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Author Topic: Minecarts and Hauling 101  (Read 13879 times)

GoldenShadow

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Minecarts and Hauling 101
« on: May 22, 2012, 05:21:35 pm »

There is already a thread about minecart science, but its mostly about how to weaponize them. I want to discuss ways to use them to improve your efficiency.

Automatic quantum stockpiles:

The simplest one is the automatic quantum stockpile. Have the first route stop accept loose items from an input stockpile. Then, at the last route stop, build a track stop set to dump to an adjacent tile. Designate a 1x1 stockpile that accepts all of the items being dumped onto it so dwarves won't haul them back to the start as this would create an infinite loop. Try not to have the items fall down one or more Z-level or they could cause injuries.


Express highway:

Normally, you should have your carts set to be guided instead of pushed or ridden. Not only does this prevent accidents, dwarves will find their way to the correct stop even in a complex network of interweaving tracks. However, you can setup a highway track if the path is linear there are no pedestrian traffic crossings. Create an intermediate stop along your route set to push or ride in the same direction the cart was moving. At the end of the highway, build a track stop construction with high friction and switch back to guide mode.


Farm Delivery:

Create a food stockpile next to your surface farm that only accept outdoor plants. Do the same for the underground farms but set them to only accept underground plants. Build tracks that connect both to a central repository. Have the initial stops load up plants and have the last stops dump them into a quantum stockpile. You can further divide up what plant goes where by setting up track lines for each type of plant with their own destinations.


Automatic used clothing cleaner:

Create a finished goods stockpile that accepts only clothing and enable refuse, but turn off all refuse options. Let this stockpile take from anywhere. All loose clothing will be hauled here and disentegrate.
How to protect your replacement clothes from it:
Set up a finished goods stockpile that only accepts items from links. Tell this stockpile to take from your clothier workshops.

Please post any other discoveries.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2012, 06:36:22 pm by GoldenShadow »
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runlvlzero

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2012, 06:04:18 pm »

Thanks for this =) I was wondering if I would ever figure out what to do with them =P this is kinda neat it looks like you could have a very modular fortress connected only by cart tunnels and long separate pedestrian hallways, no more kitchens necessary directly across from the farms on a 5x2 embark... also looks like you could easily connect a "magma" forging level to the surface with some creative cart trams =)
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GoldenShadow

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2012, 08:08:05 pm »

I connected the surface track to the magma sea level. I linked them so I could haul refuse down via minecart and dump it in the magma sea because the corpses never disappear. After a dozen sieges, the refuse pile gets pretty clogged up with troll and goblin bodies
« Last Edit: May 22, 2012, 08:19:29 pm by GoldenShadow »
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GoldenShadow

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2012, 11:32:17 am »

Yep, I was right. I had a brewer killed by a flying object. A rope reed landed on his head while he was grabbing something to brew from the quantum stockpile. It was set up to drop through a hole in the floor into the storage room.
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ab9rf

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2012, 11:44:00 am »

I only use carts to move stone; the complexity is not worth it for most other items, which I just move with ordinary hauling.
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The Bard

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2012, 11:54:53 am »

Haven't upgraded to minecarts yet.

If I only use guide for my central for stockpile deliveries, can I get away with a single, branching rail line that serves all my workshops? Will dwarves 'pass through' each other if guiding minecarts from one place to another?
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Sadrice

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2012, 11:59:49 am »

For dumping to the magma sea, it's probably easier to dig a long chute than to actually make your refuse cart go all the way down there.

As for injuries when dumping down chutes, my carpenter has been hit by logs a few times, but he's never gotten anything worse than bruises, which is probably just a matter of luck, given your experience with pig tails.  If your going to use a cart for quantum stockpiling stone near the stone workshops (or ore near the smelters), it's probably better to dump from the same level to prevent those sorts of injuries.
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ab9rf

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2012, 12:03:29 pm »

I did refuse dumping into one of the many magma tunnels that I usually dig for the various things magma gets used for in a typical fort.  (But this fort had a volcano.)  There's no reason why you can't use a long chute for refuse dumping, other than the inherent danger involved in digging a chute.
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Sadrice

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2012, 12:06:44 pm »

Inherent danger?  I thought toady made channeling safe?
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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2012, 01:57:47 pm »

Set up a stock pile for stone next to a mining area, and then set up tracks (with rollers if going up) to take all the mined stone to a central stone stockpile. Do the same thing again, but for metal ores.

@Sadrice: Since objects now fall, channeling straight down several z-levels has the possibility of having the boulders left behind from channeling the top layers falling on the dwarf and crushing him.
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runlvlzero

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2012, 04:27:30 pm »

My theory would be to use a big central stockpile near my main work shop, then a separate tunnel branching for mines that doesn't connect to my main fort, now that mining is a bit more intensive. Then connect that central stockpile to a 1 wide spiral ramp that has tracks and rollers, or two (one for incoming and one for outgoing). Then rail lines that connect to various areas were i am mining. Although, wheelbarrows work pretty good given enough smaller stone stockpiles feeding several masons shops. I haven't had the fortune to move a bunch of rock blocks yet, so I don't know how fast my dwarves can hall those bins.

Overall its nice to have the option for a rail to transport long distances, but it needs to be augmented by smaller stock piles and wheelbarrow brigades none-the-less.
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Symmetry

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2012, 05:24:22 pm »

@Sadrice: Since objects now fall, channeling straight down several z-levels has the possibility of having the boulders left behind from channeling the top layers falling on the dwarf and crushing him.

I thought I saw a note in the last version saying this was fixed.
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wuphonsreach

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2012, 06:05:25 pm »

Quote
Then, at the last route stop, build a track stop set to dump to an adjacent tile.

This is where I'm stuck.  I have a very simple setup of straight track with a 20-30Z deep 1x1 pit at one end and a source stockpile at the other.

Stop #1 is easy.  There are (3) departure conditions.  I set it up to take from the source stockpile, with "Guide north immediately when full of desired items" along with "Guide north in 14 days when at least 50% of desired items".

Stop #2 is where I'm stuck.  How do I configure it to dump into the pit/chute at the end of the track?  Do I have to define a stockpile at the very bottom of the chute for the stop to give to?

Edit:

The thing that I was missing is that you *also* have to build constructed track stops, even on carved tracks (b-C-S).  The constructed track stop at stop #1 needs to be set to *not* dump.  The constructed track stop at stop #2 has to be set to dump in the direction of the pit hole.

You also have to configure the "take from stockpile" departure condition for Stop #1 to allow the same items which are in the stockpile(s) that you are pulling from.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2012, 06:15:05 pm by wuphonsreach »
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Crossroads Inc.

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2012, 07:12:41 pm »

Any chance of posting some PICS of these layouts, so we can see how it works???
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Sutremaine

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Re: Minecarts and Hauling 101
« Reply #14 on: July 04, 2012, 08:03:25 pm »

I thought I saw a note in the last version saying this was fixed.
Do caveins go through natural stairs? The wiki is silent on that exact situation.
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