Hypertrains are propelled by any of a number of different engine designs. A typical line engine, that is one that actually pulls a train through subspace, is a 12,500 cuft spacecraft built around a 6000 cuft Barnes-Gutierrez Drive engine. It has a fusion engine to provide power, usually in the 120 MW range. It has a control compartment with four stations for the crew and a rigid train coupler at the rear to connect to a train set of cars. The engine provides power to the whole train and can provide some life support too, though most inhabited cars have their own life support systems. Such an engine can accelerate a train of dozens of cars to a respectable 78 Gs.
There are also system engines whose primary purpose is to shuttle cars around star systems between orbital stations and the real space side of portal gates. These types of working engines are used to string together sets of cars from different in system locations, or to move them between trains.
A rigid train coupler is a device which can join together two cars or a car and an engine. It has an airlock to isolate the life support of each car and connections for data, power and life support.
Most train cars are in the 6000 to 12,000 cuft range. A standard passage Passenger Car is 6000 cuft in volume and has 5 two person cabins and a small seating area at each end of the car. The cabins can be reconfigured to allow seating during the day. Each one has a small water closet and the car has a shower compartment at one end.
While most trains might have a dozen or more standard passenger cars they will have only one or two Luxury Passenger Cars. About the same size as the standard car the cabins are slightly larger and each have their own water closet with shower.
Each train will have at least one Dining Car. Dining cars can seat up to 50 customers at once. The car includes a galley kitchen and meals are served on a regular schedule. Meals in the dining car are usually included in the price of standard or luxury passage. It is not unusual for a large train to have a standard dining car and a separate luxury passage dining car.
A Couchette Car is a car divided into compartments containing bench seating which during sleeping periods are converted into bunks. The attendant, who typically has his own cabin provides a sheet, pillow and blanket for each passenger. Water closets are located at each end of the car and there is seldom a shower available. These car are used by 2nd class passengers whose tickets typically do not include meals. The typical couchette car carries 50 passengers to the standard or luxury passenger car's 10.
A Lounge Car is a type of moving restaurant where passengers can purchase food and drinks. As opposed to a dining car which serves food on a regular schedule, in a lounge car passengers can buy food prepackaged or made to order. 2nd class passengers often buy their food from the lounge car. Large trains will sometimes have multiple lounge cars. One set up for 2nd class passengers with cheaper fare and one for standard or luxury passengers with more expensive items.
Passenger luggage is typically transported in a baggage car. The baggage car is not accessible to passengers during the trip so most travelers have a carry on piece in which they pack their traveling clothes and toiletry items for use aboard. Most baggage cars, though pressurized do not have their own life support. They typically have enough residual air from loading and crew egress to support walk through and inspection. Because of this baggage cars are often the last car in the train.
Passenger trains sometimes include Container Cars, though typically most lines run whole trains of container cars for material transport. A container car carries a standardized 10' x 10' x 40' inter-modal shipping container. Containers come in many different versions, including refrigeration, tankage and unsealed. Most are simple vacuum seal boxes which hold cargo.
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