Author Topic: Most likely transport method  (Read 16500 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

beo

  • Specialist
  • ***
  • Posts: 22
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #30 on: February 12, 2010, 05:56:04 PM »
Wait!....trains?  This isn't Sim City!  Trains?  Really?!?

I think trains will really kill the feel of the game.  But, oh well, that's just my opinion.   :-[

I posted this on another thread but, It seems to fit this topic as well.......if one colony happens to have a lot of water wells, and another happens to have a lot of farms, and yet another has a an abundance of mines and foundries, then there will be a need for a some type of trade and transport system.

I agree with e-maxx, different types of rovers or different classes of rovers might be a good way to go.

One way to go would to be to make a basic tug or tractor type of rover and then introduce different trailers or modules you could hook up to the Basic tug rover or place on the back of a rover.

Yeah, I know, it sounds like, "Mars Road Trucker."  But, the concept is sound.
« Last Edit: February 12, 2010, 05:57:44 PM by beo »

geoffcartwright

  • Captain
  • ****
  • Posts: 69
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #31 on: February 12, 2010, 06:14:24 PM »
i have to agree with BEO, kinda would like to see the current rover concept get expanded a bit more...maybe trains was a type of rover connected modular like that could follow a mapped transponder path hab to hab or colony to colony.
still think a self contained mobile rover hab type that is use for prospecting would be great...it could move from map to map selling its ore etc

profit004

  • MCCS Test
  • Mission Commander
  • ******
  • Posts: 418
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #32 on: February 12, 2010, 06:39:10 PM »
Trains are not appropriate for the era of martian colonization we are in.

They require way more manpower and materials to construct the tracks than the colonies should have available...

So.. I am fairly certain they will not be around to break the atmosphere of the game.

With our current technology levels, it should be possible to make a rover/truck that can drive the martian surface without locater beacons or transponders. Just GPS and have it follow a preplanned route based on sat surveillance with obstacle avoidance like the current mars rovers have.

Course.. Might want to have someone watch remotely the first time just to make sure there are no crazy terrain formations that it might not understand.


« Last Edit: February 12, 2010, 06:45:33 PM by profit004 »

Hyper

  • Administrator
  • Mission Commander
  • *****
  • Posts: 1247
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #33 on: February 12, 2010, 06:45:04 PM »
Have to disagree about the trains. May not have giant coal trains but a simple tracking system to a mine area wouldn't be out of our reach. I see it as later on and in a well developed colony. I have seen simple track systems that dont carry a heavy load, not like our big trains but more like built in sections and dropped down on the surface.
Trains have some good features that would allow easy small load transport. We will see.

profit004

  • MCCS Test
  • Mission Commander
  • ******
  • Posts: 418
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #34 on: February 12, 2010, 06:53:15 PM »
I Certainly agree that trains would be extremely valuable in many instances...

However I am concerned with the creation of the track mostly.

Mars just is not smooth enough in real life to have tracks made without the massive infrastructure we take for granted here on earth.... simply filling a ditch on mars seems like it may be an impossible task for our colonists..

I am not sure and probably no one really is, but I think there is a good chance that beneath the shallow layer of dust on mars, it rock hard and impenetrable to anything but explosives or maybe massive earth moving equipment.

I cannot see how they could get railway lines to work on mars until they get some rather big guns...

Maybe a tubular steel one, suspended 5-10 feet off the ground, could be built really light duty like a roller coaster track... Just drill down in the rock for foundations...  I suppose that might work....
« Last Edit: February 12, 2010, 06:56:09 PM by profit004 »

pad69

  • Mission Commander
  • *****
  • Posts: 142
  • The Robe Rules
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #35 on: February 12, 2010, 09:57:48 PM »
Well no one has mentioned Ski Lifts and Cable Cars
Cable car picture--- http://easy-rio.com/rio-sugar_loaf.html
Ski lift picture----http://www.skilifts.org/old/installations.htm
suspended cable cars of Europe picture-----http://europeforvisitors.com/switzaustria/

As far as drilling holes and laying concrete on mars it is easy. Making a construction habitat solely for drilling pole holes and station areas they are built inside in the warm building not in the freezing cold outside.After the concrete is fully cured the cable car pole can be lifted through an open ceiling door designed in the habitat. The habitat can be a permanent work, storage and emergency facility after the construction is finished. The same can be applied to a monorail train system the habitat becomes the monorail station and the monorail lift sections will have a permanent work storage area around each section. The work areas can serve as emergency stations for stranded personal. You could have one strictly for people transport and one for product and raw materials or several types and lines. The cars can be pressurized and heated or not  pressurized and heated and the cables can bridge quite a long distance as they often do in Europe. As far as moving off the map zone your problem is solved as you just connect the two areas through a switch station. Very few humans needed to run the cable car in fact it can be done by computer.This solution is low tek and off the shelf as in exists now and is easy to package and ship. Construction habitats are a must anyway.




Murphy's Law applies "Anything that can possibly go wrong, does." or some say it this way "If anything can go wrong, it will.

profit004

  • MCCS Test
  • Mission Commander
  • ******
  • Posts: 418
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #36 on: February 14, 2010, 06:17:38 PM »
I actually had thought significantly about cable cars and the like for use on mars, however, I am fairly certain a martian economy would not be able to create the precision machinery or the very precise grades of metals required for the cables.

I like the idea, because by its nature it negates the severity of the terrain beneath it.. You can go up and over pretty much anything the earth can throw at you... But.... I am really concerned with maintenance, creation, repair, reliability, and capacity.

I just cannot imagine any way this could be implemented over the distances required, but if it could be, and if the precision machinery could be transported and made to work on mars for its creation...  and if the maintenance aspects could be overcome.. it could be good... But I really think a tubular steel monorail track or standard track would be more likely.

But I did think about them, and while I may be wrong, I dismissed them as a possibility due to the technical challenges in building one.

e-maxx

  • Specialist
  • ***
  • Posts: 20
  • hmmm what?
Re: Most likely transport method
« Reply #37 on: February 14, 2010, 07:22:29 PM »
i would like to see more transports but cable cars might be a little hard to build and/or service it