Why Japan looked to American and Swiss railways

Why did Japan draw so heavily on American rather than exclusively British railway practice?

American and Swiss practice suited Japan's steep terrain, while American equipment was readily available and easier to sustain away from specialized British support.

The audience contrasts robust American railway equipment with more specialized British practice. Japan's steep and varied terrain resembled the conditions faced by American and Swiss builders more closely than Britain's generally manageable main-line gradients. Britain was also supplying railways across an enormous empire, while the United States had equipment and experience available for export. Japan's choice was therefore a match among terrain, maintainability, and accessible suppliers rather than a simple judgment about national quality.