Train mods?

[Chel]

I am just wondering if there are any train mods for KSP. I was thinking about creating a railway on Duna to transport Kerbals and supplies from different bases quickly. And by 'train', I do not mean a very long rover.

[SpaceMouse]

I don't believe so. I've seen a few videos of people using stock parts to make monorails and other similar things.

[SpannerMonkey(smce)]

19 minutes ago, SpaceMouse said:

using stock parts to make monorails and other similar things.

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[SpaceMouse]

That's the video.

[Chel]

Ok. But this is also the place to request mods, so would anyone be willing to make a train mod?

[SpannerMonkey(smce)]

2 hours ago, The_Cat_In_Space said:

Ok. But this is also the place to request mods, so would anyone be willing to make a train mod?

Hi cool idea BUT

There's a problem with the how. as laying track over any distance in KSP is beyond frustrating , due to no terrain being flat. Even the flat bit at KSC slopes by a few degrees to the sea.  Next problem is part count, it's been tried in the past , and always stumbles here, if you make your parts too large it restricts the versatility if you make them too small, placing becomes even more tedious.  Then we get to the wheel issue. wheel colliders and rails are not best of friends , although it can be bullied into working, but we cant go around corners, or at least i've not found a way.  Once you get away from the tracks the train part is easy, just another set of parts, but those tracks and the how to stay on them has confounded many. 

No doubt with some coding genius and a bit of part magic it could be done, but it wouldn't be quick, and at the end, how popular would it be?, I've a feeling like an expensive coffee machine it would get used for a week, then left in a corner gathering dust, until someone puts it in the garage.

Some of the above is based on work i've already done to investigate the possibilities

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[SpannerMonkey(smce)]

And a little related ps, as things change a little every update i though i'd give them/it another run in 1.3.1

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[Azimech]

One of the more difficult aspects of building a track in the editor is the bends. A bend to the left means the left rail is shorter than the other. Time consuming to get it right and in the end ... probably not a lot of fun.

[LordOfMinecraft99]

When the Making History addon rolls around, it will include mild terrain editing. At that point, some modder could hijack that system to

make a rail placing system, and train to go along with it.

[kerbiloid]

Maybe something like Quantum Struts + Kerbal Foundries anti-grav repulsors/suspensors would be a solution?
I.e. not real parts/colliders, but a path, predefined in a railway editor.*
No colliders, virtual (though visible inside the physical range) rails**, repulsor-like or just dummy wheels, a part with ModuleFollowTheRailwayPath.
Also, KSPIE warp drive effect looks similar (a green/red ray).

Then a train still could crash into another vessel (like a craft with repulsors), but no collider magic, no parts count.

Also, this would be a solution for funiculars up to the mountain and aerial lifts between two heights.

 

* or instead of the editor appearing behind a railway putter (don't know how it's called in English) with ModulePutVirtualRailwayPathWhereverItGoesIfEnabled, to make life hard.
Like in Persistent Trails mod. On some predefined height.
This would make the player at least once pass through the railway path by rover or by ship.

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** "on rails" would mean both things at once, lol

Edited October 11, 2017 by kerbiloid