ShuttleMetro

The contents of this article may be out of date and no longer relevant.

The ShuttleMetro network map as seen in-game

**ShuttleMetro** is a subsidiary of ShuttleIndustries, concerned with the construction, maintenance and operation of railway transit routes accross the world of Shuttlecraft. ShuttleMetro lines connect towns and major settlements together with easy to use, high speed services, operating on demand at any time of day. There is no charge to use these services, however NewTown Station is currently trialling a season pass service which may be rolled out to the entire network, whereby riders must present a reusable ticket to access the station platform. The ShuttleMetro Global Headquarters are soon to be constructed in Noxburgh.

## Services

ShuttleMetro Network Map as of February 2021. View Full SizeMap of proposed changes and expansions. View Full Size
ShuttleMetro currently operates two lines, connecting settlements in and around the Big Water zone. Using ShuttleMetro, it is possible to access all major player areas.

### Serena Line

Main article: Serena Line
The Serena Line is the oldest line on the server, opening the original stretch between Deanmark and NewTown in October 2020.

The line runs west through a glass tunnel on the seabed from Deanmark Station, underneath Spawn Island and Serena Island, then briefly turns south before making a stop at the Guardian Farm. After running westward a bit further, the line again turns south and enters a single file tunnel, where carts can run in either direction. Due to a lack of signalling or network timetables, there is currently a high risk of head on collision in this tunnel, and so plans are in place for the tunnel to be widened. The line turns westward once more, runs through the End Portal, before climbing up and emerging on ground level, for the long approach accross the bridge to NewTown Station.

Soon after opening, the line was extended east past Mount Picard to Trinsic Station, then back west to Deanmark's Residential District Station. In November 2020, it was extended again from Deanmark to Edale Station via the Desert Farms, and in January 2021, the line reached the current southern terminus at Noxburgh North Junction.

### Ocean Line

Main article: Ocean Line
Plans for the Ocean Line were first drawn up in December 2020, to alleviate a major issue with the Serena Line. Despite being relatively close geographically, the towns of Edale and NewTown were placed as the two termini, and travel between the two locations took upwards of 5 minutes.

In early January of 2021, two large tunnel bores were constructed far below the seabed, one at the End Portal, and one at Edale. They ran south and west respectively for around a week before meeting, at which point, the rails were laid along the entire route. Minor alterations were made to NewTown Station and Edale Station to allow track switches to be installed. The new line cut travel times between the two towns roughly in half.

 Ocean Line Tunnel

## History

ShuttleMetro was founded by rshuttle1337 in October 2020 with the opening of the Serena Line, with the goal to eventually connect all the major settlements of the Big Water zone. Through collaboration with Invader Industries the network was expanded rapidly, now encompassing two lines and four major towns, with a total of 10 stops, though some are not yet fully operational - you can exit the line at some locations but not re-enter.

The initial line between Deanmark and NewTown ran at approximately 8-11 m/s, taking more than six minutes to traverse. However, in late October 2020 the lines were upgraded to high speed rails, bringing this time down to less than three minutes at 30 m/s and revolutionising rail travel on Shuttlecraft. This was one of the largest retrofittings in the company's history, requiring a significant investment of redstone and gold.

In December 2020, a planning meeting was held to decide the location of the upcoming Ocean Line and its connection to NewTown Station. This meeting led to the first network map, and the first plans for the network's future expansion beyond the Ocean Line. In January 2021, a series of projects was started, including the design of the system's logo and official maps, platform signage standardisation accross the network, tunnel renovations and track widening on the original sections of the Serena Line, and the addition of functional platforms at the current exit-only stops. Construction of the ShuttleMetro Global Headquarters is set to start in Noxburgh sometime in February or March 2021.

On 1 February 2020, the southern exit of the Percival Tunnel was badly damaged when a bridge over a ravine collapsed, killing one passenger.

The current official logo of ShuttleMetro, created by Shippam based on a design by MCParradoxAn older logo design, still found on the in-game network map, designed by ShippamShuttleMetro's original branding from 1872, designed by MCParradox
### In Lore History

In 1872, as the town of Noxburgh turned more and more towards industry and manufacturing, the once serene rolling hills of Bibbinghaben were engulfed in a thick smog. Residents of the town already used the elevated NDTA Noxburgh Circle to commute between their homes and the factories and workhouses they were employed at, but complained of a lack of fresh air and opportunity for leisure. Aspiring rail engineers Robert Roberts and Montgomery Percival elected to found a company in an attempt to respond to this need. They constructed swift, personal rail services to transport holidaymakers from the city, to the coastal marina town of Edale in the north, and the Unnamed Vacation Island in the west. Unlike the conventional rail services in the city, which only ran two or three times a week, or the airship services from the nearby Noxburgh AeroDock, which were costly and so reserved for the wealthy elite and the bulk hauling companies, ShuttleMetro services were quick and affordable, and business boomed. They constructed a lavish headquarters and testing/manufacturing facility in the city, and soon extended their lines towards other towns. Recently, the company has modernised, upgrading its rails to the latest high speed technology, rebranded to a slick, modern appearance, and even bought out the NDTA which directly inspired the comany's creation.

## Future Expansion

As of February 2021, the current business focus is on maintenance and modernisation of existing infrastructure. A program of signage standardisation is already underway, and track widening in the tunnel between End Portal and Guardian Farm is soon slated to take place. Following these works, there are a series of proposals.

### Serena Line Expansion, Phase 1

Phase 1 of expansion to the existing Serena Line would see the track continue south from Noxburgh North Junction through the city, before turning west and crossing the ocean to the Unnamed Vacation Island. From here, the line would run north-west to Cerro Puntiagudo, and onwards to the hub station at NewTown. This would complete the first half of the loop around the Big Water.

### Serena Line Expansion, Phase 2

Phase 2 of Serena Line expansion would begin at Deanmark Residential District Station, bypassing Trinsic to instead run north to Invader City. The track would run west along the north coast of Big Water to Deanville, and continue around the coast to the savannah peninsula north of NewTown. A direct line south to meet up with phase 1 at NewTown Station would complete the full loop around the Big Water, marking the completion of the Serena Circle

### Prismarine Line

With the Serena Line now circling the coast of Big Water, the original stretch of track between NewTown Station and Deanmark Station would be rebranded to the Prismarine Line, named for the abundance of prismarine lining the undersea tunnels, sourced from the Guardian Farm. The line would terminate in the east at Trinsic Station, and from NewTown, would eventually be extended south-west towards the Painted Desert.

### Ocean Line Expansion

From the current western terminus in NewTown, the Ocean Line would be extended west to the Meadows station, before turning northwards. After a possible stop at OutrightWings' mountainous island, the line would terminate in Invader4679's Medieval Town.

### Baumherz Line

The existing rail line between Serena Island and Baumherzinsel is the oldest on the server. This project would set to modernise it, transforming it into the Baumherz Line, with an elevated bridge between the two islands, connected to the current ShuttleMetro network, as the existing stations are obscure and hidden away.

### McIntosh Line

The McIntosh Line has technically already begun construction. Two platforms at Noxburgh North Junction are currently set aside for this line's future expansion, initially southwards to Noxburgh Grand Central. The line would continue southwards until it meets the coastal village almost directly south of the city. The other end of the line would run east into the wilderness until it meets the shore of Crescent Lake. The only occupied location on the current plan is Noxburgh, making this line an ideal method to get out into the wilderness while staying connected to society. As such, this line is also the most likely to change before eventual realisation.

## Trivia

* The 1872 founding date of ShuttleMetro comes from a set of coordinates used in the construction of the Serena Line expansion between Edale and Noxburgh. It can be found at the base of the long ramp down to tunnel level from Noxburgh.
* Deanmark Station was originally built as an underwater lobby for spawn by churrokat, however in agreement with rshuttle1337 they decided to retrofit it as a station for accessing their current base on Serena Island.
* Station technology has advanced considerably with the newer stations. Deanmark's Residential District Station is the first station to run the two rails directly side by side, with no central divider, and is the most compact design on the network. Noxburgh North Junction is the first station to run north-south instead of the previously required east-west, and is the only station to feed four platforms from a single minecart dispenser.
* Deanmark Station, originally known simply as Spawn Station, is the only one on the network to have minecarts fall from above upon summoning.