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The Black Mesa Transit System, or tram, was the extensive monorail network linking the many different Sectors of the Black Mesa Research Facility. The Transit System was the primary form of transportation throughout the facility, which uses the monorail system, a transportation system based on a single beam. Provided for the security, comfort, and convenience of the Black Mesa personnel, residents, and visitors,[1][2] it was managed by the Black Mesa Transit Authority.[2]
Overview[]
Each train consists of a single monorail car driven automatically. It includes seats, a wheelchair space, windows, speakers, and an electric door. There are a total of 32 trams in the facility.
The Transit System was prominently featured in Half-Life and its expansions. Black Mesa employees use it to travel from their dormitories to their workplace, do their laundry, entertain themselves in recreation areas, or eat in food courts.
The protagonists of the game use the Transit System before and after the Black Mesa Incident to get around the facility. Gordon Freeman and Barney Calhoun, for example, ride a tram to work from their dormitories shortly before the incident. Adrian Shephard also briefly hitches a ride on a damaged tram before being left behind by the USMC.
After the Black Mesa Incident, the majority of the Transit System was in shambles, thus preventing the majority of the personnel from using it, like Gordon Freeman.
The Black Mesa Transit System should not be confused with the Sector E Materials Transport, the dilapidated freight monorail network.
Lines and other areas[]
The network was divided into four colored lines linking the seven main Sectors, as well as other areas, and sub-lines. Each line serves three or four areas.[2]
Main colored lines[]
Red Line[]
Blue Line[]
Green Line[]
- Level 1 Main Facility Entrance
- Sector E Biodome Complex
- Area 7 Recreational Facilities
- Sector A Training Facility
Yellow Line[]
Sub-lines[]
Each Sector has apparently its line, a sub-line to the overall network. Only three are seen/mentioned during the games:
Sector B Line[]
A medium-security line where can be found the Area 9 Security Checkpoint, it was the line taken by Barney Calhoun from Area 8 Topside Dormitories through the East Personnel Entrance, and leading to Area 9 Central Transit Hub. Along Sector B Line can be seen a fast food outlet, a lab, and a lavomat.[2]
East Personnel Entrance[]
Connects Area 8 Topside Dormitories to the rest of the facility through the Transit System. Above it floats an orange flag of Black Mesa. Its name suggests there are other such entrances.[2]
Area 9 Security Checkpoint[]
Likely located not far from Area 9 Central Transit Hub, Area 9 Security Checkpoint is first seen during Barney Calhoun's tram ride at the start of Blue Shift. There Barney Calhoun leaves the line he took at Area 8 Topside Dormitories to the Sector C Line. Area 9 Security Checkpoint apparently acts as one of the many transit security checkpoints throughout the Transit System. Trams that pass through that checkpoint can be rerouted to the Sector B, C, and E Lines.[2]
Sector C Line[]
A medium-security line, it is connected to Area 9 Security Checkpoint, Level 3 Dormitories, Area 3 Medium Security Facilities, and Test Labs. Gordon Freeman and Barney Calhoun take it to reach their respective workplaces on the day of the Black Mesa Incident, Barney from Area 9 Security Checkpoint, Gordon from Level 3 Dormitories.[1][2] Before the Test Labs stop, the line passes beside another, leading to Level A of Sector E Subsurface Transport, and taken by Adrian Shephard after leaving the Infirmary.[3]
Sector E Line[]
Connected to Area 9 Security Checkpoint, it is located below the Sector B Line and above the Sector C Line. Its directions are unknown.[2]
Sector E Subsurface Transport[]
Level A of this Black Mesa Transit System section can be accessed from the Sector C Line, where the G-Man is first seen in Half-Life, and leads to an unnamed area where the first Shock Trooper and zombie security guards are encountered.[3]
Other[]
Area 9 Central Transit Hub[]
Also named "Area 9 Transit Hub",[2] Area 9 Central Transit Hub[1] is only mentioned and never actually visited. It was apparently the only Transit System station where high-security trains can be boarded. Area 9 Central Transit Hub is also the original final destination of the tram used by Barney Calhoun through the Sector B Line, before it was rerouted to the Sector C Line. It was connected to the Blue Line of the Black Mesa Transit System.[4]
Behind the scenes[]
Half-Life and Blue Shift start on a tram that the player cannot leave before reaching the intended destination. This obligatory ride is mostly used to slowly immerse the player into the universe. The path from the City 17 Trainstation to Kleiner's Lab in Half-Life 2 has a similar purpose, although in that case it was made so that the story would unfold at the player's own speed rather than on a fixed rail.[5] The two Pod rides in Our Benefactors serve a similar purpose in the Citadel.
Gallery[]
Half-Life[]
Half-Life: Opposing Force[]
Half-Life: Blue Shift[]
Half-Life: Decay[]
Trivia[]
- The start of Half Life where the transit system is first introduced is roughly 3 minutes long
- The introductory tram sequence is split across multiple maps, (probably) due to map size limitations in GoldSrc.
- Some models seen in the transit system are never used outside of it, such as Black Mesa Engineers
List of appearances[]
- Half-Life (First appearance)
- Half-Life: Opposing Force
- Half-Life: Blue Shift
- Half-Life: Decay
- Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
References[]
See also[]
The Half-Life Wiki has more images related to Black Mesa Transit System. |
Preceded by Level 3 Dormitories |
Half-Life story arc journey |
Succeeded by Sector C Test Labs |
Preceded by Black Mesa Medical Lab |
Half-Life: Opposing Force story arc journey |
Succeeded by Sector E Materials Transport |
Preceded by Area 8 Topside Dormitories |
Half-Life: Blue Shift story arc journey |
Succeeded by Area 3 Medium Security Facilities |
Preceded by Sector C Test Labs |
Half-Life: Decay story arc journey (1) |
Succeeded by Level 3 Dormitories |
Preceded by Level 3 Dormitories |
Half-Life: Decay story arc journey (2) |
Succeeded by Black Mesa Air Control |
Vehicles, vessels and transportation | |
---|---|
Black Mesa transportation | Black Mesa SUV • Black Mesa Transit System • Black Mesa truck |
Black Ops vehicles | AH-64 Apache • M35 cargo truck • V-22 Osprey (cut) |
HECU vehicles | AH-64 Apache • F-16 Fighting Falcon • M1A1 Abrams • M2A3 Bradley • M35 cargo truck • V-22 Osprey |
Combine vehicles | Advisor Platform • AirEx Truck (cut) • Armored Personnel Carrier • C-130 (cut) • Combine SWAT Truck (cut) • Hunter-Chopper • M2A3 Bradley (cut) • Merkava (cut) • Razor Train • School Bus (cut) • V-22 Osprey (cut) |
Resistance vehicles | Airboat • Borealis (cut) • C-130 (cut) • Jalopy (cut) • Jet Ski (cut) • Mil Mi-8 • Muscle Car • Scout Car • Submarine (cut) • V-22 Osprey (cut) |
Trainstations | City 17 Trainstation • Depot • Technical Trainstation |
Other | Borealis • Chevrolet Caprice (cut) • Digger (cut) • F-117 Nighthawk (cut) • Ford F-250 (cut) • GMC Vandura (cut) • Rail transport • Road transport |