Minecraft wouldn’t be the same without its resource mining feature. However, often players find themselves spending a lot of time trying to exit their mines, which can be quite frustrating. Almost every player has experienced digging a long, winding tunnel down to bedrock, jumping repeatedly until they gather enough cobblestone to finally construct that much-needed ladder.
But there’s an alternative. A superior method. It’s much faster and more efficient. You can simply stand in one spot, watch as cave walls rush by at incredible speed, and shout “Hooray!” Today, we introduce this marvelous invention in our weekly segment: the railway!
The tracks (and minecarts) were introduced in Minecraft during the first update titled “Seecret Friday” on June 10, 2010. Over the past nine years, the rails have undergone numerous revisions, primarily to fix odd bugs and add new types of tracks. In addition to standard rails, powered rails (which increase your speed when riding a minecart), detector rails (that send a redstone signal when a minecart passes over them), and activator rails (which activate passing minecarts) have been added.
There are several ways to obtain minecarts. First, you can craft them yourself by combining iron and sticks (six pieces of iron and one stick will yield 16 rails). Alternatively, for those who prefer not to craft, you can explore abandoned mineshafts and simply extract the required number of rails from the ground. Forest mansions may also hold some treasures. To collect rails, use a pickaxe (ideal if you need just a few), but if you’re looking to gather miles of track, a bucket of water can wash them all away.
It is commonly said that the era of railway travel in the real world began with the invention of the steam locomotive in the early 1800s; however, railways date back much further. Wooden rail transport using horse-drawn carts was widely utilized in the 1500s for transporting ore from mines across Europe.
Yet, the oldest known railway is nearly 2000 years older than that! Evidence suggests that ancient Greeks used a primitive stone-paved railway called Diolkos to transport boats across the Corinthian Gulf, spanning eight kilometers. This route was actively used until the first century AD, and remnants of this ancient path have been discovered by scholars even today.
The modern metal railway emerged in the mid-1700s. Following the invention of the steam engine, iron production surged, directly impacting the construction of railroads. The new metal tracks could last significantly longer than their wooden predecessors and could support loads many times heavier. Collectively, these factors made the new railway system a more practical option for permanent transportation infrastructure.
Today, the entire surface of our planet is crisscrossed with railways, many of which accommodate high-speed trains. For instance, the fastest train in China, named Fuxing Hao CR400AF/BF, can cover the distance between Beijing and Shanghai at a staggering speed of 249 miles per hour, or over 400 km/h.
To put things into perspective, trains in Minecraft Bedrock can reach speeds of up to eight miles per hour. What? No need for that expression. There are simply no seatbelts. Traveling any faster could endanger your life, and we’re a responsible game that doesn’t want anyone getting hurt. So enjoy the leisurely ride, especially when navigating through caves filled with hostile, bloodthirsty mobs. You’re welcome!
