StarRupture Rail System: How To Build Your First Automated Factory
Rails transform StarRupture from tedious hauling to automated production. Here's how to build rail networks, set up dispatchers, and avoid common mistakes.
Why Rails Are The Key To Scaling
I spent my first 5 hours manually moving items between machines. Then I built my first rail network and my production tripled overnight.
Rails move items automatically. A good rail network multiplies your effective output. A bad one creates bottlenecks worse than manual hauling.
Rail Tiers: Which One Do You Need?
Rail V1 handles 120 items/minute. Rail V2 does 240. Rail V3 reaches 480. Match your tier to your production—underbuilt rails waste smelter capacity.
Here's what I use at each stage:
- Rail V1 (120/min): Early game with 1-2 smelters
- Rail V2 (240/min): Mid game with 3-4 smelters
- Rail V3 (480/min): Late game full automation
How To Set Up Cargo Dispatchers
Dispatchers route items to the right machines. Without proper filters, items pile up or go to wrong destinations. I learned this after 2 hours of debugging.
Rule: every dispatcher needs clear input/output filters. No exceptions. "Any item" settings cause chaos.
Best Rail Layouts (Main Bus vs Spaghetti)
Start with a main bus design: one central line with branches to each machine. This scales cleanly when you add more production.
Avoid circular routes without buffers. They deadlock when storage fills up. I rebuilt my base twice learning this.
Related guides
StarRupture Pull System: How Logistics Actually Work
StarRupture uses pull-based logistics, not push. Understanding this changes how you design factories. Here's how pull requests work and common mistakes to avoid.