Grove English Communication Ⅲ
LESSON 6
Bamboo Trains
Most of the train networks in Cambodia remained damaged after the civil war in the 1970s, but some railway networks were still alive. This is because people in Battambang who needed trains took matters into their own hands. Using pieces of bamboo, they created a simple bamboo train called a norry, which ran on the existing tracks.
Each norry was primitive, having a small engine on the floor of bamboo with two sets of metal wheels. When two norries met on the single track, the one with the lighter load was taken off the track so that the other could pass. Norries traveled at up to 50 kilometers per hour even in the jungle, picking up and dropping off passengers, cargo, bikes, and even animals along the way.
With the passage of time, however, norries gradually became obsolete. Roads in Cambodia improved, and highways were crammed with motorbikes and cars. Many people didn’t need bamboo trains anymore though some insisted that they were convenient and affordable.
Today, norries are running for tourists through the countryside of Cambodia. They can enjoy watching the beautiful scenery. Maybe you should try it!