[IDEA] Longest Rails! (Intreimor to Labrador)

[Iverica]

Hi Argis. Everyone knows we're the most batshit insane continent out there. It's for that reason that I know we can do what I'm about to ask you to do. You're all psychos and proud about it! I love that about you guys. You love princesses so much it's weird and creepy. You love writing your squiggly letters that no one but LSD addicts understand. You like trading with capitalists even when you happen to be Starbucks Communists. You like being Nordic even if it means you're part of a gene group with a statistically higher chance of debilitating body odour! Fuck Yeah Argis! Ya'll are so awesome, I just know for sure that we're going to be continent that is going to have the longest rails.

As Aristutle once said: "It's not the length of your rail but how you use it." Now clearly, Aristutle didn't have a very long rail. How could he? He was Aroman. Aristutle was wrong and Freud was right, when he said "if you salivate when you see trains, it was because your mother wasn't impressed by your smol rails. Well no more! Your mother would be impressed by your long rail. So precisely, it becomes our heaven-sent mission to build them! Build Argis, build the longest rails on Eurth and find for them the thiccest, most bossom-gauged trains to ride them. Do it for the fat-bottomed trains! Do it for Argis! But most of all do it for your mother (but don't do your mother).

Europa will say, that they are not impressed. Aurelia will say that theirs are bigger. But clearly, they have weak, narrow rails whereas ours are strong and hard. They are just jealous because all their trains will come ride our long rails. As Shelley's great sonnet Ozymandias goes:

 

Look on my rails, ye Mighty, and despair!
Your feeble tracks, hold no sway
to our colossal length, none compare!
Wisdom in these words: your mom gay"

 

Argis, I have a dream. A dream that one day, your mother, my mother, Aristutle's mother, and all the wurld's mothers will ride our long rails and enjoy every bump and hump there is. Argis, let's make that dream our dream. Lets take their mothers and impress them with our rails. Make this dream your mission Argis! The future of your mothers depend on it- nay- demands it! Show them the error of their rails!

Make Argic Rails Long Again!

 

Three main branches of railway, Intreimor to Labrador (Dark Blue), Supra to Ferst (Purple), Labrador to Canastota (Light Blue)

---

 

Brah, I know a bunch of other people had this idea before and wanted to make a smaller version but man: GO BIG OR GO HOME. Intreimor to Labrador is a kickass name for a thread and we're gonna do it! I know some of ya'll are inbred euro-commies and like fertiliser peasants, but listen: I. BELIEVE. IN. YOU! Maybe not your lice or halitosis- you lot will have to take a shower before we talk more, but where was I- YOU, yes, YOU. I believe man. Karma bro. Vibe check bro. We got dis.

Seriously though: deets. We can form an Intergovernmental Organisation to oversee some plan to construct sections of the railway in our own borders and pool funds from private and public funding rounds to cover the areas with no states (barbarians) there yet- all under one universal IGO consensus standard of construction and quality control assessment. Come sit by the fire, weary Argic traveller, come, drink the Kool-aid. Drink deeply and dream of long rails and fat-bottomed trains.

 

---

 

Okay seriously, I just want to get the plan out there and the ball rolling. We can talk about this like normal people, I swear! If you're interested in this project, where the longest single branch beats the Trans-Siberian by ~200 ish Km, leave a comment, like and subscribe, support theTRANS-ARGIC RAIL on patreon.

 

Drugs.

[Xio]

I think this would be an excellent way to bring Argis together into what could perhaps be Eurth's biggest RP event (by number of members). Perhaps each member in a massive thread (or a couple regional smaller ones) RPs the construction of the railway in their borders (and any NPCs they own), and those that feel left out because the railway doesn't go them can possibly take turns RPing in the unclaimed territories.

It would also be an excellent multimember thread for Argis newcomers to take part in once they join the map, as it'll only require them to make 2-3 posts and an easy way to learn how multimember RPs work.

I hope you Argisians pick this up - it's very rare to have enough members in one area on the globe to even consider a super-project like this :).

[Ateenia]

Yass, always wanted to take a train ride from Ateenia to Iverica in first class sleeping in a comfy rich people bed, drinking rich people wine.

[Tagmatium Rules]

1 hour ago, Ateenia said:

Yass, always wanted to take a train ride from Ateenia to Iverica in first class sleeping in a comfy rich people bed, drinking rich people wine.

It'd be great, in all honesty.

Sucks to be @Ebrary, Ulfheimr (@Kromeus) and @Nyantastan, though.

[Ateenia]

30 minutes ago, Tagmatium Rules said:

It'd be great, in all honesty.

Sucks to be @Ebrary, Ulfheimr (@Kromeus) and @Nyantastan, though.

they can stick to their luxury ships.

 

edit: on a side note, I wonder how much of the railway goes through my country in km.

Edited October 31, 2021 by Ateenia (see edit history)

[Iverica]

So obviously, the asbestos-induced introductory post was meant to hook all of your attentions. Don't worry, I understand that the average attention span of the Argic brain is comparable to that of a Domestic Pigeon. I have prepared accordingly and now that you're all here, bobbing up and down like excited primates at a banana convention, I can finally get a bit more serious.

There are some housekeeping questions that have to be addressed first. Though I don't speak for all of Argis, the answers I have for them I think are reasonable and flexible enough. You can always disagree (or not).

 

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QUESTIONS

 

Q: I don't see my nation on that map Iverica posted while ranting about long rails and mums. Am I not included?

A: Worry not little chickadee, the map only shows the longest branches of the rail system. If you're not connected, you can always RP your own branch and possibly get support from the neighbour you're connecting to. E.g. @Nyanta, @Kromeus, and @Ebrary: though requiring a rather long stretch for far eastern Argis, 3 nations ought to be able to work together (if they want it) to build this reach of the system. As I said, it really depends on those involved.

I got you fam. @Hinterlands, @Nyanta, @Kromeus, @Ebrary

 

Q: How do we interact with each other? How can we find common ground?

A: I would suggest setting up a Trans-Argic Railway Association (or something), an IGO composed of representatives from each nation and also an entity for managing and distributing the collective capital we raise. Let's save the fine details of how this will be run for another day, but we can perhaps agree to open admission to any Argic state that wants to join and freedom for non-Argic states to become non-voting investors. For this Association, I would also suggest avoiding the consensus system (where we "all agree or it doesn't happen) for details like "what measurement system to use", "what type of rail will be built", "what gradient of stone will be used for the top ballast of a rail segment", etc.

 

Q: How will this Association agree on anything?

We may have as many as 13 active members- which means that there will certainly be nitpicky disagreements. In my experience big RP has always failed due to petty disagreements being made a mountain out of molehills. If we are to move forward, it may be best to require a clear majority (66%) or 9 (rounded up from 8.58) if we indeed have 13 members. Again, this will be for details as quoted above. I do believe that each member state should have the authority to decide the path of the rail through their nation, just so long as it starts and ends where previously agreed that it should. We will all have to agree about this beforehand though.

 

Q: What about Unclaimed territories/"Unrecognised States"?

A: As I hinted at above, we can all work out a fixed contribution from the net total cost of rail segments in empty spots of the map. The cost of rails outside of recognised borders can be shared by the whole association. Canonically, the detail who lives there can be glossed over as someday, a member may come to fill that spot.

 

Q: What happens to the rail if a new member occupies a previously unclaimed spot that it passes through?

A: Experience practice tells me that a new member would be more or less happy to participate retroactively as long as they are informed beforehand and given the opportunity to decide the details of how their state got involved. At the unlikely scenario of adamant refusal to be involved, they can either settle somewhere else or we can retcon and say we built around them. For the financial question: Since we did pool resources to build it there before they came, this can always be written off as "foreign aid". Alternatively re-calculation can always be done.

Further more, for staff: This is, as Metz pointed out, great opportunity for new members to get into RP. I've also noted that we can start putting together a little log of open, long-term/persistent RP (like Anglia) like a common RPG quest, readily available to jump into without the need to court scary old established members.

 

Q: Isn't this going to take forever to finish?

A: It took 1 year to build the single-track Trans-Siberian Railway and roughly 13 years to plan it. With modern track layers and other heavy equipment we may take just as long if not longer. There are also considerably more terrain and incline challenges to consider for our project. Since I know its ludicrous to wait 13 years to do this, it can be written that the railway had been in planning stages a decade ago, with considerable progress made in laying majority of the sub-grade in most member states. From this point, it would be a matter of preparing the ballast and sleepers, then deploying track layers. Infrastructure like stations, crossing facilities, rail bridges, etc, can have been done in each state at their own pace. 

Progress may even be quicker for states where standard gauge rail is the norm, as they would just have to find ways to integrate or perhaps add an extra set of tracks to their existing railways.

 

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PHASES

Feel free to bring up other questions down this thread. Now that we're through those questions, let's talk plans and phases. No matter which way we cut it, the outline of our progess is probably going to look like this. Take this as one proposal on how to execute this:

 

• PHASE I: ASSOCIATION
  • Membership: We can take a quick poll on the forum for participation.
  • Standards: Discussion OOC before we tender a single short document outlining the standards we will use for construction and a number we can agree on for contributions per-member.
  • End Phase: The first RP post for the Trans-Argic Rail. This will establish the main thread, which may be best to keep all RP vignettes on unless there's a special reason not to. The first post can link the standards document, a breakdown of basic finances, and introduce the Association and the Railway project.
• PHASE II: CONSTRUCTION
  • Timeframe: We can expect this to take approx. 12 months to complete canonically. However, RP-wise, this may be finished a few months sooner. Regardless, there won't be a hard deadline for posts. That being said, if one member hasn't done anything or finished the posts in the space of the whole 12 months, members may come around inquiring. If problems ensue and the member takes too long, I'm of the opinion that the RP should not wait longer than alloted. 
  • Individual or Co-op RP per Member: After the first post, there shouldn't be any order of "who's going to post first". This typically leads to confusion and people waiting on others. I recommend we create an anthology of short stories or vignettes set around the challenges of constucting the railway- these can be anything from character dramas to broad 3rd person omniscient overviews of how you approached construction on your end. Hell, you can make an inforgraphic or media if you want. Members should not feel hesitant to post what they have as there will not be any need for a linear sequence of posts.
  • End Phase: We'll take a short gander and review what's been posted; making sure everyone got their say in before we close the main section of the RP and call it "done" for the most part. We should then be free to use the rail in RP or in wikis however we like. Perhaps one of our more cartographically inclined members will want to make a map.
• PHASE III: NEWCOMERS
  • This part is just sitting back and being ready to accomodate newcomers. I think it would be best for each nerby member state to shepherd the newcomers closest to them and offer assistance or perhaps an RP-mate in their early ventures.
  • We can keep the RP open in definitely, though the main phases will be done, the thread can be added to as a kind of bulletin of posts and articles, showcasing everyone who is part of the railway.

---

 

I'd like to hear other thoughts on this. Note that I've left out finer details for others to contribute, I'd like to hear more from the other Argic members or even any member who has something to add.

 

My spellchecker isn't working so I don't care if there are a ton of typos

 

 

[Ateenia]

Would it not be more realistic to make it past RP so that the railway would have been built on the train golden age or 100 years ago?

Or we could do both, have like historic RP for some segments that were built a long time ago and then modern project aims to connect some and build more.

Edited November 1, 2021 by Ateenia (see edit history)

[Ahrana]

I like this idea! Good idea @Iverica.

5 hours ago, Ateenia said:

Would it not be more realistic to make it past RP so that the railway would have been built on the train golden age or 100 years ago?

Or we could do both, have like historic RP for some segments that were built a long time ago and then modern project aims to connect some and build more.

Thats a good idea, perhaps have the main part of the railway already built in the past with a Past RP then in the modern times have the other smaller Railways connecting to the main line.

[Nyanta]

First of all this sounds super cool. Great Idea and thanks for including us small/New Nations @Iverica. I really like your idea to @Ateenia maybe it could be just a Modernization Project that wouldn't take as much Money or time. Its very important to think about small Nation´s/Low GDP nation´s they may not afford it and would need some Financial Aid. On the other Hand could that very well be in the Intrest of larger Argic Nations since you would raise the Economic growth overall everywhere and benefit from it yourself. I think its a really cool idea and a good Project and the details surely can be worked out.

 

[Ateenia]

5 hours ago, Ahrana said:

I like this idea! Good idea @Iverica.

Thats a good idea, perhaps have the main part of the railway already built in the past with a Past RP then in the modern times have the other smaller Railways connecting to the main line.

i was thinking more of the opposite, have the smaller parts build in the past and then the modern day project would be to unite these railways into 1 grand trans-argic railway.

For example the railway that goes from Prymont to Delameria should be built around a 100 years ago but would currently be 2 different railways, 1 going from Prymont to Fina or Mokhavia (preferably Mokhavia so it can be called Trans-Canamo) and the other from Sanarija to Delameria or smth like that.

One of the reasons i'd want that segment to already exist since like 1910s or 1920s is because my current arms race thread with Prymont would get in the way of building that railway in modern day.

 

[Guthheimr]

Ulfheimr would also be willing to participate in this, we recognize the benefit of trade. 

[Struma]

just so its on reccord, i do want to participate.

[Tagmatium Rules]

Is there even a shared gauge across Argis?

[Iverica]

50 minutes ago, Tagmatium Rules said:

Is there even a shared gauge across Argis?

It really depends on the individual state. I've mentioned above that it could be a thing. Assume the Association starts off by retroactively mentioning some convention in the past that made a majority of states agree to a gauge. Which feeds into the next point. Whenever that happened (if it happened) it ought to have been done before what Ateenia says, here quoted below.

 

14 hours ago, Ateenia said:

i was thinking more of the opposite, have the smaller parts build in the past and then the modern day project would be to unite these railways into 1 grand trans-argic railway.

For example the railway that goes from Prymont to Delameria should be built around a 100 years ago but would currently be 2 different railways, 1 going from Prymont to Fina or Mokhavia (preferably Mokhavia so it can be called Trans-Canamo) and the other from Sanarija to Delameria or smth like that.

One of the reasons i'd want that segment to already exist since like 1910s or 1920s is because my current arms race thread with Prymont would get in the way of building that railway in modern day.

 

 

This can be done. However, its important to note that standarisation IRL happened post-industrial era, likely as tail-end effect of economies that could commit to standardised production and mass production (in America's case, also to effect rapid westward expansion). It should also be noted that, judging by most Argic states' relative poverty compared to IRL Europe, Industrialisation likely happened on a smaller scale and perhaps even later in Argis. 

None of those make the "standardisation 100 years ago" impossible, but I should note that it happening close to a 20th century economic boom would be more believable and would probably be easier for a lot of nations that happen to be less developed in the late 19th.

Overall, I think its a good idea though. One way it could also happen is gradually, with a few larger economies pioneering the ideas first of a national standard, then agreeing to an international one, and lastly, introducing the idea to less developed nations. 

TLDR: I like the idea, but can we make the details so that the train golden age can happen in bursts? This gives more leeway for other nations to decide their economic history.

-we can have this mentioned as a thing in Phase I of the RP as the backdrop to our Association.

[Ebrary]

I'm definitely willing to participate in such an RP. Sounds like great fun.

And historical RP also sounds great too.

[Rhodellia]

Despite being on an entirely different landmass and continent, I'd like to participate in this RP as well. It looks like a lot of fun, and I'd love to help out.

[Ateenia]

4 minutes ago, Rhodellia said:

Despite being on an entirely different landmass and continent, I'd like to participate in this RP as well. It looks like a lot of fun, and I'd love to help out.

yess, bring the rhodellian buisnessmen to invest their fat wallets to this

[Tagmatium Rules]

2 hours ago, Rhodellia said:

Despite being on an entirely different landmass and continent, I'd like to participate in this RP as well. It looks like a lot of fun, and I'd love to help out.

 

1 hour ago, Ateenia said:

yess, bring the rhodellian buisnessmen to invest their fat wallets to this

I did kind of think of offering funds for this. It might help trade with Europa, after all.

[Ateenia]

1 hour ago, Tagmatium Rules said:

 

I did kind of think of offering funds for this. It might help trade with Europa, after all.

interesting, i was thinking those not on the path of railways could RP as some rich dude in their country that invests in this project to gain a stake of the company that is gonna own the railway.

those being in the path of the railway could also RP as some buisnessmen or company of their country, investing in the project and to gain a stake of the company while their countries fund the project for obvious reasons (those obvious reasons being, improvement in economy thanks to the railway) and of course because this will also cross commie land, a government could also invest to gain a stake of the company that will own the huge railway (well maybe not the railway itself but rather the trains using the railway)

[Stedoria]

Stedoria would be interested in participating in this project.

[Fravina]

Fravina would love to be a part of this project.

[Velaheria]

Velaheria would be a part of this project as this would directly connect some of our rails to the international railway and boost trade ties.

[Vostau]

So I'm all together with this, I'm also interested in participating. I have some suggestions for how to get around Vostau's geographic problems, and in the mid-future I intend to create an NPC nation to my south which would be a much lesser incline than going through the higher hills of southern Vostau, but that's the future. Shouldn't be too long to wait, though. Here's hoping.

[Vostau]

3 hours ago, Magnus said:

As now an official RP member with an map spot, I have one suggestion. Feel free to implement them, though I’m not sure there perfect.

 

1. Add an railroad to Ateenia all the way to Ebrary. 
 

This would include more nations (including me, just not added yet) and include North Argis into the deal. 

This is an interesting point, and could well go one of two ways. 

The first way, there's the railway all the way from Grundvik, which would cross the length of @Ateenia. Grundvik, Mandanhus, Fjoldall and towards Magnus' land. 

The second option would be more a continuation of the line as it stands, going further through @Prymont to Canastota, winding up towards the coast and being a coastal, lowland train system. This would include more of Prymont, though would of course be longer and less direct. 

I reckon there is ample ability to do either or both. Given that all this would be doing is amending both Ateenia and Prymont's own national rail networks (if they have them), and covering more of both nations. Perhaps it could be represented on the map as the main line, going through Canastota to the north, with the branch going through Ateenia being a secondary line for those who don't want to go through Prymont. Up to both countries to decide, I just think it's something that could be proposed. 

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Vostau (see edit history)

[Ateenia]

On 11/5/2021 at 3:23 AM, Magnus said:

As now an official RP member with an map spot, I have one suggestion. Feel free to implement them, though I’m not sure there perfect.

 

1. Add an railroad to Ateenia all the way to Ebrary. 
 

This would include more nations (including me, just not added yet) and include North Argis into the deal. 
 

Regarding the official assembly and all that Roleplay, where are we going to do that? Not here of course, it’s IC right? I think business/trade deal might work, so as Diplomacy. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 11/5/2021 at 6:30 AM, Vostau said:

This is an interesting point, and could well go one of two ways. 

The first way, there's the railway all the way from Grundvik, which would cross the length of @Ateenia. Grundvik, Mandanhus, Fjoldall and towards Magnus' land. 

The second option would be more a continuation of the line as it stands, going further through @Prymont to Canastota, winding up towards the coast and being a coastal, lowland train system. This would include more of Prymont, though would of course be longer and less direct. 

I reckon there is ample ability to do either or both. Given that all this would be doing is amending both Ateenia and Prymont's own national rail networks (if they have them), and covering more of both nations. Perhaps it could be represented on the map as the main line, going through Canastota to the north, with the branch going through Ateenia being a secondary line for those who don't want to go through Prymont. Up to both countries to decide, I just think it's something that could be proposed. 

 

The black line is the national railway that would for certain exist since early 20th century or even late 19th century.

The yellow line is the railway going into Magnus that could already exist or be built in modern day to connect to their national rail network and thus directly connect our rail network to the one going through Ulfheimr. The latter more likely because in the past Ateenia would probably have traded with Magnus with ships rather then railway.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Ateenia (see edit history)