Elcano Challenge - Attempted circumnavigation - Overland's Thread (Multi Class Landliner Trains)

[Overland]

Ready for the road - power curve is rather nice, slow with high torque to around 10m/s moderate speed increase up until 20... then a nice big boost to 30+ using both generators to reach the power required to push the power curve in the next band..

shes stable as a rock at 31m/s and able to do 40+ without problems with my steering wheel being used.. all she needs now is a decent horn and a class flag on the side..

its nice to be back to where I started.. as a landliner driver of over a year now.. theres a familiar peace and homeliness about heading out with a now technicly complete locomotive..

getting used to how she behaves on the test run to the mountains before heading to open ground.. a well worn path filled with the success and failures.. ones that give meaning to the 09 on the side of 4409.. not just a class number.. but a progression and badge of honour.. perhaps with a slight sadness of those lost before

in the grand tradition too.. One does not simply watch the power generation and speed gauge...

because... one might be rapidly approaching the water..

Edited May 13, 2015 by Overland

[Geschosskopf]

Glad to see you're carrying on with this and happy to have been part of your inspiration . Good luck with the new generation of train. I rather like the new look, even the whitewalls.

On the technical side of things, you now have 2 different types of tank car with different wheel configurations. Is it possible to convert a tank car from one configuration to the other in the field? And can you leave a car with wheels only on 1 end standing by itself and then reconnect to it during shunting? If not, there might be difficulties if you ever have to put a train back together after a wreck.

Truck trailers have "landing gear" at the front end to hold them up when you disconnect the tractor. But also, the wheels of the trailer can slide fore-and-aft. This is necessary for reasons of maintaining proper axle weights and keeping turn radii within the limits of certain roads. On truck trailers, the wheels can only slide within the last ~1/4 of the trailer's length, which is enough for these purposes, but there's no reason you couldn't make them slide from end to end of your tank cars, or least to the middle. That way, you could convert a center-axle car to an end-axle car if needed.

[Fengist]

Some train inspiration for you, from 2013. They're all PNG's so they load slow, but you'll get the idea.

[Overland]

UPDATE - A FALSE START - A REDESIGN, TEETHING PROBLEMS - BUT UNDERWAY (KIND OF)

Thanks for the link Fengist, thats a really beautiful system and train.. I love the technical side of it how everything just works in harmony.. lifters.. trains.. its all very beautiful

I wish life for myself was so simple .. but having tried tank tracks in the past.. they took away from the traininess of my train so. im back to boring old wheels... Thanks for dropping by too.. I assure you wholeheartedly im still in the elcano challenge.. alas since 1.0 took over and having to re-design my train.. its been an uphill battle.. before we even get near any actual hills.. Still havent given up.. never will.. making good progress at the moment i'll detail below

[Overland]

Its Been an interesting day.. a day that started in early morning... in the grand tradition to the space-time-kerbal time warp effects.. daytime quickly became night.. disturbingly so I actually mean real life.. not so much accelerated time on kerbin

I was hoping to fill this post with progress, many screenshots.. videos of the official launch.. That DID happen more or less.. except it didnt..

See.. previously 4408 was the final product of over a years progress.. evolution of the concept.. configuration file alterations.. personal slight mods id made.. where every step was a positive one.. added somethng more.. or atleast was a step up from before.. after multiple crashes and horrible deaths that rapidly became the signature trait of land train development.. another pair of bogeys upturned spinning.. a docking port randomly in the middle of the lifeless landscape.. all in a days work and happily enjoyed every moment of it

the 44 class landliner has undergone alot of changes today.. switched from a long hood RS3 inspired locomotive, to a centrecab loco.. back to a bulldog unit.. wheel configurations have gone from 12 wheels to 10 wheels to 8.. even 4.. when she was momentaryly turned into a shunter and wagon size reduced to 2 fuel tanks for that narrow gauge look and a possible attempt at.. branchline operations to circumnavigate kerbin..

Finally settling on the current design.. with inspirations taken from everywhere.. the earlier mentioned truck-inspired wheel configurations for the tanker cars became 3x articulated permanently coupled sets with a main articulation point between 2 sets..

this provided a rock solid stable train without a tendency to become self aware..seemingly then question its existence as to whether its a train, road train.. or indeed a giant worm longing to be one with the ground..

considering the only other verified life form on kerbin is birds.. one doesnt wish to resemble a worm in any form lest it never end well

as this point the ground was littered with so many parts, my game was starting to slow down.. all within 2km of KSC.. the area beside the runway was a scrap merchants delight.. a horrific scene for a budding landliner driver.. or a patch of modern art... either way it wasnt all too nice

FINALLY - PROGRESS WAS MADE!

4409 became 4408 II, comissioned officially.. the garthog of 1.0+ jet engine sounds and performance was gnargled.. power generation and acceleration curve leveled out to something resembling a train.. just about everything got redesigned.. Horns were constructed.. class plates nailed on.. 4408 Mark II was now officially underway..

4408 II became more than just an experiment.. or shadow of the original 4408.. she became into her own as a fully capable landliner train..

5km from KSC everything running well.. moody blues piped through my ipod into the line-in of my PC playing in syncronisation with the pleasing melody of the new engine sounds and horn.. I stopped for a moment to refresh a well needed coffee..

Sadly.. it was then discovered not all the bugs are squashed as 4408 IIs second engine became a sparkler..

theres some bug somewhere that with 2 engines running.. airflow into the radiator intakes isnt enough standing still..

an impressive sight. .but not what I want to discover 100km+ from KSC with no chance of repair..

so!.. today we go back to KSC for more fine tuning...

its been an eventful day.. not much progress to report in distance..

but perhaps inspiration for those who wish to take up this challenge and become stalled with the technical side of things..

Edited May 16, 2015 by Overland

[Overland]

"I WILL...FIX YOU...."

A SMALL UPDATE - SUCCESS & UNDERWAY @15KM OUTSIDE KSC

Ahh the random things that happen in life that seem to make a moment mean so much more at the right time

With 4408 II disconnected from her train parked in the engine shed due to the sparkler problem.. it seemed like another set back had become apparent.. another problem.. another day falling behind and no progress made in the hundreds possibly thousands of kilometres its going to take to circumnavigate kerbin by ground..

The bug apparently was with my improvised radiator intakes,

wanting to waste no time... 4408 II was given the newer intakes inverted.. not pretty but functional...

launched light engine to couple upto her train still parked where it was left

Engines 1 & 2 fired up to life.. the engines reverberated with eachother.. electricity now in the system brought the headlights to life.. shortly after the strobe and identification plate lights were switched on.. brakes released and reverser set forward she crept forwards at yard speed 10ms..

with a turn of the steering wheel and adjustment of the throttle she was set on a course towards the train waiting nearby.. Shunting was uneventful and quick..

no sign of the kraken today.. a good luck omen if ever there was one

Honestly I was expecting a cold boring run to the mountains before something exploded horribly casting a dark cloud over everything.. such has become the world of overland trains in KSP recently.. a world of death, destruction.. dashed hopes and kilometre counter never seeming to move more than it goes backwards..

Ipod still feeding through my PC's line in.. some random youtube playlist on.. doesnt really bother me...

Coldplays's "I will fix you" comes over the speakers.. something about lights guiding you home hit the right chord.. while looking at 4408 IIs headlights burning brightly

chorus about trying to fix you comes in... then in one of them perfect but unexpected moments.. everything made sense once again.. suddenly 4408 II doesnt seem like a train full of bugs anymore.. damn it..shes my engine!

I slammed the throttle to full...blew the horn and powered up the hill 15km from KSC..

one can dare say.. the connection I had to 4408 originally has been unexpectedly re-established.. from here its onward to KSC2...

later stopping for a photo shoot of a now proud engine and her crew..

they'll be spending quite a bit of time together from now on.. days.. weeks. or months..

4408 II will with the greatest of hope and good fortune.. return to KSC1 with a trail of flags left behind following a path around kerbin

- - - Updated - - -

Edited May 16, 2015 by Overland

[Starwhip]

Good luck, Overland. May the Kraken fear your train's horn.

Even at the speed of the CRN-07 Dawn Racer of 220 m/s, this land circumnavigation will take me a long while.

[Esme]

Overland, that's a wonderful tale, thank you so much for sharing! And I am in awe of your patience and persistence with your landtrain creations, well done! Hmmm.. wonder whether I can manage something electric-powered that might be up to the job? Will see what I can do, once I'm back home (currently cat-sitting for a friend).

I very much look forward to reading your further adventures!

[Geschosskopf]

Pour on the water

Shovel on the coal

Stick your head out the window

Watch drivers roll

Lean on the throttle and let her sail

Cuz we're half and hour late for the Memphis mail

Keep her rolling, Overland!

[Slam_Jones]

Still going at it, eh? Don't give up, man! It'll all be worth it in the end

[Overland]

UPDATE -Elcano Challenge fully restarted - Underway heading for KSC2 with a now bug free 4408 II

A QUESTION:

If you have a broom for a long time. but replace both the broom head and the broomstick over the course of that time... is it still the same broom?..

ANSWER :

Yes of course it is.. If that broom happens to be a 44 class landliner train

After last running update where 4408 II Found a place in my heart.. she was still full of bugs.. Originally constructed to replace the lost 4408 previous..

Hopefully emulating her in both style, performance and spirit... 4408 II underwent many revisions.. reshaping, performance tweaks - its fair to say the only thing 4408 about 4408 Mk2 was the cockpit and the class number..

Today after the 3rd (or 4th?) Revision.. Im happy to say 4408 II and her crew departed the engine shed one last time after placing a flag at the starting point..

now fully repaired - re-designed and brought upto the same specifications that 4408 had previously.. honestly its taken days of hopes, false hopes.. failures and a little success that was only found.. though its opposite..failure.. its not been the easiest time.. but we all get there in the end if we dont give up

Fired up and at idle - 4408 II stands waiting to depart - Valentina plants a flag marking the engine shed

Engine sound now fully tweaked having 4408s beefiness - engine performance and overheating dynamics perfected.. all means its a better driving experience.. I cant leave the train alone while driving otherwise something will overheat and explode - normal operation requires a driver to be just that.. a driver.. not a passenger.. something im delighted with having perfected once again

We departed the yard (KSC) - heading towards the mountains outside KSC before diverting north heading towards the snow capped mountain some 124km away a little over the horizon - 4408s last stop before I lost the save files -

Everything at this point was going great.. the engine was crusing at around 30ish m/s running on the primary generator.. leaving the secondary one as a backup or when required for the full 40+ and high torque required for mountain ascents..

For driving music this time around I forfeited the usual moody blues and chose Midnight Oil - classic australian rock that helps the kilometres melt away and stay in a state of focus..

on my side of the monitor - a now familiar routine clicked my state of mind into the required gear

the smell of strong coffee - gently running room heater as well as a dim 15w pilot light on my desk lamp lighting the room just enough..

this ive come to know is the setting for land train driving.. settling in for a long night on kerbin.. ignoring the world outside and becoming one with the other side of the monitor - for the next few hours.. I'm in the cab of 4408.. Xbox steering wheel being used also helping to boost the realism... such relaxing bliss... one can say its my zen thing

With everything running so well..I decided to check on the crew via the IVA views..

Suddenly my world shattered momentaryly... if my life were a TV show.. this is when you'd hear that record being scratched as everything came to a grinding halt as someone said something inappropriate or changed the mood

I was confronted by.. Valentina's face.. it was rather.. Unlike jeb or any other kerbal.. male or female ive encountered before.. as I watched it.. it became worse and more cringeworthy..

I'm sorry valentina.. no one pulls THAT kind of face in the cab of a landtrain..

Engines were set to idle - brakes hissed ( nice new sound ) and 4408 II eased to a halt.. the loco idling just enough to keep the lights lit

so that no one ever had to endure seeing that face again.. she was banished to the passenger car - and took up temporary residience on the refueling control seat for the claw..

Where disappointingly.. she pulled the same kind of face as we departed.. ruining the seriousness of everything whenever I was in external view to check the status of the train..

somehow.. well.. it sure is dusty on these mountains suddenly.. like someone emptied the dust bag of a vacuum cleaner out of nowhere..

With that whole episode behind us in a now invisible dust cloud that quickly cleared.. everything else went great.. Once the light faded too much.. 4408 II was shut down for the night - 22km from KSC - jeb planted a flag to note the progress

More updates tomorrow when I resume driving

Thankyou all for the great support so far

Edited May 23, 2015 by Overland

[Overland]

A small update - another 16km before bed making it 41km or so completed today... a few nice screenshots until the morning when I can resume driving

4408 II starts up - lights come to life as she revs the primary generator above idle - sunrise just starting to happen at dawn

Sun rising over the coast.. everything going well.. cruise speed mid 30s.. class identification light doing its job well.. illuminating 4408 IIs class plate

Here we come to a hill.. both the locomotives generators are active and at full throttle.. she reduces to around 21m/s but doesnt struggle..#2 engine shut down before the top of the hill to let gravity slow the train incase theres a sharp change in terrain shape at the top..

[Geschosskopf]

Hopefully, the Kraken will look favorably upon your sacrifice . Hehehe, "dusty on the plains"

[Squiggsy]

This... this is amazing, you are aware that you are quite mad right? brilliantly mad, a TRAIN?

Incredible.

Please don't stop until you have made it this is one of the greatest things I have seen, this will be kerbal history that I doubt could ever be replicated or bested.

This makes my circumnavigation look like childs play

good luck sir!

[Overland]

Thankyou comrade circumnagivator squiggsy.. may the kraken be fearful of your own craft and the mountains nothing but a speed hump

Its with that, I provide a small update.. while distance hasnt progressed more than 10km..while trying to drive under the influence of real world pneumonia..

a mistake was realised that turned everything from the former "what sorcery is this?!" and thar be dragons.. fearing and cursing the 1.0 progression..

to coming to an understanding that no.. squad didnt purposely fill kerbin with extreme mountains.. sudden cliff faces and anti-train measures...

the error was simply on my part...

Consumed by the wish to regain progress lost with the former attempt and gain greatness that evaporated to the dust of time.. I headed straight for the KSC2 marker..

One could call it a beeline.. or as the crow flies...

as efficient as that may be.. one isnt piloting a bee... nor a crow.. indeed not even flying at all..

what im driving is a diesel electric land train.. as such taking the direct route is filled with a previously not experienced meat-grider of extreme terrain. one that challenges even the best train driver her crew..

its because of this the very tone of the experience changed from a relaxing drive.. to the polar opposite now seemingly spending more time in external view carefully nursing the train over steep grades.... and the hair raising hope that time after time again the locomotive land on her wheels rather than nose..

Alas.. its all been my fault..

to those following the previous adventures taken.. it might have been of note that the terrain was smooth, gently flowing like a smooth river.. the hypnotic suspension of the wheel and train absorbing the changes in the terrain became a melody of perfect symphony...

a well designed machine completing its task.. doing that it was designed to do proudly.. seen in the earlier tranquillity video

here -

this difference as I discovered.. was simply that I took the coastal route last time.. considering both engine and crews safety more than destination in my first attempt..

a very train like style where the destination doesnt matter so much as the journey..

Perhaps a connection lost to the cause when I lost everything previously.. a somewhat sad realisation

With all that considered.. 4408 II now is heading to the coast once again.. to a path well worn by her sister trains.. one of safety and tranqulity

I look forward to further driving in the near future

More updates soon

Edited May 28, 2015 by Overland

[Squiggsy]

that video is just wonderful, the thing really seems to move! and the sound of the horn just makes it so perfect, it really is a beautiful craft.

good luck on your voyage! can't wait to see it unfold

[Overland]

Thankyou Squiggsy sadly the video is from when 4408 plyed the lands of kerbin in the early days before the system crash where 4408 II was born.. im actually glad I took the time to record as much as I did of the earlier trip.. its a strange thing.. we all know our craft are just an assortment of parts glued together.. much like in real life..

but having established a bond with my train.. its as though even a perfect replica never seems the same again.. as such 4408 II underwent quite alot of revisions to get to her current state.. a different train.. with her own charms im starting to appreciate..

- - - Updated - - -

UPDATE - 25km Driven 93km all up so far

With the previous change of course to intercept a more coastal route for the safety of 4408 II, im finding the drive once again enjoyble.. although far from care free.. akin to driving a steam locomotive.. take your eyes off something too long and bad things happen.. but monitor the machine.. and everything runs smoothly as intended..

in the case of 4408 II its monitoring generator temperiture, finding safer routes sometimes involving sweeping course changes to find the "sweet spot" of terrain.. and adjusting throttle on generator 1 and 2 when required to settle into a nice 31m/s

now 93km from KSC via a coastal route.. we approach what once was the location of a "station" in an earier save..

named Bombo station after the NSW coastal station that pretty much sits on the beach....

there was a time I made regular fuel delivery runs to this outpost.. refueling the generator tanks to generate power which in turn powered lights.. all in the days before the elcano challenge was undertaken

this little beach in the middle of nowhere always interests me being such a constrast to surrounding terrain..

despite the massive mountains and steep drops required to visit there... 4408 II and her crew will spend the night here

4408 II in full dynamic brake seen here.. generator #1 at full throttle, wheels set to reverse.. controling the trains descent..

application of locomotive conventional brakes here results in the locomotive going nose first into the ground as the heavy train bunches up and pushes the locomotive rear wheels off the ground.. hence this was 4408 IIs first real world test of her dynamic braking systems..

4408 II shut down - her crew plant a flag and celebrate the milestone and a short stopover to a once familiar station

The inspiration for the naming and indeed this screenshot comes due to a commissioned painting I own.. painted by the very tallented joseph spinella in sydney.. containing both the beautiful bombo area and a favorate now scrapped 2 car electric train "L3".. im sure its easy to see the connection

Only 25km achieved today so far .. a small yet important milestone now 93km from KSC and well on the way to the snow capped mountains beyond

UPDATE - Logistics train with locomotive 3701 leading currently undergoing trails - shes a centercab freight train stocked with various KAS/KIS parts to upgrade 4408 II..

Single driver crew 3 car train with one fuel tanker.. 3701 might form part of 4408 IIs train once unloaded..a role formerly undertaken by D4001..

it would seem that although accidental and unplanned..in her own unique way 4408 II follows the traditions set by her lost sistertrain...a different yet similar turn of events

it occurs to me too that its likely more sane to simply strap a train to a rocket than to drive 92km once again to meet up with 4408 II..

alas.. im sure in the realworld when a locomotive fails in the field..the railway authorities would love to strap a replacement train to a rocket too..

its just...not proper not a real gentlemany thing to do

as much as i love galaxy railways anime with armed flying space trains..

(look it up.. steam locomotives in space.. with warpdrives and weaponry serving as patrol craft.. makes my elcano challenge look normal)

the land in landliner and land train..

doesnt quite translate to "flying"

..

Ive also experimented with explosives to simply vaporise unwanted components... this early experiment resulted in vaporising a locomotive and her crew.. an early generation of 3701 turns to dust as an engineer kerbal screams... all this telling me no.. this isnt the way to go

Edited May 29, 2015 by Overland

[Overland]

A small update -

You dont wash a car with a loaf of bread do you?... maybe it'd work for a while but eventually it'd go all soggy.. a sponge is a better tool for the job..

in the same way you dont drive a land-train in a spacesuit.. sure its clothing.. but offers no protection from explosions and does nothing for visibility....

Thanks to a star trek original series texture replacer uniform pack I downloaded recently.. that happily included an orange varient..

I set about modifying it to include a high visibility vest and hazard stripes..

the crew now wear what has become the standard for uniform for Kerbal land train crew..

mining and railway inspired reflective band high visibility vests and bright orange suits for all

what surprised me though is that it actually does its job at night.. the reflective bands I highlighted to astronomical levels actually do glow in a headlight..

everything has such a better.. atmosphere.. no pun intended.. especially since they just ditched a spacesuit

Edited May 29, 2015 by Overland

[Geschosskopf]

I continue to be awed by your trains. Amazing things. Someday you need to wrap your custom parts up in a mod for others.

[Overland]

I continue to be awed by your trains. Amazing things. Someday you need to wrap your custom parts up in a mod for others.

Ive kindly asked the creator of the star trek uniform textures if its possible to release a more professional but similar high visibility vest & clothing line for this very purpose

if your brave enough, I did upload an earlier landliner inspired modernised train for a movie someone was making.. I see someone just upgraded sam halls pack to 1.02 also.. its all that it requires besides stock components.. give it a go.. atleast for the cockpit itself.. its infinitely useful for rovers, trains.. helicopters.. planes etc.. an amazing mod really that id be lost without

http://kerbalx.com/Overland/Movie-Train

I saw in another thread you served on a steam powered DDG.. my father served on the australian DDG 41 Brisbane in the 80s.. she too was a steam powered vessel..

sadly all of them are gone now.. the brisbanes bridge is cut off and planted in a war museum in canberra.. but the vessel herself along with her 2 other sisters of the class hobart and perth have all been sunk to become diving attractions and reefs..

they were the last of the heavy type vessels.. all we have now are frigates...

Edited May 30, 2015 by Overland

[Overland]

Update for progress - got a long weekend coming up from friday till monday.. hoping to get some good driving time in.. 150-300km atleast.. I cant seem to get KAS working although KIS is working fine.. the cargo boxes, proper winches etc etc all need KAS so messing around with that.. once its working though i'll be bringing out 3701 with a 5 car maintainence train.. everything I need I can install in the field.. Ive also made the decission to go with the food resource mod.. so i'll be coupling up a "dining car" of sorts.. stocked with resources to be filled up at major stopping points...

it does make it harder.. but having played with it.. I cant really see myself driving much futher without the need for water and food... I drive real time.. a train doesnt lend itself to time acceleration too kindly..

1+ notch for realism

Hope to update in the next few days.. trying to get hold of an external video recorder too so I can further document progress

[Geschosskopf]

if your brave enough, I did upload an earlier landliner inspired modernised train for a movie someone was making.. I see someone just upgraded sam halls pack to 1.02 also.. its all that it requires besides stock components.. give it a go.. atleast for the cockpit itself.. its infinitely useful for rovers, trains.. helicopters.. planes etc.. an amazing mod really that id be lost without

I was thinking of your whole power plant system with the dynamic braking and train horn rocket . Those have applications outside of trains.

I saw in another thread you served on a steam powered DDG.. my father served on the australian DDG 41 Brisbane in the 80s.. she too was a steam powered vessel..

sadly all of them are gone now..

Your dad's ship was pretty much identical to mine, what we called the Charles F. Adams-class. Last of the long and glorious lineage of US destroyers that started in the 1930s, these Adams DDGs of the 1950s pushed steam just a bit beyond the capabilities of steel to contain. 1200psi, 950^F steam always found a way out of some weld in the pipes somewhere. My old ship (DDG-12 Robison) went on to a better life as I-beams no doubt. But she could do nearly 40 knots even in her old age, sunk 2 North Vietnamese PT boats in her youth, and sailed all oceans of the world several times each.

[Overland]

I was thinking of your whole power plant system with the dynamic braking and train horn rocket . Those have applications outside of trains.

You give me good luck Geschosskopf,

Minutes after reading your post about the mods.. I found a new page id never seen before in my searching for information on landtrains.. including a cab screenshot of the mark 2 sno-train used by the US army.. along with some interesting ideas about european based dump trucks that use a kind of upscaled landing gear rather than axles..

see the idea originally was to make my own mods and create the kerbalised version of a snotrain or overland train..

theres been a few in history from steam traction engines in world war 1 hauling 10 wagon trains with condensers so they're not so water thirsty.. to early german experiments that ran on a diesel electric system much like the ones of the 1950s used in america on a smaller scale.. they seemed to have peaked in during the cold war to service outlying installations in alaska and other less than freindly terrain before being made redundant by helicopters.. although most seemed to have suffered a failure of some description oftern at the fault of the drivers then left to rot in the sands of time in the middle of nowhere

While my interest is primarily and always will be trains of the railway kind.. I do have a certain love and respect for a land train..one that grows because of this elcano challenge..

I think this beautiful technology deserves more respect than its got.. the designs between models vary greatly from 4 wheel, articulated and 6 wheel locomotives.. fuel cars.. additional generator cars.. and able to haul around 150 tons..

Ive gained alot of practical experience with this elcano challenge.. knowledge that i'll use when its time to settle down and start modeling. scripting etc

all thats really stalling me at the moment is the change to linux and unity not wanting to work with it as easy as id like currently.. i'll remedy that in the near future with a new system though..

its always been my vision though to have the overland train technology forgotten by earths history.. revived and receive the glory it should have done in the real world..

a unique styled kerbalised version.. with cargo pods.. fuel tankers.. generator cars.. alot similar like now but upscaled to mark 3 parts.. custom cab.. modular parts..

in the hope that for that the few that'll use it.. once again in history the snotrains will ply the icecaps and inhospitable lands.. maybe even other worlds

so all up yeah.. id love to release the mods I use but for now their just prototypes.. the grand experiment awaits after the elcano challenge

i'll send you a horn once I manage to alias the 3d model so its all above board

for those interested - having a look at this page might be good.. gives alot of information on the trains.. real inspiring stuff.. we need this kind of thing in KSP

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/11/huge-off-highway-road-trains.html

[Overland]

Your dad's ship was pretty much identical to mine, what we called the Charles F. Adams-class. Last of the long and glorious lineage of US destroyers that started in the 1930s, these Adams DDGs of the 1950s pushed steam just a bit beyond the capabilities of steel to contain. 1200psi, 950^F steam always found a way out of some weld in the pipes somewhere. My old ship (DDG-12 Robison) went on to a better life as I-beams no doubt. But she could do nearly 40 knots even in her old age, sunk 2 North Vietnamese PT boats in her youth, and sailed all oceans of the world several times each.

Its a unique but smallish world we live in it seems my friend while im old enough to have visited the brisbane herself when I was rather quite young.. sadly all I remember most is the galley it must have been.. cockroaches... many cockroaches.. running between the pipes on the wall where everyone ate food.. that and it must have had quite an imprint on my young mind because I seen to adore battleship grey as a colour unlike other people..

as I grew my father would tell of his time on the brisbane.. I do quite recall his dislike for FFG class figates for the reasons that if theres a fire a section is sealed off and filled with carbon dioxide with less than favorable survivability prospects for anyone in that section... also that they would smell of aviation fuel as they flew by.. but that the brisbane once she had all 4 boilers (i think) flashed up and ready to go.. that she could beat the more modern vessels no problems at all.. I had no idea the pressure was so high..it makes it all the more impressive..

it sounds too like the 2 vessels respectively had a similar history and overall age.. the brisbane ive read did also serve in vietnam.. ill send a youtube video of her final journey by PM lest this military topic be not so KSP

as for boats in general. I also have an interest in paddle steamers .. back in gmod days I built quite a few paddle steamers.. its something id like to explore with KSP in addition to land train mods... ive seen evidence that paddle wheels DO work in kerbins oceans.. its an inspiring start

[Geschosskopf]

so all up yeah.. id love to release the mods I use but for now their just prototypes.. the grand experiment awaits after the elcano challenge

i'll send you a horn once I manage to alias the 3d model so its all above board

for those interested - having a look at this page might be good.. gives alot of information on the trains.. real inspiring stuff.. we need this kind of thing in KSP

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2012/11/huge-off-highway-road-trains.html

Thanks for the link! Those are some amazing critters. I'm old enough to recall the motorpool still having the odd Gama Goat in the back corner, struck off charge years before but which the gunney kept running as a personal project. But that's really the extent of my knowledge with anything coming close.

I look forward to your mods. If you can make a version that can use oxidizer instead of intake air, they'd really find a home on Tylo hauling ore from temperate latitudes down to spaceports on the equator.

Its a unique but smallish world we live in it seems my friend while im old enough to have visited the brisbane herself when I was rather quite young.. sadly all I remember most is the galley it must have been.. cockroaches... many cockroaches.. running between the pipes on the wall where everyone ate food.. that and it must have had quite an imprint on my young mind because I seen to adore battleship grey as a colour unlike other people..

Robison had rats the size of nutrea (they might even have been nutrea for all I know--Robison got around) in the bilges. Their hair was all bright orange from the rusty water and all spiked out like a punker's, and they were stone deaf from living next to the machinery all their lives. But if you swung a hammer at one, it could catch it in its teeth

as for boats in general. I also have an interest in paddle steamers .. back in gmod days I built quite a few paddle steamers.. its something id like to explore with KSP in addition to land train mods... ive seen evidence that paddle wheels DO work in kerbins oceans.. its an inspiring start

Steamboats would be great in KSP. Or just steam engines in general, which could be used as generators or drive systems. It would be cool to have a sidewheeler on Laythe