Many private carriers of the then new technology were in economic difficulties and the takeover by the state implied a shift in the policy paradigm. Already 150 years ago, a crisis acted as a catalyst. Yet, the European railway network is far from being seamless.
Given the huge technical and structural heterogeneity that prevails in the European railway network, we need strong and Page 6 von 8  coordinated policy support to leap from a 19 th century heritage to a Single European Railway Area that is fit for the 21st century.