Craig replied to me:
> A Grav Train like on Firefly makes sense IF:
>
> - ...the grav technology requires an exterior component to be workable
> (like MAGLEV) OR
> - ...a road between two points on the planet's surface makes more
sense
> for some reason than an air route OR
> - ...the equivalent of a long-range, horizontal elevator is needed
> (quick transit non-stop to specific points, performed
(semi-)automatically)
>
> The exterior component I mentioned could be something like force
field tech
> to protect against ground threats like landslides.
The train image calls for some sort of tracks, which are hard to
reconcile with generic contragrav technology. A maglev with updated
technobabble and performance could be based on tractor beam technology
or force fields.
How about "tracks" for power transmission? Of course that kills the idea
of a bulky TL9 fusion reactor in the engine only.
Dependence on tracks also kills the armored train idea.
> These are the things I can think of off the top of my head after the kids
> have kept me awake all night.
:-)
And Johannes wrote:
> You will need at least a little propulsion in the trailers or
breaking will
> be difficult.
Engine units at both ends of the train?
> You could also make something that optically looks much like a grav
train,
> but technically would be more a convoy of grav vehicles. The
"locomotive"
> would contain the crew station of the driver, the "trailers" are remote
> controlled from the "locomotive", there can be "tenders" that contain a
> power plant or fuel cells for the rest of the "train". They are
connected,
> to allow sharing of energy and to prevent the remote control to be
jammed.
> The advantage of such a setup would be that you need fewer drivers,
then if
> you have seperate vehicles and you can adjust the endurance by adding or
> removing tenders.
If you look at the price of maneuver controls, even with commo and nav
gear, it makes little sense to leave the individual cars without
cockpits. Add some power cells (for backup, if nothing else) and you
have a convoy of grav vehicles with aerial recharging from "power tankers".
> For military applications, especially in Traveller such a train setup
could
> also be the result of an attempt to minimize the number of troops needed,
> without coming into conflict with robot weapon laws. You have a formation
> of a dozen grav tanks, and still need just one driver and a few gunners,
> who supervise the gunnery programs of all the "trailers".
I envision the military train with a large crew, many individual VRFGG
emplacements on the sides.
Regards,
Onno
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