Transportation within StarBase 118: Difference between revisions

Standard personnel lifts are designated for short-range travel on the base, usually spanning less than 30% of the base's length. Standard lifts can access any lift tube (including Cargo lift tubes) by using a special device. If it is necessary for a standard lift to access an express tube, the lift will be routed to the location of the nearest lift-expander. Expanders act as a larger outer wall for the standard lift, while holding it inside a fitted compartment. Expanders increase the speed of the lift as well.

Because the habitation dome is a hollow interior of the base, a special system was designed to allow for the least impact on the dome's interior view, while allowing lifts to traverse through this area. A highly compact "core" extends from the top to the bottom of the dome, and contains six express-sized transparent tubes. Three of the six core tubes are express-only, through which Type B cars travel, without stopping, to lower or upper portions of the base.  

Lines for lifts to access decks above the dome, can often be as long as five to ten minutes, during certain hours of the day.

All route examples assume that you may be required to take a Type C (Standard) lift to a Type B (Large/express) lift, depending on your starting location.

** Peak/non-peak travel time: 18 minutes / 12 minutes

With such long turbolift shafts, numerous safety precautions must be utilized to protect personnel from faulty systems.  

These brakes utilize entirely independent power systems, and, in the event of a power failure, slow the lift to a stop. Should the braking systems be malfunctioning, the expansion-bladder automatically engages. In the event that the emergency braking system is functioning below normal levels, the expansion-bladder system will also engage to assist in slowing the lift to a stop.

The first measure of safety installed on all lifts and expansion cars, is called the expansion-bladder. (While named confusingly, this tool is not actually associated solely with ''expansion lifts,'' and is used on all sized lift cars).  

[[Image:Starbase13.jpg|thumb|right]]In normal functioning, small locks powered by the lift's main systems keep special compartments on the exterior of the lift closed. Should power fail, the spring-powered locks automatically disengage, opening compact compartments of densely-woven inflating bladders. These bladders also utilize the lift's power to ''not'' inflate, and thus when power fails, they expand and wedge between the lift, and the shaft wall. While not necessarily powerful enough to stop the lift quickly, they can slow the car's speed significantly over long distances, eventually causing it to stop due to lack of momentum. This system also accentuates the effects of the emergency braking systems.

In normal functioning, small locks powered by the starbase's main systems keep special compartments in the turbolift shaft walls closed. Should power fail, the spring-powered locks automatically disengage, opening compartments which house strong hooks tethered to tightly bound coils of "gum"-like cord. (The cord stretches great distances, but does not have the same "bounce" as elastic.) The hooks -- again, spring loaded -- slide into the path of the turbolifts and catch corresponding eye-hooks. When a turbolift is "caught" by one of the hooks, the tethers pull strongly against the coils slowly pull the lift to a stop. The coiled cords can give up to 2km worth of "give," depending on the turbolift shaft they service, to give the lifts ample time to slow without injuring passengers of the lift.