How did railway expansion speed up deforestation?

Correct answer: Railways needed timber and land for sleepers and routes

The direct answer is D: railways needed timber and land for sleepers and routes. Railway sleepers are the strong supports placed under railway tracks to hold the rails at the correct distance and keep them stable. In the early railway period, many sleepers were made from durable wood, so railway construction created a very large demand for timber. Railways also required land for tracks, stations, bridges and related facilities. Forests were therefore cleared both to obtain wooden sleepers and to make railway routes. Option D is correct because it includes both main needs: timber and land. Option A is wrong because railways did not fully protect forests; their construction often increased cutting. Option B is wrong because railway expansion did not end the need for farming; food production remained necessary and land pressure could continue. Option C is wrong because railways were not limited only to cities; they connected towns, ports, resource areas and rural regions. The reasoning is: railway expansion → tracks and routes require land; wooden sleepers require strong timber → increased forest clearance. Memory cue: “Rail tracks need land; old sleepers needed wood.”