Railways and port traffic: The case of France during the first wave of globalization
Résumé
We examine the impact of the railway network's expansion on port activity during the First Globalization, utilizing new databases from French customs. In a panel regression, we show that the construction of railway stations near ports is positively correlated with the value of exports. Using product-level data, we propose that local railway lines might have supported the growth of export-oriented industries. This is in particular the case near small ports.