As long as we're going "Sci-Fi" here how's about a locomotive fueled with dialithium crystals?
But just how do you stoke a dialithium fueled locomotive?
Firelock76 But just how do you stoke a dilithium fueled locomotive?
But just how do you stoke a dilithium fueled locomotive?
I can't resist ... "VERY carefully'
Mass converter: a black box that takes in any kind of matter, solid, liquid or gaseous, and turns out electromagnetic, electrogravitic or magnetogravitic power as required by the item being powered. My favorite fuel, for demo purposes, is used kitty litter. (When pressed for a more detailed description, I usually provide one - of the Blonde Zamanian, The Green Dragon or Sexy Lexi. Blondes, brunettes and redheads are much more interesting than mysterious machinery.)
In the Confederation Universe timeline, the first practical mass converters are scheduled to appear before the first human interstellar expedition late in the 21st century. However, it's probable that the design originated later and was brought back from some future time by someone with a J-drive starcraft. By the mid-35th century mass converter technology is mature, and ubiquitous on advanced planets.
So, will they ever power trains rolling steel wheels on steel rails? I'd bet yes, but not on planets where groundskimmer use is widespread. The fixed route set by rail is too restrictive.
Somewhat off topic, my 'up close and personal' contact with nukes involved holes in the ground, not holes in the water. The nukes themselves would have led to a different kind of, "Atoms for Peace," than the one General/President Eisenhower had in mind.
"It's peaceful on Boot Hill..." possibly Louis L'Amour.
Chuck (Occasional science fiction author)
tomikawaTT Mass converter: a black box that takes in any kind of matter, solid, liquid or gaseous, and turns out electromagnetic, electrogravitic or magnetogravitic power as required by the item being powered. My favorite fuel, for demo purposes, is used kitty litter. (When pressed for a more detailed description, I usually provide one - of the Blonde Zamanian, The Green Dragon or Sexy Lexi. Blondes, brunettes and redheads are much more interesting than mysterious machinery.) In the Confederation Universe timeline, the first practical mass converters are scheduled to appear before the first human interstellar expedition late in the 21st century. However, it's probable that the design originated later and was brought back from some future time by someone with a J-drive starcraft. By the mid-35th century mass converter technology is mature, and ubiquitous on advanced planets. So, will they ever power trains rolling steel wheels on steel rails? I'd bet yes, but not on planets where groundskimmer use is widespread. The fixed route set by rail is too restrictive. Somewhat off topic, my 'up close and personal' contact with nukes involved holes in the ground, not holes in the water. The nukes themselves would have led to a different kind of, "Atoms for Peace," than the one General/President Eisenhower had in mind. "It's peaceful on Boot Hill..." possibly Louis L'Amour. Chuck (Occasional science fiction author)
Obviously not Hard SF...still fun stuff.
You might enjoy this site:
http://www.orionsarm.com/eg-article/46411e9d02b29
It's run by a group of Sci fi devotees and science types who try to come up with some factual (though very speculative) basis for common SF tropes.
Still we are talking about making railroads obsolete...we should probably stop before the other forum members start throwing Brickbats (those things hurt when they hit!)..
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
I was going to comment that this thread is supposed to be about Nuclear Fusion, and not Fiction, but then I decided they are probably synonyms in some respects.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper Vaporo I was going to comment that this thread is supposed to be about Nuclear Fusion, and not Fiction, but then I decided they are probably synonyms in some respects.
It was supposed to be about controlled fusion reactions, but many also make comments about nuclear fission as though the two were nearly synonymous.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Who's read Rails Across the Galaxy by Andrew Offut and Richard Lyons?
Patrick Boylan
Free yacht rides, 27' sailboat, zip code 19114 Delaware River, get great Delair bridge photos from the river. Send me a private message
gardendance Who's read Rails Across the Galaxy by Andrew Offut and Richard Lyons?
I haven't,but I'd like to..
I think all of our forum members need to take that money that they were going to invest in the Transatlantic tunnel and Alaska-to-Russia bridge and instead invest it in my new comapny which will build a faster-than-light "subway" to the stars:
http://www.bmo.physik.uni-muenchen.de/~mbaum/poster_sc/k.html
It may be a while until the stock pays a dividen but you are getting in on the "ground floor"(pun intended)..
And now; Back to Your Regularly Scheduled Program...
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