Trans-Continental Express

Running from the north of Orolay to the southern provinces of Berok, the Trans-Continental Express is the largest railway system on Bataf. Its steam trains connect the many people from across Sari-Ifa with each other, allowing goods to be transported to and fro at record speed. For those who can afford a ticket on one of the Trans-Continental Express's steam trains travel has become much saver, and the risk of highway banditry has become much lower than before (although not entirely zero). However, those too poor to afford a ticket now have to food the bill for the many bandits who can no longer rob the rich, and guards have become much less interested in keeping these roads save now that the rich no longer make use of them.

History

The Trans-Continental Express was founded by the GobGob Engineering Corp (GGE Co.), an engineering corps run for 90% by goblins. The first railway they set up connected the Corelian capital of Frigshaven with the lumber camps in Orolay. The lumber trade was highly successful, and over the decades GGE Co. has expanded it railway network to connect all the major cities of the Oroborian Empire and several of the friendly states which lay outside of the empire. Plans were originally made to expand north through the Zapno Mountains, but both Berok and Cainaan have denied the GGE Co. request to further expand the railway into their territory. The envoy tasked with asking the vampires of Cainaan was promptly denied and the GGE Co. received the body of the envoy, completely drained of blood, shortly after.
With the arrival of the railway many peoples across Sari-Ifa were able to quickly travel across borders for the first time in history. Many peoples were able to interact with each other that had never interacted before. Many new traditions were formed as cultures mixed and blended together and people intermarried. Sadly a few bad apples on all sides have also caused this intermixing of cultures to be a new source of discrimination against others who are not native to the area.