Minecart Mechanics

ℹ️ Notice: This page is a work in progress

Intro

While how Minecarts work in Alpha 1.2.6 is mostly identical to modern versions, the CraftBook plugin makes drastic changes to minecart mechanics, all of which this page will aim to document.

Stations

A sign of a station

Stations will stop any minecart's passing over them and, when powered using redstone, give them a large boost.
To make a station, simply:

1. Write [Station] on the second line of a sign facing in the direction you wish the station to propel a Minecart in
   
2. Place an obsidian block on top of the sign, and
   
3. Place a rain atop the obsidian block.
   

If the sign, obsidian block or rail is powered by a line of redstone, the Minecart will receive a large boost.

An image showcasing A 2-way station (green indicates the way the stations are facing

How To Construct A 2-Way Station

The main limitation of stations is the fact they are only one way, however this can be mitigated using the following simple setup: This works due to the fact that, to receive the previously mentioned boost, the station does not have to be directly powered meaning line of redstone can power both stations.

Boosters

Vanilla Boosters

While it is possible to make a variety of boosters that propel a minecart using other minecarts, they tend to be finicky and cost a lot of resources.

File:Hole booster.png

A low-cost booster

It should however be noted that changes in elevation will increase the speed of a minecart (this includes going up a slope, though having a slight amount of speed already is necessary).
This means that using either (at least) a 2-long 1-deep hole or a single elevated block on the track which the rails travel across will create a low-cost booster that can slightly increase the speed of Minecart.