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As a development on the current locomotive system, there could be 2 new locos added.

Firstly, there is the steam Locomotive. It is made from boilers and steam engines, and has a larger torque driving it. this means it can pull more wagons than the diesel train, but has a lower max speed, being inferior to the diesel loco for small trains, but becoming the choice when large weighty trains are used, like long trips.
The Steam loco is fueled with water and any solid burnable fuel, in which it starts to build up steam pressure to move. the difference to a diesel is that when it is turned on, it needs a while to heat up before moving.

The electric loco is the other option for train systems. it has an internal battery storage which charges when it is within the supply area of a small or medium power pole. the loco can also charge from a substation if it is stationary with 3 tiles range. the electric train has a much higher top speed, but less torque for pulling large cargo loads, and is better suited to transporting small loads and people.

To balance this all, I propose that the diesel loco's fuel supply mean it can use solid fuel and liquid fuel (heavy/light oil and petroleum gas), no longer being able to be powered through wooden or coal fuels.

I like the idea of having other types of train, the balancing idea of more vs. speed is neat.

Technically, the way it works right now, the Diesel locomotive is effectively a steam locomotive.

But I agree... when the ability to add liquids to vehicles is implemented, a steam locomotive that takes water + solid fuels would be a good idea. Diesel being changed to burn liquid fuels only, and an electric engine.

If nothing else, Electric engine, or the ability to mod one in would be a big step forward in my books.

Another issue with specific types of fuel is there is no way to filter the fuels, either it takes all items with a fuel value, or doesn't take fuel. Being able to sort this, at the very least between Liquid/Solid fuels would be a good thing.

Added to viewtopic.php?f=80&t=17734 New types of vehicles (train, tank, car, plane, ship...)

Hello,

I like your idea but I guess bringing water to all outpost train stations could be annoying.

Maybe an underground water pump would help.

Greetings steinio

steinio wrote:I like your idea but I guess bringing water to all outpost train stations could be annoying.

This could be solved by numerous methods.
Perhaps the water tanks are huge, and use little water, so it would only need refuelling with water when returning to base.
A fluid tanker will likely exist by the time they implement fluid fuels, so it is possible you could run water trains to outposts to refuel your refuelling depots.
Or there could be barrelled water.

steinio wrote:Maybe an underground water pump would help.

Also a good idea. I have them in my mod, though they're a bit overpowered. (place anywhere, recipe makes water from nothing)
I'm thinking of Water splotches similar to how we currently have oil splotches, so you can mine water with a pump jack like you do with oil currently.

I would recommend a slightly different way about electric trains. As it is irl diesel electric trains have loads of torque. The diesel is just a generator and the electric motors drive the wheels. An electric train eliminates the diesel part and has just electric. You could have it where rails power the train, and power draw increases with load. Because electric trains take HUGE amounts of power to run, this would make it a late game no emissions option, and they can be super fast. Obviously if the rails lose connection to power grid your train is SOL or has to run on its small internal power. Keep your railways protected!

Steam trains would be early game, because a lower tech level is needed. I like the idea of having the trifecta of steam diesel electric trains as a tech progression.

Steam Train: +++ Torque - Speed - Range --- Ecology
Diesel Train: = Torque + Speed +++ Range + Ecology
Electric Train: ++ Torque +++ Speed --- Range +++ Ecology (requires electric to run, range dependent on available power)

I would love electric trains. Preferably with a simple 3rd rail design. Overhead wires or needing to have all track in in the range of a power pole could be a messy nightmare. Add in 'Electrified Track' that need to be placed for electric trains to run on. Logically, diesel and steam engines could also run on it but wouldn't consume power.

As for powering the tracks, perhaps a special transformer (similar to the substation) needs to be placed that powers a 100x100 tile (or larger) area of tracks.

Simply put, as long as a power grid box touches a rail network, that rail network is powered. It should not need poles on every segment, just one touching a segment on a contiguous line.

A fun idea for steampower would be a late game upgrade to nuclear powered steam. Possibly even just re purposing the portable fusion reactor to act as an infinite fuel source for steam engines and generators. The idea that the first/worst trains could be upgraded to be on par with the diesel and electrics at a substantial cost late game would force people to have to decide whether they should tough out the whole game with the steam power till they get the nuclear option or go thru the upgrade path to electric.

Also, the train locomotive would most likely have a built in accumulator (Or the option for one) like roboports and laser turrets do now.