19th-Century Stagecoach
19th-Century Stagecoach
On the Coach Across America
Stagecoaches travel an average of 8 miles an hour (top speed is about 15 miles an hour), and can cover 100-125 miles a day. Every 10-12 miles, the coach stops at a station to change horses, and the travelers stretch their legs or brave the notoriously bad food offered at some stations: coffee, some kind of preserved meat, and beans, always beans. Passengers usually try to sleep sitting up in the coach – the journey goes on day and night. Most trips are extremely uncomfortable (due to the weather, the roads, the food, and quite often, an annoying fellow traveler) and very boring, but blizzards, runaway horse teams, robberies, and the occasional Indian attack make some journeys more exciting...
At TL5, a stagecoach is an enclosed four-wheeled carriage with rugged spring suspension, drawn by four to six horses. The driver stops periodically at staging posts to change horses. Stagecoaches traveling along regular routes were used in Europe starting in the 17th century, but became especially popular in the late 18th century. In Britain, they officially carried the Royal Mail from 1784, which led to the term "mail coach." Similar arrangements existed elsewhere in Europe. Stagecoaches began crisscrossing the American West with passengers, mail, and gold in the mid-19th century.
Stagecoaches offer many adventure possibilities. In both Europe and the Old West, the coach was for a long time the only way to cover vast distances swiftly if you didn't have your own transportation. In Britain, many young nobles became coach drivers after gambling away their fortune, as it was a profession that could offer a cash-strapped gentleman nation-wide renown. In the Old West, flamboyant drivers could likewise become famous – consider Wyatt Earp! Being a Royal Mail guard or a Wells, Fargo messenger was another exciting and reasonably well-paid, if dangerous, job ... and robbing a bullion-laden stagecoach has its own gaming opportunities. An entire campaign might revolve around a coach's crew and passengers; see the film Stagecoach for inspiration.
A stagecoach driver requires Teamster (Equines). The mail guard or express messenger "riding shotgun" needs Guns – and will find the Mounted Shooting technique useful. Both often know Mechanic (Carriage).
| TL | Vehicle | ST/HP | Hnd/SR | HT | Move | LWt. | Load | SM | Occ. | DR | Range | Cost | Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Concord Stagecoach | 54† | -2/3 | 12c | 4/8* | 2.3 | 1.1 | +3 | 1+10 | 2 | F | $4,400 | 6D2E4W |
Abbot-Downing Concord (USA, 1827-1899)
This famous vehicle was made in Concord, New Hampshire. It was without a doubt the premier American stagecoach. Over 3,000 Concord coaches were built.
The brightly colored coach body hangs on two leather straps attached to the carriage frame, giving a reasonably smooth ride over almost any road. Inside, two long, cushioned seats face each other from the front and rear, with a removable, backless leather bench in between. Each row seats three passengers, for a total of nine – although six is more usual, and even that means a claustrophobic ride! Only the windows in the side doors are glazed; canvas or leather curtains cover the others in bad weather.
The driver and express messenger sit on the box up front. This holds tools, a water bucket, and the 25-lb. strongbox (DR 10, holds 0.5 to 0.75 cubic feet of valuables). There's sometimes an external seat for three more passengers on the roof behind the driver. A large rear boot carries the passengers' baggage, express packages, and the mail.