Suggestion: Space trains on celestial bodies.

[SuperBrutal666]

Assumably this would work best with with the Colonies or Resource Gathering milestones. As a gameplay function, space trains could move resources and Kerbals (and potentially more) around a celestial body as a player wishes to complete their mission objectives. 

[Geredis]

GIven some of the things that have been mentioned in past statements, I'm guessing that rover convoys will be possible across the surface as part of the automated supply lines. It (hopefully) won't just be launch-based; while fun, I can see suborbital hops being launched as part of the automated supply system as being incredibly inefficient and quite messy.

[dr.phees]

I understood it as a "virtual" convoy. You drive the route, the game remembers how long it took and how much cargo was transported and it will then keep delivering that, but without actually visible vehicles. Maybe I am wrong, but sadly I don't think I am.

[aNERVASman]

it would make sense to set up rail systems between colonies, also maglev on low gravity bodies

[Pat20999]

Would make sense to have trains on high gravity planets.

[darthgently]

35 minutes ago, aNERVASman said:

it would make sense to set up rail systems between colonies, also maglev on low gravity bodies

And resource pipelines between bases also

[adsii1970]

3 hours ago, darthgently said:

And resource pipelines between bases also

The pipelines can be done already with mods now that Kerbalnauts can build things on EVA. I’ve done this in my 1.12 game. 
Next time I’m in that game and I can remember, I’ll nab a video. 

[twich22]

I am trying to envision how a space train would work, physically, but I am having trouble. Can anyone enlighten me?

[adsii1970]

31 minutes ago, twich22 said:

I am trying to envision how a space train would work, physically, but I am having trouble. Can anyone enlighten me?

In the original game, it’s hard to imagine the game physics allowing it. I have a hard enough time getting connections over 500 meters (rough estimate) to survive without blowing up (hint: ground anchors help). 
 

I’m hoping that since KSP2 will allow colony construction, we will be able to have long distance monorail/piping networks capability. 

[twich22]

1 minute ago, adsii1970 said:

I’m hoping that since KSP2 will allow colony construction, we will be able to have long distance monorail/piping networks capability. 

Your talking about on the ground right. Like a train on the moon? But not a train in open space. 

[adsii1970]

4 minutes ago, twich22 said:

Your talking about on the ground right. Like a train on the moon? But not a train in open space. 

Yes, this is correct. 

[darthgently]

3 hours ago, adsii1970 said:

The pipelines can be done already with mods now that Kerbalnauts can build things on EVA. I’ve done this in my 1.12 game. 
Next time I’m in that game and I can remember, I’ll nab a video. 

Do the pipelines allow a connection between distant bases such that one is loaded into the active scene while the other is unloaded on "rails" while background processing allows resources generated by the unloaded base to be drawn into the active loaded base?  That is what I have in mind:  the ability to split a large base into smaller pieces so it isn't such a load on the physics engine and also allow a drill farm in an area with high amounts of resource A and another in another area with high amounts of resource B connected via pipelines to a central processing/distribution base.   So I'm talking pipelines 100s of km long.  Pretty sure you aren't doing this, but maybe.   Looking forward to the vid