The logistics of space -- not outer space, just, like distance -- are pretty damn tricky. Most of the time there is no way to deal with it other than "brute force" aka haul stuff long distances. Maybe you get a tunnel or pass through a mountain, maybe you get easy access to iron or oil, but otherwise you're a prisoner of logistics.
What's fairly freaky is that current transport cost ratios between modes of transportation are little changed from those of pre-industrial times. Land transport costs about 20x that of sea.
The principle differences are:
- Rail. Which is roughly the equivalent of a canal or waterway, though with higher speeds. About 1/2 as efficient as large-scale cargo ships.
- Air. Extraordinarly expensive, but fast. Also very effective at spreading disease.
