The use of rails to guide carts, or to provide a smooth roadway, goes back many centuries. In these early railways, waggons were pulled along wooden rails by [[horse]]s or humans; the main purpose was to move coal (or mineral ores) from [[mine]]s to navigable [[waterway]]s. | The use of rails to guide carts, or to provide a smooth roadway, goes back many centuries. In these early railways, waggons were pulled along wooden rails by [[horse]]s or humans; the main purpose was to move coal (or mineral ores) from [[mine]]s to navigable [[waterway]]s. |