Question

Why did the development of time zones make train schedules more reliable?

Answer 1

Time zones standardized timekeeping across different regions, improving the reliability of train schedules by providing a consistent framework for coordinating train departures and arrivals.

Step-by-step explanation:

The development of time zones made train schedules more reliable by creating a uniform standard for timekeeping, which was critical for coordinating train departures and arrivals. Before the introduction of time zones, each city and town kept its own local mean time, leading to confusion and inefficiency, especially for railroad companies and long-distance telegraph operators. The adoption of standard time zones, based on Greenwich Mean Time, allowed for a shared and precise sense of timing across countries and continents, making interstate business and travel more predictable and scheduling more reliable. Notably, Charles F. Dowd proposed the system of four time zones for the United States, which was later adopted nationally, with each zone being about 15° wide and differing by 1 hour from neighboring zones.

Answer 2

Before time zones, towns just used the sun and the point at which the sun was highest in the sky to determine noon and time in general. Since this isn't the exact same for all areas in the United States, the train schedules were always off. So, when railroad companies developed the time zones we use today, it made the time the same for vast areas so that everyone was going on the same exact time.