Lor Fully Automated Train System
Purpose:
Major portions of Lor's surface cannot be crossed by conventional vehicles (such as Lo-Cars) due to the ranges they must cross. Therefore, the idea of a large high-speed train system was developed in order to link far-flung continents to each other. The train system (known as FATS) acts as both passenger and cargo transport, depending on a certain track's configuration.
General infrastructure:
There are nine lines, numbered in order of their construction. Each line has so many numbered tracks to facilitate efficent travel. A track's number is followed by a letter designating what type of special terrain (if any) it crosses over or through. Finally, some tracks are considered dedicated to a certain task, and are labeled as such.
So, Line 15AC would be first track, fifth line, over air (indicating a crater or valley), commercial only. A tenth line reserved solely for palace personnel is in place, but its configuration is unknown, other than it is underground and has not been sighted as crossing another line.
The trains run inside sealed and pressurized tubes using high-strength transparent materials. The tubes at first did little more than keep the train safe from environmental hazards such as high winds, sand and wildlife. However, with the creation of the 41-46 and 83, the tubes served a new purpose -- keeping the train away from water.
Stops are almost always in urban or industrial areas, However, small shelters are attached to a line's tubing every 200 km. Several communication lines run through the tubes; shelters are equipped with emergency comlinks that contact the FATS switchboard. They also contain emergency supplies.
Technology involved:
Built in the earlier days of the Lorath coming to power, the FATS doesn't utilize sophisticated tech. The theory of "simple but reliable" was the guiding principle, and with a newly formed slave race available to invest the labor, Lor's {PSIONIC HOUSE} designed a magnetic rail system similar to the one used when Lorath were slaves.
Power always being the first obstacle, the Lorath used relatively large dedicated powerplants at both ends of a line to keep the energy flowing. Some lines, such as the 5 and the 8, have a powerplant in the middle.
In the event of power failure, trains carry enough battery power to levitate down to 7 km/h, taking about 10 km to slow to that speed. From there, inertia takes another 400m (over flat surface) to come to a halt. The batteries will keep the train floating for about an hour before slowly letting it down onto the track.
The tracks are what would be considered simple electromagnetic rails, but scaled up to allow for very heavy loads and high speeds. The Model 50 engines are the fastest, reaching speeds of 800 km/h. The Model 60 is the main freight engine, with a top speed of 648 km/h.
The 2 and 5 lines act also as primary communication links. Heavily shielded cables are run on the inside of the tubes of those lines.
Human crew:
Four technicians monitor the train from onboard, but rarely have any reason to intervene. The entire system is controlled from the central hub within the main city around the palace.
Train descriptions and engine models:
Car lengths are roughly 35 to 40 meters long. The prestigious 5 carries cars a bit smaller to facilitate higher speeds.
Widths are more tightly regulated -- except on the 4 and 8, all cars are 7.30 to 8.05 meters wide. The 4 modified their cars to about 8.32 meters to handle more cargo, while the 8 runs cars 8.16 meters wide.
Engines, on the other hand, are all the same width at their widest point -- 7.57 meters. Molded air shields are placed along the sides of the engines to reduce friction caused by wider cars.
Engines:
Line descriptions:
Each line has a primary and secondary terrain designation. They are as follows: General (G), Sand (S), Water (W), Air (A), Lava (L) and World (S). Only the primary terrain designation is shown.
ONE: 11GP, 12G, 13SC, 14S, 15AC, 16G.
The 1 acts as the lifeline for the main continent and does not leave it. All but the 16G are commercial lines 90 percent of the time. The 13SC and 15AC recently switched to the Model 60, while the 12G, 14S and 16G run Model 20s. The 11G is the only Model 10 left, but it occasionally switches with a Model 01 for national holidays.
TWO: 21GP, 22S, 23GC, 24G.
The 2 was a bit of an experiment. It was the first to leave Lor's main continent and travel south across the land bridge, the first to run communication lines within its tube, and the first to have a track completely divert from the main line. The line runs all Model 40s. The 22S runs about 50/50 between passenger and commercial respectively, while the 24G runs 30/70.
THREE: 31AP, 32A, 33AC, 34A.
The fierce mountain ranges in the north of Lor's main continent are home to many important Warrior House facilities and several metropolitan areas. The FATS Board of Directors, with pressure from the Warrior House, had a line constructed through the mountains and across the wide crevices. Unfortunately, the line received little attention after that, as the 4 was unveiled a few years later. The municipal governments took it upon themselves to upgrade the system, steamlining the trains themselves. The line runs all Model 20 Specials. The 32A runs 40/60, while the 34A runs 20/80.
FOUR: 41WP, 42W, 43WC, 44W, 45WC, 46W.
Crossing the great ocean between the eastern half was the FATS primary goal from its inception. It took a long time to gather the material, manpower and support on both sides of the ocean. The 41WP was the first track to use a Model 40, which was later replaced with a Model 50. The 42, 44 and 46 all run Model 40s at 30/70.
FIVE: 51SP, 52SP.
To create a back-up wired communication network, the FATS board worked with communication brokers to set up the first worldwide train track. Nicknamed the Comet, the tubes are literally lined with cable. The line also acts as a very high-speed transport, with much of it below the water or through sand. It connects to many of Lor's major cities, meeting and splitting off at Lor's main cities on the major two continents. Model 50s with booster engines put the trains near the max of their operational safety limit of 940 km/h. Cargo is very limited, and a third powerplant is located on the western continent.
SIX: 61W, 62L, 63LC, 64SC.
The only line with no dedicated passenger track, the 6 is meant to act as an underground lifeline for the planet. None of its tracks run parallel at any time, instead stretching from the western continent to different points across the globe. All run Model 60s at 10/90.
SEVEN: 71GP, 72G, 73GC, 74G
The western continent's internal lifeline. Complaints from municipal governments rose to a fever pitch after the Psionic House chose to not have the 6 work for just the continent. The house eventually gave in and provided the necessary material for the 7. A Model 50 works the 71, while the other three run Model 60s.
EIGHT: 81GP, 82GP, 83WC, 84G, 85S, 86G, 87G, 88WP
The largest of the nine lines. Each track, save the 83WC, runs a Model 50. Intended to act as the major passenger system, it briefly runs parallel from the main station in the eastern continent before splitting into a star, reaching even the southern most continent. The 83WC runs a Model 60. Its third powerplant is located on the 86G in the northwest.
NINE: 91LP
Currently restricted to one track, the 9 is waiting on authorization from the FATS board for more material and labor. Its purpose is that of an underground troop carrier of sorts for the Warrior House between the east and west continents. Having just become part of the Yamatai Star Empire, however, might give the line the push it needs for another track. It runs a Model 50 for the moment, but it would be the first track to run the Model 70.
(OOC: This was kinda fun, actually.)
Purpose:
Major portions of Lor's surface cannot be crossed by conventional vehicles (such as Lo-Cars) due to the ranges they must cross. Therefore, the idea of a large high-speed train system was developed in order to link far-flung continents to each other. The train system (known as FATS) acts as both passenger and cargo transport, depending on a certain track's configuration.
General infrastructure:
There are nine lines, numbered in order of their construction. Each line has so many numbered tracks to facilitate efficent travel. A track's number is followed by a letter designating what type of special terrain (if any) it crosses over or through. Finally, some tracks are considered dedicated to a certain task, and are labeled as such.
So, Line 15AC would be first track, fifth line, over air (indicating a crater or valley), commercial only. A tenth line reserved solely for palace personnel is in place, but its configuration is unknown, other than it is underground and has not been sighted as crossing another line.
The trains run inside sealed and pressurized tubes using high-strength transparent materials. The tubes at first did little more than keep the train safe from environmental hazards such as high winds, sand and wildlife. However, with the creation of the 41-46 and 83, the tubes served a new purpose -- keeping the train away from water.
Stops are almost always in urban or industrial areas, However, small shelters are attached to a line's tubing every 200 km. Several communication lines run through the tubes; shelters are equipped with emergency comlinks that contact the FATS switchboard. They also contain emergency supplies.
Technology involved:
Built in the earlier days of the Lorath coming to power, the FATS doesn't utilize sophisticated tech. The theory of "simple but reliable" was the guiding principle, and with a newly formed slave race available to invest the labor, Lor's {PSIONIC HOUSE} designed a magnetic rail system similar to the one used when Lorath were slaves.
Power always being the first obstacle, the Lorath used relatively large dedicated powerplants at both ends of a line to keep the energy flowing. Some lines, such as the 5 and the 8, have a powerplant in the middle.
In the event of power failure, trains carry enough battery power to levitate down to 7 km/h, taking about 10 km to slow to that speed. From there, inertia takes another 400m (over flat surface) to come to a halt. The batteries will keep the train floating for about an hour before slowly letting it down onto the track.
The tracks are what would be considered simple electromagnetic rails, but scaled up to allow for very heavy loads and high speeds. The Model 50 engines are the fastest, reaching speeds of 800 km/h. The Model 60 is the main freight engine, with a top speed of 648 km/h.
The 2 and 5 lines act also as primary communication links. Heavily shielded cables are run on the inside of the tubes of those lines.
Human crew:
Four technicians monitor the train from onboard, but rarely have any reason to intervene. The entire system is controlled from the central hub within the main city around the palace.
Train descriptions and engine models:
Car lengths are roughly 35 to 40 meters long. The prestigious 5 carries cars a bit smaller to facilitate higher speeds.
Widths are more tightly regulated -- except on the 4 and 8, all cars are 7.30 to 8.05 meters wide. The 4 modified their cars to about 8.32 meters to handle more cargo, while the 8 runs cars 8.16 meters wide.
Engines, on the other hand, are all the same width at their widest point -- 7.57 meters. Molded air shields are placed along the sides of the engines to reduce friction caused by wider cars.
Engines:
- Model 01P: 225 km/h top speed. 10 cars maximum.
- Model 10P/C: 225/185 km/h. 13 cars.
- Model 20P/C: 330/302 km/h. 18 cars.
- Model 20P/C Special: 390/341 km/h. 20 cars.
- Model 30C: 300 km/h. 25 cars.
- Model 40P/C: 450/412 km/h. 20 cars.
- Model 50P: 800 km/h. 20 cars.
- Model 60C: 648 km/h. 25 cars.
- Model 70P/C: 1,400 km/h tested. 30 cars.
Line descriptions:
Each line has a primary and secondary terrain designation. They are as follows: General (G), Sand (S), Water (W), Air (A), Lava (L) and World (S). Only the primary terrain designation is shown.
ONE: 11GP, 12G, 13SC, 14S, 15AC, 16G.
The 1 acts as the lifeline for the main continent and does not leave it. All but the 16G are commercial lines 90 percent of the time. The 13SC and 15AC recently switched to the Model 60, while the 12G, 14S and 16G run Model 20s. The 11G is the only Model 10 left, but it occasionally switches with a Model 01 for national holidays.
TWO: 21GP, 22S, 23GC, 24G.
The 2 was a bit of an experiment. It was the first to leave Lor's main continent and travel south across the land bridge, the first to run communication lines within its tube, and the first to have a track completely divert from the main line. The line runs all Model 40s. The 22S runs about 50/50 between passenger and commercial respectively, while the 24G runs 30/70.
THREE: 31AP, 32A, 33AC, 34A.
The fierce mountain ranges in the north of Lor's main continent are home to many important Warrior House facilities and several metropolitan areas. The FATS Board of Directors, with pressure from the Warrior House, had a line constructed through the mountains and across the wide crevices. Unfortunately, the line received little attention after that, as the 4 was unveiled a few years later. The municipal governments took it upon themselves to upgrade the system, steamlining the trains themselves. The line runs all Model 20 Specials. The 32A runs 40/60, while the 34A runs 20/80.
FOUR: 41WP, 42W, 43WC, 44W, 45WC, 46W.
Crossing the great ocean between the eastern half was the FATS primary goal from its inception. It took a long time to gather the material, manpower and support on both sides of the ocean. The 41WP was the first track to use a Model 40, which was later replaced with a Model 50. The 42, 44 and 46 all run Model 40s at 30/70.
FIVE: 51SP, 52SP.
To create a back-up wired communication network, the FATS board worked with communication brokers to set up the first worldwide train track. Nicknamed the Comet, the tubes are literally lined with cable. The line also acts as a very high-speed transport, with much of it below the water or through sand. It connects to many of Lor's major cities, meeting and splitting off at Lor's main cities on the major two continents. Model 50s with booster engines put the trains near the max of their operational safety limit of 940 km/h. Cargo is very limited, and a third powerplant is located on the western continent.
SIX: 61W, 62L, 63LC, 64SC.
The only line with no dedicated passenger track, the 6 is meant to act as an underground lifeline for the planet. None of its tracks run parallel at any time, instead stretching from the western continent to different points across the globe. All run Model 60s at 10/90.
SEVEN: 71GP, 72G, 73GC, 74G
The western continent's internal lifeline. Complaints from municipal governments rose to a fever pitch after the Psionic House chose to not have the 6 work for just the continent. The house eventually gave in and provided the necessary material for the 7. A Model 50 works the 71, while the other three run Model 60s.
EIGHT: 81GP, 82GP, 83WC, 84G, 85S, 86G, 87G, 88WP
The largest of the nine lines. Each track, save the 83WC, runs a Model 50. Intended to act as the major passenger system, it briefly runs parallel from the main station in the eastern continent before splitting into a star, reaching even the southern most continent. The 83WC runs a Model 60. Its third powerplant is located on the 86G in the northwest.
NINE: 91LP
Currently restricted to one track, the 9 is waiting on authorization from the FATS board for more material and labor. Its purpose is that of an underground troop carrier of sorts for the Warrior House between the east and west continents. Having just become part of the Yamatai Star Empire, however, might give the line the push it needs for another track. It runs a Model 50 for the moment, but it would be the first track to run the Model 70.
(OOC: This was kinda fun, actually.)