Trains were also responsible for the need to make advances with another geeky / hacker favorite:- Accurate time keeping, along with standardized time zones.
Interesting point. I'll mention though that accurate time keeping that worked on sailing ships was a navigation breakthrough in the 1700s. It's what you need to figure out your longitude.
Ah yes, indeed they were accurate. I should have been more explicit about widespread agreement as to what the precise time that should be accurately measured actually is/was.
https://sites.udel.edu/materialmatters/2018/03/21/its-all-re...