Factorio Forums

How about trains that run by electricity?
They could use their own advanced tracks, which could also function as power lines,
so you don't have to build electric poles next to them to power your machines at the train stations.

I believe that the idea's come up before, and a dev was favorable for the idea.
Hope to see it sooner than later.
Perhaps they could be modded in?

I was thinking...
We only have diesel engines and one type of wagon so far.

Sure, this is by far enough^^ I agree on that. The train network works great as it currently is.

But I was thinking... just like we can have steam engines or solar power to produce energie...
Burner drills and inserters and later electric drills and inserters...

Why don't we have a electric engine too? XD

True, it's not needed, and yeah, someone has to eat the leftover solid fuel produced from leftover heavy/light oil XD
But an electric engine would still be so cool XD

Also, an electric rail way can be a advanced way of electricity transport.

If I have more then one base and connect them via rail, I normally put a line of big electric poles along the rail way to connect the bases to the network.
An electric train network could fuse the whole thing and make train usage, especially for a multi base build very useful.


Finally... I was thinking of tiers for trains.
Assembly machines have three different tiers, chest have three different tiers and then go into smart chest and logic chests.
Maybe we could also have different tiered wagons?
Again, I know it's not needed XD but that would add some help especially for huge factory building with extremely big amounts of resources to be transported.

For the engines we could have different tiers to. Diesel and Electric for one XD or powerful and less powerful engines.
The higher tiered wagons could be heavier and need a stronger engine to pull them at a faster speed.

What also would be interesting are tank wagons, that can transport oil, its split up forms (as heavy/light oil and carbon gas), sulfuric acid, lubricant and even water. Currently we can only transport oil in barrels afterall.
While the other things above aren't needed at all and would just be a cool and nice addition, I personally would love to be able to transport all the other liquids side oil as well. ^_^

Something like this mod?
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... ilit=train

manpapper wrote:Something like this mod?
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... ilit=train

yep XD exactly something like this mod^^
Just.. also with tank wagons for transporting liquids.

Sorry btw that I made this threat if already a mod existed ><
I didn't check the mod page to see if someone already came up with the idea. (I was actually surprised that I didnt find a suggestion for electric trains and tiered wagons in the "ideas and suggestion" thread. Now I know why though ^^; )

It would be awesome though if they would add parts of this mod to the actual game^^

Modular trains would be fun too.

MisterSpock wrote:Modular trains would be fun too.

You mean like, that we could put the modules, that we put into assembly machines, into trains?

That does sound like an interesting idea^^

Ethribin wrote:

MisterSpock wrote:Modular trains would be fun too.

You mean like, that we could put the modules, that we put into assembly machines, into trains?

That does sound like an interesting idea^^

For example:

- Engine Upgrade
- Armor Upgrade
- Weapons
etc.


Lets make every vehicle modular!

+1 To the idea of electric trains, I hate using combustables to the point I just storage tank all my light and heavy oil until I can turn it into petrolium. I like to keep my area clean and use both early solar power as well as efficiency books in all my buildings. But the one thing I am unable to make clean is both my car and trains (to the point I dont use trains, I just make REALLY long conveyor belts and pipelines). More Eco-friendly options especially early game please.

Kinesis wrote: More Eco-friendly options especially early game please.

Sorry for the sooooooooo late answer XD

I agree with you on nearly all points^^ That's also one of the reasons why I want electric trains.
Less pollution XD

But i think they should keep the less eco friendly methods for early game and let electronic things for good eco be late game XD
Afterall, you're building a factory here, not a bioparadise XD and in this, as always, being kind to nature is something you can and should only afford if everything else is working XD

I just like the idea of electric trains because that way one wouldnt have to use fuel anymore for them => one can use the energie/resource needed for producing the fuel for something else XD
And, if you have electric tracks, you can also directly expand your electric network with rains and don't have to add (vulnerably open) electric poles along the rails in addition.

Ethribin wrote: Just.. also with tank wagons for transporting liquids.

I believe that the current modding API doesn't support liquid transport.
There are mods that have barrels for all the liquids...
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... 97&start=0

MalContentFL wrote: There are mods that have barrels for all the liquids...

I know
Saw that one already.

And yes, I was told that right now it's not possible to mod actual liquid-tank waggons into the game.^^

Still XD one can hope that someone finds a way.
I mean... the storage tank building exists in the game, so there is the possebility to store liquids. Maybe someone manages to tweak some programming XD

We'll see

I would like to have electric trains, either working with batteries our with electrified rails.

In the mean time, you can use 5dim's mod. https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... =14&t=7733

It is quite a common sugestion, as is fluid fuel burning trains (oil, petrolium, diesel as the name currently sugests)

Joined, obvious reasons -- ßilk

Don't know if anyone has posted this before but, what about a electric train that runs on electricity from power lines on the railroad or a electrified rail like the subway system railroads. Everyone knows that electric engines is accelerating much faster. it could also go faster. it is also using power instead of fuel but it is using power from what speed is it driving at. more cars wagons means more power usage. Can reach much faster speeds. this could be a solution when you make a map where you want to be kinda realistic and need to go far for gathering resources.

Me myself would be happy for this because I like the idea of having everything electric and less polluting (switching to solar panels so fast i can every time i play). You are actually polluting a planet that is not belonged to you so try not destroying the climate on it.

Search for electric trains: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/sea ... ains&fid=6

First serious: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... f=6&t=3309

Marty Lee wrote:Don't know if anyone has posted this before but

We can make a board with posts beginning with this sentence...

So, after searching a bit on the Forum, i found out, that there is not a Topic exclusively to this one. [Means: Only about how to move a Train forward, or things needed for this]

Short:

A Electric Locomotive

Long:

A Electric Locomotive which you can use like a "normal" Diesel Locomotive.

To discuss:

IF Solution A:
Electric Locomotive with Accus, that the Energy is delivered by Accumulators.

Questions:
-How to power the Loks?
-Just let them Charge, when a electric grid is in range?
-Or at special Charging Stations? (almost a must, because Accus discharge at night...)
-What should be the Range of it? (It would be far less, when all the Wagons are loaded)

Thoughts:
-A normal Diesel Locomotive uses 600kW and has 10 Tiles, the max. Storage of that is 12.5 MJ, which holds on to 20.833 Seconds of Power.... not much in my opinion.

Example Specs:

• Speed: Faster than Diesel
• Acceleration: Better than Diesel
• Power Source: "Classic" over Power Poles (Small or Medium) and Batterys (With Battery Wagon?)
• Power Usage: Higher than Diesel (Means that huge Batterys are needed)
• Energy Storage: Yes, on the Lok, with extra Battery wagons

IF Solution B:
Electric Locomotive is the "normal" definition. [My Favorite]

Questions:
-How should the Power be delivered?
==>1. With Substation, and the need of Full 100% Rail coverage?
==>2. Or the "Classic" way, of a small or Medium electric Pole at max. distance?
==>3. Powered Rails?
==>Other ideas?

Input:
-In the real World, 100% Coverage trough Wires is needed, so there is no "fall off" power, because the Train is (almost) always connected to the Power Grid.

Thoughts:
This comment here

Example Specs:

• Speed: Faster than Diesel
• Acceleration: Better than Diesel
• Power Source: "Classic" over Power Poles (Small or Medium)
• Power Usage: Higher than Diesel
• Energy Storage: No (Maybe Battery Wagon?

IF Possible 1:
Electric Solar Locomotive: Run only over day.

Questions:
-Speed?
-Costs? Obviously the Price of a Locomotive plus ca. 3 Solarpanels

Thoughts:
-Maximal Speed [((Diesel max. Speed)/(Power Usage of Diesel Locomotive))*(Power Production on 10 Tiles)=] 28.86 KM/H?
It cant be fast, because a Solar Panel isn't giving so much Energy, or should it be possible to add "Solar-Wagons"?

Example Specs:

• Speed: much faster than Diesel
• Acceleration: much worse than Diesel
• Power Source: Solar Panels (maybe with extra Wagons?)
• Power Usage: Higher than Diesel (but obviously the Solar panels don't give much Energy)
• Energy Storage: small one on the loc (Maybe Battery Wagon?)

IF Possible 2:
Maglev (derived from magnetic levitation = Magnetic "RailWay"): Superfast, Superexpensive, Huge Power Consumption, but with what specs? And should it also have extra Rails? And should it also be powered over the Rails? (I don't like this whole idea, seems too futuristic)

Example Specs:

• Speed: much better than Diesel
• Acceleration: much better than Diesel
• Power Source: Rails
• Power Usage: much higher than Diesel
• Energy Storage: No

Powered by Poles



Powered by Substations



What do you think? I want to find out what of the Above solutions fits best for Factorio, so that all the Discussion is on one Thread and not spread out trough the whole Board.

Personally I would prefer the Solution B, because, who anyway uses Accumulators on Electric Locomotives? And: Finally a way, how to run Loks on Solar Energy

Useful Links:

A comment about Train Tech Tree posibilities
A Super wide rails Request, not as usefull for Maglev trains as it seems (old Rail models)
FARL v0.2.4 (Rail Layer), a automated Rail Setup System, with electric Rails (or Electric Pole placer?)
5DIM's mod, with Electric trains, but the Mod uses a trick: It inserts Coal into the Energy slot, so it "runs" on Electric Power, but thats never gonna show up on the Power Grid Info Screen :/
Wagons Mod, not alive anymore


Edit: Reformulated the Post and added Pictures

Note: I will update this list every now and then

Kalabint wrote:What do you think?

What of that quote is your suggestion? Please try to formulate a single suggestion, that can stand alone and which can be discussed. (some hints are in https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... f=6&t=3394 )