Re: [DL] Train questions

[Lorgryt <lorgryt.detroll@verizon.net>]

Coal Cost today... Coal runs about 26 cents a pound at todays prices.  In 
the late 19th Century the prices were around 2 cents for 10 lbs.  With 
Ghost Rock the price is about 1 cent for 25 lbs.  A shovel full is about 15 
lbs, and it takes 6 to 15 shovels an hour (depending on the locomotive) to 
run at normal speed.  At hi steam (requiring a roll on Profession: Train 
Fireman (or some such) that would be a 7 or 9 depending on the locomotive) 
the train gains 20% speed, but runs the risk of damage.  Role Reliability 
(an 18 to 20 depending on the locomotive) for every hour run at this 
speed.  Minor: Out of steam; Major; blew a seal on one of the drive pistons 
(TN 7 and 2 hours work to repair, and you need seal material... will run at 
30% speed for 3 hours if it is not repaired, then out of steam); 
Catastrophic; Ruptured the boiler, the train is dead... everyone in the 
Cabin of the locomotive takes 6D6 Wind.

Ghost Rock locomotives have to be specially built.  See Smith and 
Robards... Great company (I would like to see one of their whirly-birds 
carrying a locomotive over Death Vally! HAHA!)

A train coming?  Well it depends on the speed of the trains.  Assume that 
if it is not an Express, or a private train, that it is traveling at 60% 
steam.  If your players are traveling at 60% steam (which is the 
recommended speed of a 19th Century steam locomotive) then both have to 
roll a 5 on their Driven' Train rolls, for every 10% over (up to 100%) add 
a +1 to the roll.  If the trains are going at hi speed add a +1 per 5% up 
to the 130% possible.  So, if the PC are at 130%, and the other train is at 
60% the PCs need to roll 15, the other train a 5.  If both miss there is a 
horrible wreck, killing all NPCs and causing all PCs 6D20 Massive-type 
damage.  If one misses the roll there is a bad wreck, everyone in the 
locomotives takes 4D20 massive-type damage, and the trains ain't going 
nowhere!  If both stop roll a D6, odd the PCs back up, even the NPCs back 
up, in either case it is 6D6 miles to the next spur (reroll Aces just like 
damage).  In sparse areas increase the die type, in Bloody Kansas use 4D4.

If they are unskilled I pity the trains they meet.  Also, stopping to 
refill water takes a roll of 5, stopping at a train spur takes a roll of 3, 
as does stopping at a depot.

In addition to all of this each Rail Baron will have his own feelings about 
letting them use the rails.  If they are "Bounty Hunters" have the Baron 
that runs that rail give them a job to do... make the job appropriate to 
the Baron involved.  Union Blue may charge a fee, or ask that they look for 
a list of bad guys... Black may want them to get a box somewhere and bring 
it to Wichita... wonder who/what is in it???  None will look the other way 
without a reason, but it will take time to get caught also... I would roll 
a D6 every time we played, and on a 6 the "Rail Men" would come 
callin'.  These guys are know as Rail Cops in the 20th century, and 
Regulators in the 19th.  Depending on the Baron, they may be there to talk, 
or take... Train, lives, money.... their Souls!

Hope this helps.

Those of you who are wondering how I came up will all of this... it is from 
being a smith, and having grandparents and great grandparents that did this 
kind of stuff.  Also, I am researching trains like crazy right now because 
there is scant little to find on them that is of any use to gamers.

Lor


At 04:37 PM 1/26/2003 +0100, you wrote:
>Hi.
>
>
>
>Last night my posse managed, after some very good roleplaying, to get a
>train. Immediately they begun talking about rocket launchers and gatling
>guns on the roof, thinking that I'd try to take it away from them very soon
>(just because they know I'm going to throw night train at them next week,
>and they all know it has a reputation :) )
>
>
>
>However, one of the players (who is known for thinking logical) asked me how
>much it would cost for the coal to get around, and what the other rail
>barons would think about them driving "the bounty hunter train" (as they
>called it) on their tracks. And what would happen should they meet another
>train going the opposite way.
>
>
>
>None of them have any skills with driving a train, so they are hoping the
>guy who died last night would create a train driver/machinist/engineer...
>Little do they know that he came back harrowed :)
>
>
>
>
>
>Leif Erik Furmyr
>
>
>
>
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