Roadgrid System
The Roadgrid System is a world-state traffic system used to create orderly groundcraft and gravcraft flow on advanced, high technology worlds.
- It is a set of software and hardware, typically run by a City Mind.
- It is a type of processor utilizing electronics.
- It is also commonly known as a Traffic Net.
- It is an element of a world's infrastructure.
Description (Specifications)
The remote vehicle operating system on Sylea is called Roadgrid, but similar concepts may occur on other worlds. Computer controlled remote vehicle operation is possible at late TL:4-6, sophisticated enough to be used at TL:7-9, and practical on a large scale at TL:10-12. The basic equipment interfaces with most vehicle control systems if installed during manufacture, though retrofitting existing vehicles is difficult. It allows a central traffic computer to monitor all vehicle vital signs, navigate the vehicle, and communicate with the crew or passengers. All the passenger has to do is request a destination, and the computer will do the rest.
History & Background (Dossier)
By TL:10-12, Sylean Road grid technology is extremely reliable, to the point where parents will trust children on unaccompanied trips, and business people can call their empty cars to pick them up at a pre-determined time and place. Normal road grid maintenance is handled by a distance surcharge of about Cr1 per 10 kilometers of travel.
Expected Traffic Net Development Sequence
MACRO LEVEL: TL:1-9:
- Network Type: Land Train → Railroad Train → Monorail Train → Funicular Train → Subway Train → Atmospheric Train → Hover Train → Maglev Train
- Motive Power: Steam Locomotive → Cog Locomotive → Light Rail Locomotive → Internal Combustion Locomotive → Diesel Locomotive → Electric Locomotive → High Speed Locomotive
MACRO LEVEL: TL:10-18
Foundational Age Societies
The first trains generally run on rails, tracks, roads, or prepared transit ways.
| Technological Period: TL:1-9 and Tech-Name: Ur-Tech | ||
|---|---|---|
| Common Characteristics: TBD, etc. | ||
| Tech Epoch | TL-Range | Remarks |
| Tool Making Epoch | TL:1-3 | During the end of this period, many sophont societies develop external combustion and the first viable, high beastpower power plants, which in turn leads to the development the first steam engines. Combined with metallurgy skills, rails and large engines can be cast, which result in continental train networks where resources are available. |
| Division of Labor Epoch | TL:4-6 | Increasing mastery of internal combustion engines result in more powerful diesel trains which can easily make transcontinental freight runs. Intermodal cargo systems increase the reach and flexibility of cargo networks. Land Trains and even Hover Trains on some worlds become viable. Most large bodies of water are dominated by maritime shipping options. |
| Processor Epoch | TL:7-9 | Electronics and electric trains become increasing more capable and superconductor and early gravitic control technology allow high speed trains, Maglev and even Gravlev movers. Lower aircraft fuel costs and competing mass transit systems begin to decrease the reach and desirability of train systems. |
Interstellar Age Societies
Gravitic trains have little to no need for preprepared infrastructure.
| Technological Period: TL:10-18 and Tech-Name: Stell-Tech | ||
|---|---|---|
| Common Characteristics: Typically used on higher technology worlds trying to diminish the ecological footprint. Often used alongside Fusion Plus, Arcologies, Traffic Nets, City Minds, etc. | ||
| Tech Epoch | TL-Range | Remarks |
| Gravitics Epoch | TL:10-12 | Mastery of gravity control technologies allow for the first grav trains, which begin to supplement earlier electro-mechanical technologies on worlds that can afford them. City Minds, AI controllers, allow city and even continent-wide traffic networks, with very low accident rates. |
| Biologicals Epoch | TL:13-15 | Fewer and fewer cities build widespread transportation infrastructure networks and the cost of gravcraft decreases. Within arcologies, people movers and internal mass transit networks are quite common. Grav trains still serve a very useful and valued place on such worlds, connecting arcologies. |
| Artificials Epoch | TL:16-18 | No one knows where the future will go with mass transit. Some cities have posited that planetwide gravitic control networks will become possible rather than a combination of continental travel networks supplemented by air/rafts, G-carriers, and Grav Trains. |
References & Contributors (Sources)
- Central Supply Catalog
- Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science