Re: [DL] Train questions

["Leif Erik Furmyr" <furmy@online.no>]

Thanks Lor, that was just what I was looking for... :)


> 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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