Summary
Despite taking place in a world where most of its citizens are still traveling by wooden boats and ships, there are actually quite a few advanced technologies inOne Piece.Unfortunately, most of these technologies are either monopolized by the World Government, such ascyborgs and lasersor kept secret by private entities, such as Germa 66’s Raid Suits.
Fortunately, there is a piece of technology that is not only available to the public, but it has also elevated the lives of thousands of people who have access to this invention. This technology is none other than the Water 7’s Sea Trains. So let’s use this chance to talk more about this interesting invention. From what it is, how it works, and its origin story, here’s all you need to know about the magnificent Sea Train.
What is the Sea Train?
The Sea Train is a massive train that runs on the surface of the ocean. The train’s big and loud steam-powered engine gives its locomotive the force needed to drag the carriages, each bigger thanthe Straw Hats’ Going Merry,and break through the waves as it moved at a speed that wooden ships could only dream of. Needless to say, it can carry not only people but also precious cargo like food, wood, and even boats.
Despite looking like a 19th-century steam train, the sea train has several key designs that make it different from its land counterpart. Instead of regular steel wheels, the sea train uses high-powered paddle wheels to move its giant body. Furthermore, the lower part of the locomotive and the carriages is basically a modified version of a ship’s hull, allowing the sea train to glide through the ocean with ease.
Just like a regular train, the sea train also moves on top of a railroad. This railroad is designed to float just below the surface of the ocean. Since the railwaymoves together with the sea tides and currentsinstead of resisting them, it makes it less prone to damage, thus increasing its longevity. Interestingly, the sea train isn’t really attached to the tracks. The railroad is there to ensure the sea train stays on a predetermined route, just like using a rope to pull a boat.
The Sea Trains connect Water 7 with its neighboring islands. It has stations in the gourmet city of Pucci, the town of spring queen called St. Poplar, the carnival town of San Faldo, and the center of the World Government, the Enies Lobby.
The Threat of Aqua Laguna
The current Water 7 is a prosperous and beautiful city,but that wasn’t always the case. Several decades before the story, Water 7 was nearly bankrupted and drowned. You see, Water 7 has always been the hub for the shipbuilding industry. This is the place where people from all over the world come to fix or build their ships. Be it the Marines, merchants, or even Pirates, everybody comes to Water 7. However, since Water 7 is a city built on top of the ocean, it doesn’t have any natural resources to speak of. This means this city is highly dependent on trade with other cities.
Unfortunately,a natural phenomenon called the Aqua Lagunaappeared every year in Water 7. In the simplest terms, Aqua Laguna is a massive tsunami that not only attacks Water 7 but also leaves a high flood that drowns the lower parts of the city in its wake. During this terrible period, no ship could come near Water 7, making it nearly impossible to conduct trade with the outside world.
A couple of decades ago, Aqua Laguna began to noticeably get worse every year, which made it even harder for the people in Water 7, especially those who worked in the shipbuilding industry, to survive. No visitors meant no clients. No clients meant no income. No income meant a decrease in the overall quality of life. As if that’s not bad enough, the increasingly severe flood also meant that Water 7 was slowly but surely swallowed by the ocean.
The Creation of the Sea Train
During those troubling periods, chaos and criminal activity spread throughout Water 7. Thankfully, a legendary shipwright named Tom rose to the challenge and offered a solution to this problem. Tom was the shipwright who built theOro Jackson, the legendary ship of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.That alone was enough to make the people of Water 7 listen and trust Tom’s proposal.
The solution that Tom came up with was the Sea Train. It took Tom and his two disciples,Iceburg and Franky,ten years to design, build, and test the sea train until it was ready to be used commercially. An additional four years were needed to build the railways to connect all the stations. They built a prototype called the “Rocketman” first, but the final version that is still running to this day is called the “Puffing Tom''.
Initially, many people were skeptical about the safety of the sea train. Their main concerns were the ferocious Sea Kings that live around Water 7, and the aforementioned Aqua Laguna. Naturally, a legendary shipwright like Tom had already considered all of these variables in his design.
For the Sea Kings,the roaring sound of the sea train’s steam engine is loud enough to drive the Sea Kings, or any other sea creatures for that matter, away from the railway. Besides, the sea train is built like a tank, which means any creature that is unfortunate enough to come in contact with a moving sea train would only hurt itself without causing any meaningful damage to the train’s body. On that note, the sea train’s speed, durability, and moving tracks have also been proven effective against the power of an Aqua Laguna. The Puffing Tom can ride those massive waves like a rollercoaster. That being said, the people who run the sea train will still advise against traveling during such a dangerous situation.
The Sea Train has single-handedly saved Water 7 and its people from total downfall. This invention enabled the easy movement of goods and people, which boosted the economy, prompted the city’s development, and increased the overall prosperity of Water 7. This city wouldn’t be a metropolis like it is today without the Puffing Tom. That’s why the shipwright Tom will be forever remembered as the savior of Water 7.
