3105: Interoperability

2025-06-21T02:46:02Z

THE WORLD EATER: /* typo: compatability --> compatibility */

{{comic
| number = 3105
| date = June 20, 2025
| title = Interoperability
| image = interoperability_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x269px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = We're getting a lot of complaints from commuters who were routed onto a coaster, but the theme park patrons who spent hours stuck on an intercity line are also not happy.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a LOST ROLLER COASTER RIDER. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

[[Black Hat]] gives a presentation regarding the existence of two standards: US rail systems predominantly have a {{w|Track gauge in the United States|143.5cm gauge}}, and {{w|Rapid transit|subway systems}} and their cars are naturally built to match this standard. Meanwhile 'many' {{w|roller coaster}} tracks, and their cars, are said to use a 110cm gauge. The two standards are not compatible, without {{w|Dual gauge|some additional engineering}}; subway cars could not travel on roller coaster tracks, and vice versa, even assuming you solved {{w|List of steepest gradients on adhesion railways|other issue}}.

However, Black Hat has professed to make changes to roller coasters such that they now conform to the subway standard (i.e. 143.5cm gauge). This seemingly is Phase One of a plan, for which there is a further phase to come. No details of Phase Two are forthcoming. But, at face value, it may superficially allow subway cars to ride on roller coaster tracks ''and/or'' roller coaster cars to ride through subway systems, apparently in the name of {{w|interoperability}} and compatibility. Black Hat's plans to quietly connect the two, leading to various unexpected surprises.

[[Cueball]] and [[Hairbun]] are the apparently unwitting audience to Black Hat's presentation, and one of them (from off-panel) objects by stating that interoperability isn't ''necessarily'' a good thing, recognising where the plan is heading. Black Hat suggests that it would be fine as long as they listened to the destination announcement, which certainly confirms the above speculative continuation of the plan.

The title text confirms that ''both'' reapplications of railcars are being used. There are commuters who find themselves traveling upon a coaster; their exact problems are not stated, but they could range from merely not reaching their intended destination to suffering unexpectedly extreme {{w|g-force}}, if not both simultaneously.

Furthermore, those expecting to experience a theme park ride were probably ''expecting'' a short period of exciting g-forces, and expecting to return to at least within a short walk of where they initially boarded, but find themselves outside the theme park, spending hours on an intercity line and ''not'' moving much at all. (Noting that a subway line would also not usually be expected to travel between cities, unless serving a {{w|conurbation}}, but at least the interoperability of subway rail and wider rail systems ''might'' be expected, so long as the {{w|Third rail|appropriate infrastructure}} and track links can be made compatible.) Some part of this might be that the roller coaster cars will come to a stop (in the case of {{w|Physics of roller coasters#Energy|gravity coasters}}, where the cars aren't self-propelled), which may lead to the patrons being unable to leave the cars safely and will lead to the blockage of the route.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
: [A close-up shot of Black Hat from the shoulders up]
: Black Hat: Compatibility and interoperability are so important.

: [A zoom out reveals that Black Hat is standing in front of and pointing at a diagram showing a commuter subway car and a rollercoaster car, and the tracks they both run on. Standing next to him are Cueball and Hairbun]
: Black Hat: For example, most subway rails are 143.5 cm apart. But many roller coasters use a narrower 110 cm gauge.

: [This panel shows only Black Hat]
: Black Hat: For the last few years, our company has been quietly retrofitting roller coasters to use 143.5 cm tracks.

: [Black Hat now has his fists raised]
: Black Hat: Soon, we can begin phase 2.
: Voice from off-panel: Maybe interoperability is actually bad.
: Black Hat: If you listen to the destination announcement while boarding, you'll be fine.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category: Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category: Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category: Comics featuring Hairbun]]

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3105: Interoperability