In Shadow of the Demon Lord, there is a setting given, Rul, that is somewhat further along in technology than most D&D games. It's broadly similar to WFRP, with black powder weapons being uncommon overall, but nobody bats an eye when they see one in the more civilized areas. However, Rul also has a steam train. This is not a magical train like the lightning rail of Eberron, but a feat of engineering powered by steam.

I don't necessarily have a problem with the steam train existing within the setting, but they went and placed it in the Northern Reach--the hinterlands of the Empire. It runs from Sixton, the provincial capital, all the way across the Reachup to Foundry, a mining town. It says that the train brings the products of the mines to Sixton, where they are then brough down to the rest of the Empire. An Empire which otherwise has no trains...

Why would the Empire build its first and only railway in a backwoods area rather than closer to the capital (Caecras)? The Empire is largely landlocked (as is Sixton), so it's not like ships are an alternative.

I'm wondering if I should leave it as is, remove the railway entirely, or perhaps make the railways more widespread, forking out from the hub of the capital (with the existing railway being the only line in the Northern Reach)?

Maybe that's where they have the materials and the shops to build the trains and rails?  They pull the metal out of the ground right there after all.  And maybe they're planning to expand from there now that they have an efficient way to move the materials from the mine and shops to where they're building?  I think that's plausible.  Explanations can be had.  I'd make such decisions more based on how I want the game to play out.

Sounds like the Red Steel setting for D&D which has flintlocks. But not trains. Combine it with Tom Wham's Dragonrails setting and game and there you have trains in a fantasy setting.

As for why the trains are in an out of the way place. Possibly that is where they were first tested, invented and the rail lines spread from there?

What is the history or timeline for the advent of these new technologies?

Not much background is given on the train. It's just there, and not anywhere else without any explanation given.

Looking at it. The reason then is likely a test. And/or the site of invention.

Another could be the mine it is connected to footed some of the bill for construction.

Example is some early train tests in the US were in some odd places.

From a history site on trains.

QuoteLater, in August of 1829 Horatio Allen, a chief engineer for the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company (which went on to become the Delaware & Hudson Railway) tested an early English steam locomotive on a 16-mile stretch of company-owned track between Honesdale and Carbondale, Pennsylvania. 

The locomotive was named the Stourbridge Lion, a very simple two-axle machine with a vertical boiler.  It, along with three other similar designs, was envisioned to handle coal from the D&H mines at Carbondale to Honesdale. 

It was probably a government project.  Building it to bring in supplies from the mine sounds like a good idea, until they put it in a terrible location and can't make it break even.  Then it's the only one because every other prince/noble/mayor says "we're not having a boondoggle like that here!"

My grandfather was a railman. Im pretty sure all rail lines are in bad locations far as they were concerned. heh

Unfortunately sometimes terrain doesnt give you alot of choice. Im not sure how Iron Dragon does it. Sorry got the name mixed up aboce. It is Iron Dragon by Tom Wham. He also wrote 90% of the novel despite Estes name on the cover. She bowed out for some reason and Tom stepped in and wrote everything after like chapter 1 or 2. ow.

The equivalent in-world would be that the built the first rail line in the American Old West territory but didn't have any rail lines in the eastern USA. Further, they built it connecting two landlocked settlements.

The idea that it was a test run is workable, but it still seems odd to go through so much so far from where it would be most useful (and where do many of the resources would be).

What if there is some sort of processing fascility at the drop off location?

A couple of early train lines puttered out abruptly due to lack of funds or interest. It was not until it caught on that trains could be used for public service that they started to take off.

Or its a novelty. Somone's pet project. The mines or a merchants or some noble possibly. Someone with enough coin to get everything rolling.

Assuming this train is an early example. And Im betting it doesnt look like a prototype. Then it is likely in the "hasnt caught on yet" phase. The higher ups may be waiting to see if the profit outweighs the cost for upkeep and running it. Those things arent cheap even with magic. It takes a certain threshold of infrastructure to be able to handle a viable train line.

The processing is all done in Foundry, which is a large town fairly close to the mining villages in the surrounding hills. This means the train is likely carrying bars of metal rather than ores (better for a train robbery scenario, even if it's largely copper and iron).

The issue with it being a rich man's project is that the Northern Reach is the backwoods of the Empire that is largely ignored/neglected by all. Nobody of means (merchants, nobles, etc.) really wants to be there, and Imperial governors view it as a temporary burden, with none of them caring about doing anything with it. This matters because the train is and always has been entirely in the territory of the Imperials, not a local Reacher group that is trying to improve the Reach or of the Crusaders trying to protect it from nastiness crawling out of the Desolation.

There is no picture of the train, so it very well could be a prototype.

Proximity of iron would be the best reason the rails came from that area if it is plentiful in the region.   Takes a good deal of iron to build a railroad, and if you were able to use the iron from where the rail started outward, I guess that could make sense.  Toss in some lord or political figure was trying to sell the idea and got behind funding it to get widespread adoption and it could make sense.

Quote from: Omega on March 23, 2022, 06:17:53 AM
What if there is some sort of processing fascility at the drop off location?

A couple of early train lines puttered out abruptly due to lack of funds or interest. It was not until it caught on that trains could be used for public service that they started to take off.

Or its a novelty. Somone's pet project. The mines or a merchants or some noble possibly. Someone with enough coin to get everything rolling.

Assuming this train is an early example. And Im betting it doesnt look like a prototype. Then it is likely in the "hasnt caught on yet" phase. The higher ups may be waiting to see if the profit outweighs the cost for upkeep and running it. Those things arent cheap even with magic. It takes a certain threshold of infrastructure to be able to handle a viable train line.

The prototype idea makes sense.  Kind of like electric cars...they have been around since the early 1900s but only become at all practical recently and then only in areas with reliable generation.

Railways were a further development of mining carts so the roadway/track idea fits.  Add in the fact that steam as a conceivable power source dates from around the 1st century and you have a 'legitimate' basis for energy.  Moving refined ore is going to require the metal rails for handling heavier weights.  Maybe make it the project of some 'mad' inventor type who happened to fit the ideas together faster than what occurred in our world.  Just not feasible yet except under those specific circumstances.  (In the more settled/civilized areas there are easy ways to overcome the logistics problems and they don't have to test some new-fangled craziness.)

Quote from: HappyDaze on March 23, 2022, 07:12:07 AMThe issue with it being a rich man's project is that the Northern Reach is the backwoods of the Empire that is largely ignored/neglected by all. Nobody of means (merchants, nobles, etc.) really wants to be there, and Imperial governors view it as a temporary burden, with none of them caring about doing anything with it. This matters because the train is and always has been entirely in the territory of the Imperials, not a local Reacher group that is trying to improve the Reach or of the Crusaders trying to protect it from nastiness crawling out of the Desolation.

Assuming the funding is not coming from the mine. Then could be a displaced noble or merchant or inventor trying to make a comeback.

Theres dozens of ways to parse out why its there in the backwoods like it is. Well aside from the writers just wanting a train and by god there will be a train! Makes me think of the little story related to the development of the D&D arcade game. The Japanese designers wanted to put a train in there and TSR had to explain to them why that did not fit what they envisioned for Mystara.