The CTA & The MagneTrain or 'Train

 The MagneTrain

The MagneTrain is the primary means of transportation around the Chasm chain. At this time, only one of the main loops has been completed, that which runs through the Rockhelm side of Chasm City. For some reason, more inhabited planets reside on this loop than the other. 

The ‘Train, as it is called, is electromagnetically floated on a monorail; technology that has been around for a long time. It is run by an interplanetary cartel.

On the Windstrom side of Chasm City, the ‘Train loop is incomplete, running only from Cordoba to Earth at this time, and since there is little demand for its completion, the cartel has decided to wait until more planets on that loop have acquired a great enough population to support its continuance. Cordoba, of course, is incensed at this, because that means all of its trade has to go through Chasm City, which charges exorbitant fees. Cordoba is working to tunnel through the obstructions of Lockjaw, in hopes that the completion of a tunnel will convince the cartel to continue the loop. 

Transport from main loop to main loop is generally accomplished by truck or conveyor, although in Chasm City’s case, the cartel built a rail connection to the main loop. A similar connection is on Earth, and several of the more affluent planets have built their own shuttle lines. In any case, a Chasm section is seldom more than five miles long, making the entire trip around the completed loop a total of about 500 miles, a trip which could be made in a day or less, except for the stops at every planet. The ‘Trains, do not reach any great speed, because of the frequency of stops, although the talk is that if and when the second loop is completed, express ‘Trains would start being utilized.

The ‘Trains are subject to local law, which means that if a planet such as Peter’s Planet wants to send police on board to inspect everyone’s passports at each end of their Chasm, they can. Very few planets do this type of thing. 

C-Trans

C-Trans is the incorporated name of the Chasm Transit Authority, the cartel that runs the MagneTrain system. Their headquarters is on Earth, and there are 14 regional offices for local administration.

C-TAP

Chasm Transit Authority Police. Officers are commonly referred to as Charlie Trans. They have absolute authority on the Train and in the Stations, but nowhere else.