Old Technology, New Again

Last article we travelled to the Moon alongside the Artemis II crew. This article builds on a similar idea, exploring how past technologies may not disappear—but instead find new purpose in the future.

I write a kind of science fiction often referred to as hard science fiction, where the goal is to create a world grounded in believable science and technology. This requires a great deal of research, and sometimes that research leads to unexpected discoveries.

While exploring transportation between settlements on airless worlds, I realized something surprising. For shorter distances, the most practical solution might not be some futuristic invention—but a very old idea.

The train.

At first, I considered shuttles and hovercraft. But nothing matched how well a maglev (magnetic levitation) train fits this environment. While modern maglev systems are relatively recent (developed in the 20th century), the idea of guided transport along a track goes back centuries—and even millennia if we consider early track-based movement systems.

Maglev trains themselves are among the most advanced rail technologies today. They use magnetic forces to lift and propel the train, eliminating friction from wheels. Operational systems today exceed 400 km/h, with test speeds reaching over 600 km/h.

At those speeds, a journey of 50 km could take only a few minutes.

Of course, when predicting the future, many possibilities exist. But as with all In 100 Years articles, the goal is not to predict—but to explore realistic possibilities. And in this case, the idea is both practical and fascinating.

Trains have always held a certain appeal for me. Even today, you might find me pausing to watch a GO Train or a long CN freight train pass by. There is something enduring about them—simple, reliable, and deeply connected to how we’ve built our world.

Today, trains come in many forms, but maglev represents one of the most advanced. Yet despite this, trains have largely taken a secondary role in many countries, especially compared to automobiles.

Here in Canada, trains are often seen as a more luxury or even romantic way to travel. However, they are still heavily used. In the Greater Toronto Area alone, GO Transit carries hundreds of thousands of passengers daily. Still, this is far fewer than the number of people relying on personal vehicles.

But this balance may not remain the same.

As our planet becomes more crowded, and as we prioritize preserving natural spaces, the cost—both financial and environmental—of personal vehicles may continue to rise. What we now consider a convenience may slowly become a luxury.

In contrast, trains offer:

• High passenger capacity
• Efficient land use
• Lower energy consumption per person
• Strong environmental advantages

We are already seeing this shift in parts of the world. Countries like India rely heavily on rail as a primary mode of transportation, moving millions of people daily. Across Europe and parts of Asia, high-speed rail networks are not just common—they are essential infrastructure.

It is not difficult to imagine countries like Canada gradually moving in that direction.

Now, let’s return to the original question: transportation on airless worlds like the Moon.

Here, trains make even more sense.

Creating individual pressurized vehicles for every person would be extremely expensive and introduce significant safety risks. A train, however, allows for:

• A single controlled, pressurized environment
• Shared life-support systems
• Greater safety through redundancy

Modern trains are already built in segmented cars. In a lunar environment, each section could function as an independent pressurized compartment. If one section fails, passengers could move safely to another.

When designing this for my own writing, I took the idea further.

Beneath the tracks, I imagined maintenance tunnels. These would serve routine upkeep—but also act as emergency systems.

These tunnels could:

• Provide safe evacuation routes
• Store emergency equipment
• Maintain independent communication systems
• Connect settlements with power, oxygen, and water

In effect, the train line becomes more than transportation. It becomes a lifeline between settlements.

Compared to hovercraft or fusion-powered shuttles, trains offer significant advantages:

• Lower energy requirements
• Power supplied directly from infrastructure (such as solar grids)
• Higher passenger capacity
• Predictable and controlled movement

Even in worst-case scenarios, a maglev train losing power would simply settle onto its guideway. Emergency braking systems could be built directly into the track, safely slowing the train without relying on onboard power.

Most importantly, trains follow a fixed path.

Unlike airborne vehicles, which risk catastrophic loss of control, a train’s path can be engineered to avoid direct impact with settlements—even in failure scenarios.

While air-based transport may remain faster, the difference becomes less meaningful at high speeds. A future maglev reaching 800 km/h could cover hundreds of kilometres in minutes. The time saved by faster flight becomes marginal compared to the gains in safety and efficiency.

A Glimpse Forward

Let us continue the story from the last article. Imagine a family finishing a day at a low-gravity theme park on the Moon. Instead of returning home to Earth, they decide to spend the weekend at a resort across the lunar surface.

They arrive at the station.

At first glance, it looks familiar. A busy space filled with people, softly lit, filled with conversation. Displays show arrival times and destinations. It feels like any major station on Earth.

But where the tracks would be, there is a sealed wall lined with pressurized doors.

The train arrives unseen behind it.

Moments later, the doors open.

Passengers move forward into the train’s cabins.

Inside, the layout is familiar. Rows of seats. Handholds. Families sitting together. The design hasn’t changed much—because it didn’t need to.

As the train departs, the station wall gives way to something extraordinary.

The Moon’s surface stretches endlessly outside the window. Stars burn sharply in the sky, unobstructed by atmosphere. In the distance, Earth hangs in the darkness.

Within minutes, they arrive at the next station—50 kilometres away.

The journey is so smooth, so quick, it barely feels like travel at all.

After only 25 minutes, the family has crossed over 200 kilometres and arrives at their destination.

The experience feels familiar.

And yet, it exists in a place humanity once thought unreachable.

The future is unwritten, but we can always choose hope.