba yinto evamile ukusebenzisa imizila yensimbi, eqine ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-60 kunensimbi exutshiwe. EBrithani, lokho kwenziwa kusukela ngo-1857 kuqhubeke. Ngo-1870 imizila kajantshi yaleli lizwe yayisihlanganisa ibanga elingaphezu kwamakhilomitha angu-20 000. I-Times yaseLondon iphawula ukuthi ithonya layo “laba likhulu.” “Ngaphambi kokuba khona kukajantshi, abantu abaningi babengakaze baphumele ngaphandle kwamadolobha akubo.”

Nakwezinye izindawo imizila kajantshi yayanda. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1847 abantu abacebile baseZurich, eSwitzerland, baqala ukuthumela izisebenzi zabo eBaden ngesitimela sikajantshi omusha ukuyobalandela amabhanisi aseSpain ayintandokazi (i-brötli). Baqala kanjalo-ke ubudlelwane beminyaka engu-150 phakathi kwabantu baseSwitzerland nojantshi wezwe lakubo.

Imizila kajantshi yaba nengxenye enkulu ekwakhiweni kwelase-United States. Ngo-1869 kwaqedwa umzila wokuqala onqamula izwe eNyakatho Melika, osuka oGwini oluseMpumalanga uye oGwini oluseNtshonalanga. Wenza ukuba abantu bathuthelekele engxenyeni esentshonalanga yase-United States. Ngo-1885 kwaqedwa umzila wokuqala onqamula izwe eCanada, osuka eMontreal, eQuebec, uye eVancouver, eBritish Columbia. Yebo, imizila kajantshi yanda emhlabeni wonke.

Ukushintshwa Kwezitimela

Njengoba isikhathi sasihamba, abaphathi bakaloliwe baqala ukuhlola izindlela ezintsha zokusebenzisa imizila yabo kangconywana. Bathola ukuthi izitimela zika-diesel nezikagesi, ezazishesha ngokuphindwe kabili nengxenye kunezitimela zamalahle, zazonga imali. Nakuba kwakubiza kakhulu ukwakha izitimela zika-diesel kunezamalahle, ukusebenziseka kwazo ezimweni ezihlukahlukene kwasho ukuthi kwakudingeka ezimbalwa. Izitimela zikagesi zazingcono ngoba zazishesha kakhulu futhi zazingawungcolisi umoya. Noma kunjalo, izitimela zamalahle zazisasetshenziswa emazweni amaningi.

EFrance, ngisho nangaphambi kweMpi Yezwe I, izitimela zasemadolobheni zazihamba ngogesi, kwathi ngemva kwempi zasetshenziswa emizileni yebanga elide. Ngokufanayo, naseJapane ukushintshwa kwezitimela kusuka kwezamalahle kuya kwezika-diesel, kwase kuba ezikagesi cishe sekuqediwe. “Izizathu eziyinhloko ziwukwenyuka kwezindleko zika-diesel nezokukhokhela izisebenzi,” kuphawula i-Steam Locomotives of Japan, inezela: “Esinye isizathu esikhulu singase sibe ukuthi izitimela zamalahle sezibhekwa njengeziyisidala, abantu abaningi besimanje abasazithandi. Ngokuvamile umgibeli akakujabuleli ukuhamba ngesitimela esikhipha intuthu emhilayo; ufuna ukunethezeka nesivinini.” Umkhulumeli kaloliwe waseNdiya uyavuma. “Asinakubambelela ezitimeleni zamalahle. Wonke umuntu ufuna ukuhamba ngokushesha. Izitimela zamalahle sezishiywe yisikhathi. Futhi zingcolisa indawo ezungezile.”

Ngenxa yokuthi isivinini namandla kuyizici ezibalulekile ukuze uloliwe wanamuhla aphumelele, abaphathi baye bahlola ezinye izindlela zokuwuthuthukisa. EBrithani izitimela eziningi zikagesi zesimanje ezithutha abantu zinezinqola ezithile ezinekhanda elinenjini ngapha kanye nelinye lokudonsa isitimela negumbi likanogada ngalé.

Ukufaka ugesi emizileni yensimbi kunezinkinga zako. Izintambo zikagesi ezihamba phansi nezihamba phezulu ezisebenzisa ugesi okhipha amandla kuphela zidinga iziteshi zikagesi eziningana zokulondoloza amandla. Kodwa ukwenziwa kwezintambo ezihamba phezulu ezinogesi ojikelezayo onamandla kuye kwahlanganiswa nemishini emincane nengasindi ephehla amandla kagesi ukuze kwenziwe imizila kajantshi engabizi. Manje izitimela ezihamba amabanga amade ezisebenzisa imithombo ehlukahlukene kagesi zihamba ngaphandle kokuphazamiseka.

Zavuselelwa Ukuthutha Ngezinqola

Enye indlela okusetshenziswa ngayo imizila yensimbi manje kusekusungulweni kwemizila yezinqola.b Sekuvulwa imizila emisha yamathilamu ezindaweni ezingamadolobha ezikhulayo. ESydney, e-Australia, lapho kubikwa khona ukuthi izikhulu zezokuthutha zikholelwa ukuthi zenza iphutha ngokukhipha amathilamu kuleli dolobha, sekusetshenziswa izinqola ezinemizila emgwaqweni.

Ngokungafani nalokho okwenzeka emadolobheni amaningi aseBrithani ekuqaleni kwaleli khulu leminyaka, amadolobha amaningi aseYurophu ayigcina imizila yawo yamathilamu eneminyaka eyikhulu ubudala. ‘EZurich, amathilamu adl’ubhedu,’ kubika iphephandaba i-Independent. “Lapho ithilamu lisondela erobhothini, liyalishintsha libe luhlaza ukuze lingami. . . . Amathilamu asigcina njalo isikhathi.”

Isazi esithile sendawo ezungezile sase-Italy sithi nakuba imizila engaphansi komhlaba iphumelela emadolobheni anezigidi zabantu, imizila yamathilamu isebenza kangcono emadolobheni anabantu abayisigamu sesigidi noma ngaphansi.

Amathilamu angahamba ngendlela efanayo neyezinye izimoto ezisemgwaqweni. Njengoba izinqola ezinemizila emgwaqweni zingasindi njengezitimela nezinqola zazo, kungakhiwa imizila namabhuloho angaqinile kakhulu. Okwenzekayo ngaphakathi kungabonakala ngamafasitela amakhulu alezi zinqola, okuthuthukisa ukulondeka kwabagibeli. Umbiko wokuhlolwa kwezokuthutha eSheffield, eNgilandi, onesihloko esithi Tram to Supertram uyaphawula: “Ngenxa yokuklanywa kwawo okuhlukahlukayo okuyingqayizivele, amathilamu anamuhla anesivinini sesitimela futhi atholakala njalo njengebhasi.” Amathilamu athuthukisa “ukuhlanzeka, umoya omuhle nesimo esihle sendawo ezungezile.” I-Times ithi: “Amathilamu ayashesha lapho kuyisikhathi sokuphuthuma kunezimoto, futhi awayingcolisi indawo.”

Ingabe Ziyashesha Futhi Zilondekile?

Kukhona i-Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV), i-InterCity Express, i-Eurostar, i-Pendolino, izitimela zaseJapane ezinesivinini esiphakeme ezihamba emzileni i-Shinkansen (New Trunk Line)—uhlu lwezitimela zanamuhla ezihlukahlukene ezinesivinini alupheli. Njengoba befisa ukuthuthukisa isivinini nokulondeka, abaklami bezitimela baye beza nezindlela ezintsha zokunciphisa ukuminyana kwezitimela ezinesivinini. Ukwakhiwa kojantshi abangenawo amajika ayingozi kwenza ukuba i-TGV yaseFrance ikwazi ukuhamba ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-200 ngehora.

Izitimela ze-Eurostar manje zihamba phakathi kweLondon neParis neBrussels ngomhubhe iChannel Tunnel. Ngemva kokuphuma emizileni kajantshi emidala yaseBrithani enciphisa ijubane, izitimela ze-Eurostar zintininiza zilibangise eFrance naseBelgium ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha angu-300 ngehora. Isikhathi sohambo esingamahora amathathu ukusuka eLondon ukuya eParis nesingamahora amabili nemizuzu engu-40 ukusuka eLondon ukuya eBrussels siye sabangela ukuncintisana okukhulu phakathi komzila owakhiwe ngensimbi nezikebhe kanye nezindiza. Kodwa zifinyelelwe kanjani izivinini eziphakeme kangaka?

EJapane, ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi isitimela asiphumi kujantshi, onjiniyela baklama isitimela esilula esinamakalishi awugqinsi. Ngokungafani nesimiso esivamile esinamasondo ezinsimbini ezimbili ezingaphansi kwenqola, izitimela ze-Eurostar (ezinezinqola ezingu-18 eziphakathi kwamakhanda amabili esitimela) zinezinqola ezimbili ezinesisekelo samasondo esisodwa. Lokhu kunciphisa ukugudluzela nesisindo futhi kwenza isitimela sihambe kahle nangesivinini.

Indlela yokunikeza izixwayiso yezitimela ezinesivinini ihluke kakhulu ezimpawini ezindala noma ngisho nezezibani zikajantshi ezisatholakala emizileni eminingi evamile kajantshi. Ama-computer asesitimeleni abonisa konke umshayeli okudingeka akwazi njengoba isitimela sakhe sihamba. Izimiso zokuxhumana eziyinkimbinkimbi zenza ukuba izikhungo ezinkulu ezikhipha izixwayiso zikwazi ukulawula yonke imizila.

Abaklami bakajantshi baye bahlola nendlela yokukhuphula isivinini sezitimela ezihamba emizileni evamile. Okunye okusha abakwenzile isitimela esiketukayo. Izitimela zePendolino, ezihamba e-Italy naseSwitzerland, zisebenzisa lobu buchwepheshe, kanjalo ne-X2000 yaseSweden. Ikwazi ukuhamba emzileni omazombezombe ophakathi kweStockholm neGöteborg ngesivinini esiphakeme esingamakhilomitha angu-200 ngehora. Ngenxa yobuhlakani bemishini enqanda ukugudluzela nezisekelo zamasondo ezizijikelayo, abagibeli abagudluzeli njengoba isitimela sibamba amajika sigijima.

Imibiko esabisayo ekhuluma ngezivinini eziphakeme zezitimela nokuphuma kwazo kujantshi iphakamisa umbuzo, Ingabe ukuphepha kuyadebeselelwa? Ngemva kwengozi yesitimela embi eBrithani ngo-1997, i-Sunday Times yabika ukuthi esikhathini esizayo “imizila iyoba nemishini ezibona ngokushesha izimo eziphuthumayo.” Isimiso esisha se-Transmission Based Signalling siyodlulisela imiyalezo ngokuqondile kumshayeli isuka esikhungweni esiphethe imizila kajantshi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amabhuleki e-Automatic Train Protection ayofakwa kuzo zonke izitimela zaseBrithani, njengoba kunjalo emazweni amaningi aseYurophu nakwezinye izindawo. Uma umshayeli engazilaleli izimpawu zesixwayiso ezikujantshi, isitimela ngokwaso sibopha amabhuleki ukuze sime ngokuphephile.

Ziyosebenzisa Amandla Kazibuthe Esikhathini Esizayo?

Kumgibeli ojwayele umsindo wamasondo emzileni ovamile kajantshi noma ngisho nasemizileni ehamba ngaphansi komhlaba, uyajabulisa umuzwa wesitimela esihamba kahle, ngaphandle komsindo. Izinqola zesitimela ezinamasondo enjoloba kweminye imizila kajantshi kuyi-Paris Metro zinikeza izakhamuzi zedolobha impumuzo. Kodwa lokhu akulutho uma kuqhathaniswa nomzila wensimbi oklanywe muva nje.

Ujantshi wensimbi izitimela ezivamile ezihamba kuwo uyasinqanda isivinini sazo. Ukuze zisheshe kakhudlwana, onjiniyela manje sebenza izitimela eziphakanyiswa amandla kazibuthe (ama-maglev), ezintaza phezu kwensimbi eziqondisayo. Njengoba zingathinti phansi, lezi zitimela zisebenzisa ozibuthe abanogesi abanamandla abazenza zintaze phezu komzila ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha angaphezu kuka-500 ngehora. Yebo, ngo-December 13, 1997, i-Times yaseLondon yabika ukuthi i-maglev yaseJapane yaqopha umlando womhlaba wonke ngesivinini esingamakhilomitha angu-531 ngehora ithwele abantu nalapho ingabathwele.

Uma kubhekwa abantu abasazikhonzile izitimela zamalahle—abazilondolozayo nabazivuselelayo—kanye nalabo manje abasekela izitimela ezidonsa ngo-diesel nangogesi, ikusasa likajantshi liqinisekile. Ukuthi izitimela nemizila yazo kuyothuthuka noma kushintshe kangakanani, kuyocaca ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Okungenani okwamanje, kubonakala umzila owakhiwe ngensimbi uyohlala ukhona.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

a Ngokwe-Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, izinkulumo ezithi “umzila wensimbi” nethi “indlela yensimbi” zaqala ukusetshenziswa e-United States, ekhulwini le-19 leminyaka.

b Ngokwe-Encyclopædia Britannica, izinqola ezinemizila kajantshi emgwaqweni “ziwumkhiqizo omusha wezobuchwepheshe wamathilamu (ama-tram).” Zingahamba emizileni kajantshi ekhethekile kanye nasemgwaqweni.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 22]

Izigodlo Ezinamasondo

IRailway Museum yaseBrithani esedolobheni laseYork ineqoqo eliphawulekayo lamakalishi asendulo ayesetshenziswa abasebukhosini. Phakathi kuka-1842 no-1977, kwakunezitimela ezingu-28 zasebukhosini eBrithani. Phakathi nokubusa kweNdlovukazi uVictoria (1837-1901), yakhelwa izitimela ezingaba ngu-21 eyayizisebenzisa. Lapho iqeda uhambo lwayo lokuqala lwesitimela, yathi ‘yayihlabeke umxhwele.’

Indodana kaVictoria iNkosi u-Edward VII yakhetha ukuba ingawasebenzisi amakalishi ayenzelwe unina. Kunalokho, yasebenzisa izitimela ezintsha ezintathu. Kamuva, iNkosi uGeorge V neNdlovukazi uMary bazithuthukisa lezi zitimela futhi benza indlwana yokugezela yokuqala ngqá esesitimeleni.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 24]

Ukuphepha Kuza Kuqala

Ukuze zinqande ubugebengu, izinkampani zikaloliwe zibhekisisa ukulondeka futhi zisebenzisa namakhamera nokhiye. Kodwa yini ongayenza ukuze uhambe ngesitimela uphephile? Nakhu okunye ukusikisela:

• Ungabukisi ngezinto eziyigugu.

• Uma usegunjini lesitimela, khiya umnyango uvale nefasitela.

• Faka izinto zakho eziyigugu ezikhwameni nasezingutsheni ezihlukene.

• Ungalwi uma usongelwa.

• Cabangela ukuphatha esinye isikhwama semali esinemadlana encane.

• Phatha amakhophi esibili ezincwadi zakho zomthetho.

[Umthombo]

The Daily Telegraph, March 22, 1997.

[Isithombe ekhasini 22, 23]

1. I-“Lake Shore Flyer,” 1886, yase-U.S.A.

2. I-Schweizer Centralbahn, 1893

3. I-Class B1, 1942, yaseBrithani

4. I-Bödelibahn “Zephir,” 1874

[Umthombo]

Early American Locomotives/Dover Publications, Inc.

[Izithombe ekhasini 24, 25]

1. I-Shinkansen, Model 500, yaseJapane;

2. I-Eurostar, yaseFrance;

3. I-Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV), yaseFrance;

4. Isitimela i-THALYS PBA, saseFrance

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]