Rail transport system

[rece ktore leczo]

Edit:

Spoiler: Link and screenshot of training rail platform

link

Right now i'm working on big salvager (i love utility ships) and i wanted to give him movable crane. The crane is small ship, 7 x 7 x 7, so it can be docked to non-enhanced docking module.
I wanted this crane to be able to move in every direction, so it took a while until i made final version of this ship.
I'm posting this, so if anybody would like to make similar rail system, then they would have some template.
I welcome any suggestions how to improve this system (make it smaller or less wobbly).

Spoiler: Screenshots of crane and rails

Updated version of crane.

Updated rails.

Rails with additional blocks, helping crane to get on track.

Ship at the crossroad.

Rails in each direction has the same arrangement. It's simple to build and combine different directions, the crane rarely get stuck in it, so i'm pretty happy with my build.

Unfortunately making crossroad for 3 different directions is impossible. I'll try to work something out, but i'm not sure if i'm going to succeed.

I'm planning to make railroad made from about 20 different tracks, all connected in one system with crane depot being able to hold few of this ships. Also i want to make one rail, going outside, to be able to use this ships as salvagers.

I know this is useless, but i'd just love to have this working system on my ship.

Spoiler: And here is the ship where i want to build my crane

The rails would be in the middle part of the ship, main rails at the bottom, with some of them going vertical.. I know the ship is giant block, but it's just a beginning

 

[iPwn_]

That... actually looks really cool. Well done getting this far, and I'm sure it will look really cool once you get it all finished up like you want to!

Good luck :P

 

[rece ktore leczo]

Thanks, but i know it didn't look very good So i kept working on this and got much cooler looking ship Also with much simpler rails. I'll try to keep upgrading this but i think i'll keep this version. Now i have to figure out a way to easy change direction at intersection.

 

[Anubis Evo]

I've seen some other rail systems before, but this is a really neat one with lots of possibilities. Would be fantastic for really large player stations.

 

[Reilly Reese]

I like this we need this kind of stuff

 

[Megacrafter127]

I have an idea there for making crosses in all 6 directions, but it would require the rail running through the middle of the crane.
My other idea would be to not use 2 rails on opposite sides, but 4 running along the edges of the cube.
But there also is another railway transport system, though it only works on stations/planets right now: Plex-Elevators.
And yes, they can move ships and also extend their elevated plate, if grouped right.

 

[jstenholt]

I've seen some other rail systems before, but this is a really neat one with lots of possibilities. Would be fantastic for really large player stations.

My mind just exploded, this may not be the best idea for a ship, but on a station? Holy shit racks...

 

[rece ktore leczo]

I have an idea there for making crosses in all 6 directions, but it would require the rail running through the middle of the crane.
My other idea would be to not use 2 rails on opposite sides, but 4 running along the edges of the cube.
But there also is another railway transport system, though it only works on stations/planets right now: Plex-Elevators.
And yes, they can move ships and also extend their elevated plate, if grouped right.

The problem is that this crane/ship is 5 blocks wide in the narrowest point and the rails are 6 blocks apart. Because of that, when the ship is in the middle it is half the block away from both rails, which keep the ship in place, but if building crossroads, they have 6 x 6 empty space.
The rail leading upward/downwards should go right in the middle (1 block in the middle and 2 on the sides), but as the 6 is even number, the rails can't go in the middle, they have to be closer to one side.

I could just make crossroads which aren't symmetrical or change structure of rails going upwards and change a little structure of the ship but i've decided to just not build 3-directions crossroads, instead have 2d railroads systems with few "lifts" where i can change level.


Once we are going to get next update, it could be possible to adjust the shape of ship/rails on the run, using logic blocks. Plex doors wedges would be welcome, but even without them, it gives more possibilities for rails systems.

My mind just exploded, this may not be the best idea for a ship, but on a station? Holy shit racks...

My new plans for this salvage ship (400m x 100m x 100m) estimate the number of crossroads to be around 40 I know, pretty useless but with this system players could go almost anywhere on the ship - flying under the bridge, stopping near medic bay, going to the front of the ship, etc.



Btw, i felt in love with the crane/ship design, so i started to build weaponized versions. Of course they would be able to get out of this rail system and, after patrol, get back in it and dock.

 

[rece ktore leczo]

I've uploaded training platform with basic parts of rail system and 2 rail ships, if anyone's interested in trying this out, then the link to CC is in the OP

 

[der_scheme]

Very interesting. I experimented with monorails in the past, but these are pretty crappy. At least as long the cockpit turning bug persists.

However, you just gave me an idea:

Spoiler

The moving thingy. It has 7 thrusters (not visible) and 4 power blocks to stay fully powered. In total it's 5x5x5 blocks large.


Rails.

 

[rece ktore leczo]

der_scheme nice one! And more compact

I guess it can even have 3-dimension crossroads, if i'm right?

 

[der_scheme]

I guess it can even have 3-dimension crossroads, if i'm right?

I didn't build one, but I don't see why not. The design should only be limited by the additions you make. I.e. if you add a hook at the bottom, you are limited to 2D-intersections.

 

[mattej]

I am not as creative as yall. My station had a transit like this, but it was just long hallways with single cores and docking points for terminals. Good thinking.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

With the upcoming logic system and plex doors you will be able to make tracks that toggle allowing you to build a junction to access other planes.

 

[jstenholt]

The ship itself bears a passing resemblance to the SCAF Terra Nova from Dead Space.

 

[rece ktore leczo]

Never played Dead Space The inspiration for empty middle part (where the cargo goes) was this heli.
The middle part is empty so far, but later i'll add six huge tanks. They will be filled with shields or something like this, but once we get the update introducing stack limits, the tanks would actually work as cargo holders.