The 20-T Railcrawler conveyex transport, also known as the ATD-C45, or simply the conveyex[4] was a model of heavily armored cargo train manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards.[1] It saw action during the reign of the Galactic Empire.[5]
For rapid transport of special cargo across surface distances on frontier worlds, the Empire used heavily armored conveyex vehicles that could travel along rails winding through treacherous terrains.[4] Unlike other train systems, however, conveyex systems use narrow, seemingly endless link belts similar to tank treads, rather than steel wheels and tracks.[3]
It had several high-security containers that were only accessible with quantum-switch code keys, which contained shape-shifting data lattices and contact terminals, and signatures of their wearers. For example the container ICC-5537 once carried 400 kilograms of the hyperfuel coaxium. They were sometimes guarded by range troopers to protect valuable freight.[5] Conveyex transports were a large target for criminals and train robbers, though an assault on one typically resulted in the criminals' destruction.[3]
During this time, a conveyex on the planet Vandor was carrying freight that Han Solo sought to steal in order to prove his skills.[2] Due to the Empire being focused on security over scenery, the train lacked windows save for narrow, grilled viewing points atop the drive chain at the front. In addition, the train was split into three portions: The powerful main drive engine, a series of standard intermodal cargo containers, and a caboose with stabilizer bars and cannon turrets at the rear. Due to Vandor's deliberate inaccessibility for normal supply deliveries for security purposes, the conveyex acted as the only way to deliver various supplies between Imperial installations.[5]
Behind the scenes
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The 20-T Railcrawler conveyex transport, simply referred as "Imperial train" in the film's script, was designed by the Lucasfilm Ltd. design supervisor James Clyne.[6] Two early influences for the transport were the hard-angled and armor-plated World War II–era German army trains known as Panzerzugs and the British Mark I and V Tanks, while the train engine car's design was inspired by the AT-AT and AT-ST walker "heads" featured in the Star Wars original trilogy and the 2016 Star Wars Anthology film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.[7]
AppearancesEdit
- Star Wars Battlefront II (Mentioned only)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story (First appearance)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition
- Solo: A Star Wars Story: Meet the Crew
- Solo: A Star Wars Story: Train Heist
- Solo: A Star Wars Story Adaptation 2
Non-canon appearancesEdit
SourcesEdit
Notes and referencesEdit
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Best in the Galaxy Sweepstakes—Customize your Solo: A Star Wars Story-inspired Nissan. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Breznican, Anthony (2018-02-07). Solo: A Star Wars Story soars on this week's EW cover. Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 16, 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Starships and Speeders
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Conveyex in the Databank (backup link)
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Solo: A Star Wars Story The Official Guide
- ↑ Designing Solo: A Star Wars Story, Part 3: Pulling Off the Train Heist on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story
External linksEdit
- Solo: A Star Wars Story soars on this week's EW cover (backup link) (First identified as 20-T Railcrawler conveyex transport)
- Solo: A Star Wars Story: New images and insight (backup link)
