In mid-September, the former Roens Railway Company personnel arrived in East Africa. Their company was renamed the East Africa Railway Company, while nothing else changed in any major direction.
Chief Engineer Nodding was hired as a technical consultant for the East African Ministry of Railways.
In October, the East Africa Railway Company personnel studied the terrain data provided by the East African government. In the end, Engineer Nodding and his team were invited to take part in a working conference held by the East African government on railway construction.
"Gentlemen, this meeting will determine the fate of East African railway development. Once it is established, East African railways can only proceed down this road in the future. Therefore, speak freely. Sum up East Africa's actual circumstances and select the railway standard best suited to East Africa. Now, let us invite Mr. Nodding to brief everyone on the matter." Prince Constantin set the tone for the meeting.
Engineer Nodding nodded to the crowd, then rose and began explaining railway-related knowledge. There were plenty of highly educated talents in the East African government who had only attended primary school, so this was indeed necessary.
"...Those are some of the key points in railway construction. But in the end, the issue returns to what gauge should be selected. There is no unified standard among countries around the world in this regard; after all, national conditions differ. Everyone may speak their minds. Do not worry about sounding like an outsider," Engineer Nodding said.
As Ernst's trusted right-hand man, Svit had been instructed before the meeting to be the first to offer an opinion. Thus, he was the first to speak. "There is no fixed standard for broad gauge or narrow gauge. The International Union of Railways would not establish 1,435 millimeters as the standard