The HYLEX Cottontail Line
The HYLEX Cottontail Line is a high-speed maglev mass transport train designed to facilitate transportation around The Warren and Okanagan City. While it draws extensively on the design and related technologies of The Wolverine Line, it is strictly intended for passengers, and cargo is handled by a separate underground rail system. As a result of this, and that the Cottontail was built to travel over land and along its own dedicated maglev bridges, as opposed to deep underground, its construction was simpler, and considerably less expensive, than that of the Wolverine Line.
The Cottontail runs along a self-contained, monorail track, and is able to travel in either direction. Current stations include the public square at the Warren (which is within easy walking distance of a nearby hotel, the main entrance, the Queen's Garden, and Mollusca Memorial Park,) Meles Castle, the Public Information Center at the Warren, Lapin Royal Park, and the World Literomantic Academy Warren Campus at Lapin Royal Station, from which one can access the public emergency bunker, or connect to the Wolverine Line, the Kelowna International Airport, and other forms of mass transport throughout the city. Once construction is completed on Lapin's first public access Transcontinental Portal at Lapin Royal Station, it will also provide a gateway to instant, convenient world travel.
Part of the Cottontail's route takes it over the WriterGreg Memorial Bridge and along the shores of Okanagan Lake, and tourists often come simply to ride the train and see the sights. Stops are each 5 minutes long, and it is capable of making the entire circuit in 30 minutes, even with these frequent stops.
The Cottontail may also be re-tasked with seeing to emergency transport for both military and civilian forces, and with aiding in evacuations.
Power Generation
As with the Wolverine Line, power is generated by a combination of Literomantic Energy Generation, a linear induction motor, and reactive braking. Currently, the Cottontail is testing Inspiration Engines as a primary power source, with the linear induction motor (LIM) providing backup power generation. If the testing proves successful, Inspiration Engines will also be incorporated into the Wolverine Line's systems. Thus far, there have been no difficulties with the testing, and surplus power has even been available to divert to other projects. Tentative plans have been proposed to divert this excess to the soon-to-be-completed public transcontinental portal.
Propulsion
The Cottontail maglev uses electromagnetic suspension with Literomantic adaptations for dynamic stabilization of magnetic levitation, along a standard-gauge monorail track, with superconducting magnetic bogies to suspend the train along the rail.
Armor and defense
The Cottontail is equipped with some distinctive literomantic defenses, being one of the major transportation arteries of the Lapin capitol and the Warren. Like the Wolverine, Queen Sable Aradia's "pulse wards" prevent Undead from boarding the train. A built-in literomantic enchantment will cause the train to automatically bring itself to the safest possible stop if there are dangerous obstructions along, or significant damage to, the track or other vital functioning systems. There is even a crystalline matrix with a Literomantic Battery at its heart, the sole purpose of which is to activate a stored enchantment that releases Queen Sable's "force field" power in the event of a likely collision.
The Cottontail track is regularly patrolled and inspected by two speeders, known as the Kits, and six hi-rails, called the Leverets, for potential problems. The Kits are unmanned and powered by advanced AIs developed by the Meles School of Literomantic Technology and Mining Engineering. The Leverets are adapted SUVs, designed to resemble the Cottontail with their rounded shape and white-and-pink paint.
Communication Tools & Systems
Being an overland line, the Cottontail was not faced with the same communication challenges as the Wolverine Line, and therefore, its essential communications systems are fairly standard for a modern maglev train, including high-speed public wi-fi access through fiber optic systems and the relay tower at the Warren. In addition, its proximity to the Warren gives it some advantages, allowing the engineers to build in additional safety measures in case of emergencies. Fiber optic and telegraph cables run the entire length of the track, and in direct line to and from the Warren itself. In the event of a Zombie attack or other crisis, the Cottontail communicates directly with the Warren, even if all but generator power is lost. However, with the initial apparent success of Inspiration Engines, this is seen as an increasingly unlikely eventuality.
WIP
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Missing
Status: Location Unknown
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Status: Deceased Character
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Status: Retired Character or Article
Nickname
The Cottontail
Designation
HYLEX
Motto
Quick like a bunny
Manufacturer
Creation Date
Built in July 2024
Owning Organization
Current location
Price
Estimated cost ₰6 billion WLT
Rarity
Unique
Related Technologies
Width
2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in)
Length
3 carriages per train, each of which is 6 metres (19 ft 8 in) long
Height
.45 metres (11 ft 4 in)
Weight
19 tonnes (19 long tons; 21 short tons) per carriage
Speed
300 km/hr average
Complement / Crew
2
Cargo & Passenger Capacity
300 passengers
lapin_owsla
The Cottontail is equipped for potential royal family evacuation. A system of magical runes hidden under the interior pink carpeting allows Literomancers to channel their magic through the train itself, and restricts this access to the royal family and the Owsla. Through this enchantment agent and enhancer, the entire train can even be teleported, should one of the literomancers with teleportation powers choose to activate them.
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