Cargo is an upcoming Minecraft mod for Fabric 1.19.3+, adding multi-block trains in a vanilla-friendly style. Currently, the mod is in early stages of development, and many features are still incomplete. The planned features for the first release are listed here.
Train tracks resemble a larger version of minecart rails, with three differences:
- Placement is on an eight-direction grid as opposed to the four possible directions of minecart rails, meaning that tracks can be placed diagonally relative to the block grid
- Slopes are relatively gradual, covering three blocks of horizontal distance for every block of vertical distance
- Junctions and redstone-controlled switches can be placed to control complicated track intersections
The system is designed with the goal of not making minecart rails obsolete, and as such, the two have semi-distinct use cases. Minecarts will still have the advantage for short-range transportation of small amounts of goods, due to the cheapness of placement and the ease of navigating tight spaces and sharp bends. Trains, however will have a distinct advantage for long-range transportation, due to higher capacity and higher speed.
Status: Track placement works fairly well, apart from a few significant bugs with switches. Entity movement following tracks is currently unimplemented.
The base of any train car is an undercarriage, which is placed along a straight track with wheels and couplers on each end, anywhere from four to twelve blocks long. The undercarriage provides a two-block-wide building surface centered above the tracks, meaning a half-block offset from the usual placement grid.
Status: The offset building surface mostly works, and a test of the entity conversion method was successful. Some textures are placeholders.
A basic locomotive that consumes coal, similar to a furnace minecart. The number of boiler blocks making up the locomotive defines the maximum speed.
Status: unimplemented.
A basic freight car that acts as a mobile storage unit. Each hull block making up the boxcar provides nine slots of storage. Ideal for base relocations and for carrying the less common products of large mining trips.
Status: the hull blocks are in the game but do not have inventories.
A freight car with three times the storage density of a boxcar, with the tradeoff that it can only carry one item. Ideal for carrying the most common products of large mining trips, or for whenever a huge amount of a specific item is needed. A roof block can be used for making covered hopper cars.
Status: the basic hull blocks are in the game but do not have inventories and do not correctly set their blockstates when placed. Textures are placeholders. The roof blocks are unimplemented.
A freight car for transporting fluids. Each hull block making up the tank car provides 27 buckets of capacity.
Status: the hull blocks are in the game but do not have inventories. Textures are placeholders.
- Diesel locomotives and redstone locomotives are planned, along with corresponding power sources.
- Passenger cars are planned but not guaranteed.
- Other types of vehicle are also planned, including bicycles, motorcycles, cars, and trucks.
- Construction cranes are planned as a means of moving blocks, including shipping containers to be moved on and off trucks and flatbed trains.