Heres what I think.
I cannot picture link in a top-hat, or in baggy ganster clothes, but I can picture him in normal, clothes
ANYWAYS:
Playing twilight princess, I think that the pushed the technology TOO much, in different places. Like, what you said Cronian, the Goron mines, where out of their league, but it wasn't impossible. Becuase of what, Zerolink said is true, its their own world/life. Like our world, anything can happen. they were smart enough to make Mine cars, but not smart enough for trains. perhaps.
If you don't understand what I am saying, I'll explain myself:
Whenever there is a technolody pause in out world, where we need new technology to help us in out lives. Someone will always come, in the darkest hour and say "Here! I invented a machine to make your life easier!" Usually that person would have been doing that activity, and have been motivated to create that technology. So the Gorons thought that carrying the rocks around soo much for the longest time, would take more time than... and thats where the idea of "Mine cars" came from for hyrule.
Hyrule has been peacefull, and you rarely hear someone complaining that their life needs to be easier, thus no one will come and make their life easier AKA no technology advances.
IN OTHER WORDS, life needs to be rough at a time, for someone to come out and make new technology, and so far, life isn't that rough for the Hyrulians, and thus no technoligic advances in life.
SO BASICALLY, we have technology in out life, becuase people got lazy...
Thats the way I see why the technology hasn't changed in Hyrule ^_^
anyone understand what I am saying?
