Plateway

Imagine you have a toy train set, and you want to make it go on a road made of metal plates. The road has two parallel lines made of metal plates, and the train wheels move on these plates. This metal road is called a plateway, and it is like a small railway track.

Now imagine that instead of a toy train, we have a real train that is very heavy and cannot move easily on a dirt or gravel road. The plateway helps the heavy train move smoothly because the metal plates provide a smooth surface for the wheels to roll on.

The first plateways were used in the early 1800s to transport coal and other goods from mines to nearby waterways or navigable rivers. Later, they were also used to transport goods to and from factories.

The plateway was gradually replaced by the railway, which was more efficient and could carry heavier loads. However, the plateway was an important precursor to the railway and helped pave the way for the modern transportation network that we have today.