Why a railway could fail in British Somaliland
A railway is useful only when it fits the movement people and goods actually need. Track is fixed: it can carry traffic along one corridor, but it cannot adjust when settlements, markets, or supply routes lie elsewhere. Even a working line can therefore be a poor transport system if too few passengers or loads travel between its stops.
The upkeep does not stop when traffic does
Rails, bridges, locomotives, and stations need inspection and repair whether a train is busy or nearly empty. A line also depends on a reliable supply of fuel, spare parts, and workers. If the revenue and practical value of the traffic do not cover those demands, keeping the railway open means diverting resources from other needs.
That is the accounting behind abandonment: the original construction cost is already spent, but every year of operation brings new costs. A railway that no longer earns its place can be more useful as a discarded asset than as a maintained service. In British Somaliland, the line’s failure to serve enough useful traffic turned its rails from infrastructure into an ongoing expense.
