Cargo

[rancke]

As Andrew notes, and Traveller repeatedly ignores, you can't fit 4tons inside 4tons

I've long taken the road Andrew did, but I would rate that container of his as 4tons, not 3tons. It doesn't actually hold 4tons of goods for shipping (just 3tons or so), but it requires 4tons of hold for shipping and that's what's important to the free-trader Captain. Scale up for other sizes. You have to allow clearances, and loose on packing.

And as I'm positive I've seen somewhere in the rules, 4 dT of goods are 4 dT of goods packed for shipping. The rules simply don't concern themselves much with the actual amount received by the receiver.

Also, X dT of cargo hold holds X dT of cargo. Clearances are the ship's architect's problem, not the players'.


Hans

 

[HG_B]

As Andrew notes, and Traveller repeatedly ignores, you can't fit 4tons inside 4tons

I always assumed that it was a measure of containers that fit within the ship cargo tonnage and not the exact amount of actual cargo.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

So what is Naarsirka?

Bollocks.

 

[Andrew Boulton]

Fixed.

 

[rancke]

So what is Naarsirka?

Is it some cheap outworld knock-off of a Megacorporation with a similar but not identical name?

No, that would be Naasirkaa.


Hans

 

[E.D.Quibell]

Just noticed your interlocking bit on the cargo containers in the picture.

Real life ones don't have this. They are flat to the ground and each other.

Regards,

Ewan

 

[HiverLord]

Just noticed your interlocking bit on the cargo containers in the picture.

Real life ones don't have this. They are flat to the ground and each other.

These make more sense, I believe. Interlocking = easier to secure, of course.

Then again, getting all those companies across the Imperium (and beyond...) to follow the same pattern is a 'bit' of a challenge!

 

[Shonner]

This cargo must use magnets.

 

[Ronnke]

Real life ones don't have this. They are flat to the ground and each other.

Modern (real) shipping containers have a set holes in the corners which are used to attach special fasteners that allow containers to be interlocked front/back, side/side, top/bottom. Trucks and trains utilise the same fasteners to lock the containers to a trailer/carriage.

However, I do think Andrew's version looks cooler than the real world stuff.

 

[aramis]

Modern (real) shipping containers have a set holes in the corners which are used to attach special fasteners that allow containers to be interlocked front/back, side/side, top/bottom. Trucks and trains utilise the same fasteners to lock the containers to a trailer/carriage.

However, I do think Andrew's version looks cooler than the real world stuff.

Realworld locking points on containers are always female; the male connectors normally are used only top-to-bottom, to secure above-well stacks. In the wells, the containers are in rails (leaving a slight gap), and no lock pins are needed. It also allows using hooked chains or straps, or even iron bar stock, to lash them.

Most containers, however, are configured for side-to-side locking if needed; I've seen it done on a rail car with a pair of 2.25 TEU (45') containers... two side-by-side and pinned together, then chained down, on a flatbed rail car.

 

[Zutroi]

I'm going to go with the IRL option on locking these together - it allows the lock points to also be hoist points for the cargo handling gear. The locks used to secure one container to another IRL aren't very bulky and it seems reasonable to throw 4 of them in with the cost of each container...

That said, excellent work!

 

[shadowcat20]

Seems to me the "legs" on the containers would be subject to damage when moving about and possably damage soft floors of ships. If damaged they would not fit right and also get jammed. Part of the reason I suspect they are not used in real life. There is also the fact that they would be more likely to skid around on a flat surface.

But they still look great...

 

[HG_B]

Seems to me the "legs" on the containers would be subject to damage when moving about and possably damage soft floors of ships.

The cargo decks on my ships are made of the same material as the hull plating. Not soft. What are you using on your ships?

 

[shadowcat20]

Standard plating, but when you stack them more than 3 high all that pressure is going to be focused on those points. This could put dimples in the deck if the ship hits rough weather and bounces around. Also what are the containers made of? Could the legs stand the stress? How high do they get stacked at starports? What type of surfaces are they on on class C and D ports?

Lots of what ifs.....but then this is just nit picking your fine work....

 

[Andrew Boulton]

The feet have an area of 0.12m2.

The containers are ~3dt = 40.5m3. Full of water, they mass 40.5 tons.

That's 337,500 kg/m2, which AFAICT is no problem for concrete.

 

[shadowcat20]

Fair enough...no more nit picking....


More math than I could come up with though.

 

[HG_B]

Standard plating, but when you stack them more than 3 high all that pressure is going to be focused on those points. This could put dimples in the deck if the ship hits rough weather and bounces around.

Naw, if that were the case, the hull would be destroyed by dust during intra-system travel.