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v0.34:Minecart
| This article is about an older version of DF. |
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Excuse the cave-ins. This page is under construction. |
A minecart is a tool used mostly for hauling. It is made of wood or metal at a carpenter's workshop or a metalsmith's forge. Minecarts store five times as many items as wheelbarrows, but have the disadvantage of requiring a dedicated track system along with micromanagement. Minecart tracks take up a lot of space, may be complicated to construct, and often will require substantial resources complete. Since you can only engrave tracks in natural stone, minecart routes are especially expensive when built above-ground or in artificial structures.
The interface for selecting minecart usage can be accessed from the hauling menu.
Track
Tracks are carved with designations, with d T, or alternatively built from the construction section, with b C, in where you can not only build tracks (with T), but also build stops (with S). While engraved tracks can only be carved on natural stone floors, they are much more convenient and can be smoothed for refurbishing.
Engraved tracks have corners added automatically, while constructed tracks let you decide exactly what type of segment to build. Tracks can move up or down z-levels by means of ramps, but not stairs.
Track stop
Place a track stop on a track, and set the friction and how it stops things. In the b C S menu, setup if and where a stop dumps things before the stop is built.
Use h to set up routes, this allows you to mark the stops and put the vehicle that'll be used, then for each stop explain exactly when to take things, where to take them from, etc.
Then set up the stockpiles nearby, link them accordingly, set up the give or not give so everything moves where you want, then wait for them to be pushed!
Track Physics
When pushed, minecarts will move along the track in a straight line, until they either run off the tracks or encounter a turn. Behavior at T-intersections has not yet been conclusively determined.
Some samples with behavior:
A <-> B A <-> C A <-> B
B╥ B╥ B╥
║ ║ ║
A╞══╝ A╞══╩══╡C A╞══╬╗
You can only go A->B ╚╝
Works when the cart Works
is in Guide mode.
In the second example above, if you attempt to "Push" from B to A or C, the cart will go careening off of the tracks.
Roller
A roller is built with one or more mechanisms and a rope in the b M menu by selecting r. Rollers must be powered, and they serve the purpose of moving a minecart without dwarf-power.
Hauling route
From the hauling menu, minecart routes can be set up, and stockpile links set.
Danger
Minecarts are not without danger. Although designating a track automatically sets the traffic designation to low, dwarves may still walk on them. If an unlucky dwarf fails to dodge a minecart, he or she can be injured. Most of this danger can be avoided by setting the minecart hauling commands to guide instead of push or ride.