The Qajar Intellectuals Modeling from the American Railway Industry and the Unsuccessful Attempts to Bring this Industry to Iran

The expansion of Iran's relations with the West and the increase of the Iranians' awareness of the scientific and technical achievements of Western countries during the Qajar period caused the tendency of many enlightened thinkers and journalists to acquire new technologies. One of these Western countries was the United States, which was moving rapidly in the direction of development and progress. In this article, an attempt has been made to analyze the progress of America in the field of rail and railway industry, its reflection in the thought of the reformers of the Qajar period and its consequences in Iranian society, for the first time, implementing a descriptive-analytical method and using unpublished works and documents. The question is, despite Iran's desire to model American railways, what causes and factors prevented the investors of this country from entering Iran. The findings of the research indicate that although Iranians were familiar with railways through Europe from the Nasser period, the significant quantitative and qualitative development of the American rail network and trains drew the attention of the Iranian press to this country. In such a way that soon America was considered as the only model for the creation and development of railways. The current research also shows how Iranian statesmen tried to acquire this new technology, negotiating with the country's ambassadors and sending a special representative to America during the Mozafaruddin Shah period and trying to conclude a contract. Although these efforts failed for various reasons, it revealed the importance of the railway to Iranians more than ever.