Short story about cities being connected by a conveyor belt
This is a short story (definitely not a novella) set in 'the future' where cities are connected by massive conveyor belts that people hop on/off and one of them breaks down or gets damaged. I think there's a scene set in a diner. I believe the story was from the 40s or 50s. It was on an audio book I had back in the mid 90s.
story-identification short-stories
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
add a comment |
This is a short story (definitely not a novella) set in 'the future' where cities are connected by massive conveyor belts that people hop on/off and one of them breaks down or gets damaged. I think there's a scene set in a diner. I believe the story was from the 40s or 50s. It was on an audio book I had back in the mid 90s.
story-identification short-stories
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
8
There is also scene with pedestrian conveyor belts in Asimov's The Caves of Steel.
– Mr Lister
Mar 8 at 9:54
5
Pedestrian conveyor belts with parallel bands of different speed - basically, rolling roads - were first described in fiction in H.G. Wells' 1899 novel When the Sleeper Wakes. It is likely that Heinlein and Asimov got their inspiration from that much-underrated novel.
– Klaus Æ. Mogensen
Mar 8 at 10:48
1
There is a large network of pedestrian conveyor belts with different speeds also in 1987's Isaac Asimov's Robot City (warning: not actually written by Asimov). I think in Volume 3.
– Federico Poloni
Mar 9 at 13:49
add a comment |
This is a short story (definitely not a novella) set in 'the future' where cities are connected by massive conveyor belts that people hop on/off and one of them breaks down or gets damaged. I think there's a scene set in a diner. I believe the story was from the 40s or 50s. It was on an audio book I had back in the mid 90s.
story-identification short-stories
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
This is a short story (definitely not a novella) set in 'the future' where cities are connected by massive conveyor belts that people hop on/off and one of them breaks down or gets damaged. I think there's a scene set in a diner. I believe the story was from the 40s or 50s. It was on an audio book I had back in the mid 90s.
story-identification short-stories
story-identification short-stories
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
edited Mar 8 at 11:25
Seamusthedog
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
asked Mar 8 at 8:12
SeamusthedogSeamusthedog
1,2772522
1,2772522
8
There is also scene with pedestrian conveyor belts in Asimov's The Caves of Steel.
– Mr Lister
Mar 8 at 9:54
5
Pedestrian conveyor belts with parallel bands of different speed - basically, rolling roads - were first described in fiction in H.G. Wells' 1899 novel When the Sleeper Wakes. It is likely that Heinlein and Asimov got their inspiration from that much-underrated novel.
– Klaus Æ. Mogensen
Mar 8 at 10:48
1
There is a large network of pedestrian conveyor belts with different speeds also in 1987's Isaac Asimov's Robot City (warning: not actually written by Asimov). I think in Volume 3.
– Federico Poloni
Mar 9 at 13:49
add a comment |
8
There is also scene with pedestrian conveyor belts in Asimov's The Caves of Steel.
– Mr Lister
Mar 8 at 9:54
5
Pedestrian conveyor belts with parallel bands of different speed - basically, rolling roads - were first described in fiction in H.G. Wells' 1899 novel When the Sleeper Wakes. It is likely that Heinlein and Asimov got their inspiration from that much-underrated novel.
– Klaus Æ. Mogensen
Mar 8 at 10:48
1
There is a large network of pedestrian conveyor belts with different speeds also in 1987's Isaac Asimov's Robot City (warning: not actually written by Asimov). I think in Volume 3.
– Federico Poloni
Mar 9 at 13:49
8
8
There is also scene with pedestrian conveyor belts in Asimov's The Caves of Steel.
– Mr Lister
Mar 8 at 9:54
There is also scene with pedestrian conveyor belts in Asimov's The Caves of Steel.
– Mr Lister
Mar 8 at 9:54
5
5
Pedestrian conveyor belts with parallel bands of different speed - basically, rolling roads - were first described in fiction in H.G. Wells' 1899 novel When the Sleeper Wakes. It is likely that Heinlein and Asimov got their inspiration from that much-underrated novel.
– Klaus Æ. Mogensen
Mar 8 at 10:48
Pedestrian conveyor belts with parallel bands of different speed - basically, rolling roads - were first described in fiction in H.G. Wells' 1899 novel When the Sleeper Wakes. It is likely that Heinlein and Asimov got their inspiration from that much-underrated novel.
– Klaus Æ. Mogensen
Mar 8 at 10:48
1
1
There is a large network of pedestrian conveyor belts with different speeds also in 1987's Isaac Asimov's Robot City (warning: not actually written by Asimov). I think in Volume 3.
– Federico Poloni
Mar 9 at 13:49
There is a large network of pedestrian conveyor belts with different speeds also in 1987's Isaac Asimov's Robot City (warning: not actually written by Asimov). I think in Volume 3.
– Federico Poloni
Mar 9 at 13:49
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
I agree with Mike Stone's answer that this is most likely "The Roads Must Roll" (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein. However, considering you listened to it as an audio book there is a chance you may have actually listened to one of the radio shows that played it, either Dimension X (1950 - 1951) (episode aired 1950) or X Minus One (1955 - 1958) (episode aired 1956). Both of which are free to listen to online publicly.
In the first section of the narrative, the protagonist Larry Gaines is entertaining Mr. Blenkinsop, an Australian who is looking into Road technology on behalf of his government. Gaines's explanation of the Road machinery to Blenkinsop is a device to bring the reader into the world of the Roads.
Larry Gaines, Chief Engineer of the Diego-Reno roadtown, is dining with a guest from Australia, Mr. Blenkinsop, in a moving restaurant on the road, when one of the moving sidewalk strips unexpectedly stops. This causes a chain reaction of people falling from the stopped strip onto the fast moving strips next to it, and vice versa. The entire length of the Road becomes a scene of carnage. Gaines learns that the stoppage was sabotage and that the technicians who maintain the Stockton section of the road are responsible. They have been persuaded by a radical social theory, Functionalism, that their role in maintaining the nation's transport infrastructure is more important than that of any other workers and that they should therefore be in control. Blenkinsop is left behind at one of Road stations as Gaines takes charge of the advance on the Stockton office.
There is a brief summary for the X Minus One episode which outlines the basics of the story:
Story of future transportation when rolling roads move people and goods, and the men who take care of them. The script is by Ernest Kinoy. The cast includes Wendell Holmes, Ralph Belland many more. Writer: Robert Heinlein
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
add a comment |
Almost certainly Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll". Actually the road doesn't actually break, but is just brought to an abrupt stop, but there are still casualties.
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "186"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fscifi.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f206875%2fshort-story-about-cities-being-connected-by-a-conveyor-belt%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I agree with Mike Stone's answer that this is most likely "The Roads Must Roll" (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein. However, considering you listened to it as an audio book there is a chance you may have actually listened to one of the radio shows that played it, either Dimension X (1950 - 1951) (episode aired 1950) or X Minus One (1955 - 1958) (episode aired 1956). Both of which are free to listen to online publicly.
In the first section of the narrative, the protagonist Larry Gaines is entertaining Mr. Blenkinsop, an Australian who is looking into Road technology on behalf of his government. Gaines's explanation of the Road machinery to Blenkinsop is a device to bring the reader into the world of the Roads.
Larry Gaines, Chief Engineer of the Diego-Reno roadtown, is dining with a guest from Australia, Mr. Blenkinsop, in a moving restaurant on the road, when one of the moving sidewalk strips unexpectedly stops. This causes a chain reaction of people falling from the stopped strip onto the fast moving strips next to it, and vice versa. The entire length of the Road becomes a scene of carnage. Gaines learns that the stoppage was sabotage and that the technicians who maintain the Stockton section of the road are responsible. They have been persuaded by a radical social theory, Functionalism, that their role in maintaining the nation's transport infrastructure is more important than that of any other workers and that they should therefore be in control. Blenkinsop is left behind at one of Road stations as Gaines takes charge of the advance on the Stockton office.
There is a brief summary for the X Minus One episode which outlines the basics of the story:
Story of future transportation when rolling roads move people and goods, and the men who take care of them. The script is by Ernest Kinoy. The cast includes Wendell Holmes, Ralph Belland many more. Writer: Robert Heinlein
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
add a comment |
I agree with Mike Stone's answer that this is most likely "The Roads Must Roll" (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein. However, considering you listened to it as an audio book there is a chance you may have actually listened to one of the radio shows that played it, either Dimension X (1950 - 1951) (episode aired 1950) or X Minus One (1955 - 1958) (episode aired 1956). Both of which are free to listen to online publicly.
In the first section of the narrative, the protagonist Larry Gaines is entertaining Mr. Blenkinsop, an Australian who is looking into Road technology on behalf of his government. Gaines's explanation of the Road machinery to Blenkinsop is a device to bring the reader into the world of the Roads.
Larry Gaines, Chief Engineer of the Diego-Reno roadtown, is dining with a guest from Australia, Mr. Blenkinsop, in a moving restaurant on the road, when one of the moving sidewalk strips unexpectedly stops. This causes a chain reaction of people falling from the stopped strip onto the fast moving strips next to it, and vice versa. The entire length of the Road becomes a scene of carnage. Gaines learns that the stoppage was sabotage and that the technicians who maintain the Stockton section of the road are responsible. They have been persuaded by a radical social theory, Functionalism, that their role in maintaining the nation's transport infrastructure is more important than that of any other workers and that they should therefore be in control. Blenkinsop is left behind at one of Road stations as Gaines takes charge of the advance on the Stockton office.
There is a brief summary for the X Minus One episode which outlines the basics of the story:
Story of future transportation when rolling roads move people and goods, and the men who take care of them. The script is by Ernest Kinoy. The cast includes Wendell Holmes, Ralph Belland many more. Writer: Robert Heinlein
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
add a comment |
I agree with Mike Stone's answer that this is most likely "The Roads Must Roll" (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein. However, considering you listened to it as an audio book there is a chance you may have actually listened to one of the radio shows that played it, either Dimension X (1950 - 1951) (episode aired 1950) or X Minus One (1955 - 1958) (episode aired 1956). Both of which are free to listen to online publicly.
In the first section of the narrative, the protagonist Larry Gaines is entertaining Mr. Blenkinsop, an Australian who is looking into Road technology on behalf of his government. Gaines's explanation of the Road machinery to Blenkinsop is a device to bring the reader into the world of the Roads.
Larry Gaines, Chief Engineer of the Diego-Reno roadtown, is dining with a guest from Australia, Mr. Blenkinsop, in a moving restaurant on the road, when one of the moving sidewalk strips unexpectedly stops. This causes a chain reaction of people falling from the stopped strip onto the fast moving strips next to it, and vice versa. The entire length of the Road becomes a scene of carnage. Gaines learns that the stoppage was sabotage and that the technicians who maintain the Stockton section of the road are responsible. They have been persuaded by a radical social theory, Functionalism, that their role in maintaining the nation's transport infrastructure is more important than that of any other workers and that they should therefore be in control. Blenkinsop is left behind at one of Road stations as Gaines takes charge of the advance on the Stockton office.
There is a brief summary for the X Minus One episode which outlines the basics of the story:
Story of future transportation when rolling roads move people and goods, and the men who take care of them. The script is by Ernest Kinoy. The cast includes Wendell Holmes, Ralph Belland many more. Writer: Robert Heinlein
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
I agree with Mike Stone's answer that this is most likely "The Roads Must Roll" (1940) by Robert A. Heinlein. However, considering you listened to it as an audio book there is a chance you may have actually listened to one of the radio shows that played it, either Dimension X (1950 - 1951) (episode aired 1950) or X Minus One (1955 - 1958) (episode aired 1956). Both of which are free to listen to online publicly.
In the first section of the narrative, the protagonist Larry Gaines is entertaining Mr. Blenkinsop, an Australian who is looking into Road technology on behalf of his government. Gaines's explanation of the Road machinery to Blenkinsop is a device to bring the reader into the world of the Roads.
Larry Gaines, Chief Engineer of the Diego-Reno roadtown, is dining with a guest from Australia, Mr. Blenkinsop, in a moving restaurant on the road, when one of the moving sidewalk strips unexpectedly stops. This causes a chain reaction of people falling from the stopped strip onto the fast moving strips next to it, and vice versa. The entire length of the Road becomes a scene of carnage. Gaines learns that the stoppage was sabotage and that the technicians who maintain the Stockton section of the road are responsible. They have been persuaded by a radical social theory, Functionalism, that their role in maintaining the nation's transport infrastructure is more important than that of any other workers and that they should therefore be in control. Blenkinsop is left behind at one of Road stations as Gaines takes charge of the advance on the Stockton office.
There is a brief summary for the X Minus One episode which outlines the basics of the story:
Story of future transportation when rolling roads move people and goods, and the men who take care of them. The script is by Ernest Kinoy. The cast includes Wendell Holmes, Ralph Belland many more. Writer: Robert Heinlein
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
edited Mar 8 at 11:24
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 9:27
TheLethalCarrotTheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
46.7k17248296
add a comment |
add a comment |
Almost certainly Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll". Actually the road doesn't actually break, but is just brought to an abrupt stop, but there are still casualties.
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
add a comment |
Almost certainly Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll". Actually the road doesn't actually break, but is just brought to an abrupt stop, but there are still casualties.
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
add a comment |
Almost certainly Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll". Actually the road doesn't actually break, but is just brought to an abrupt stop, but there are still casualties.
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
Almost certainly Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll". Actually the road doesn't actually break, but is just brought to an abrupt stop, but there are still casualties.
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
edited Mar 8 at 9:09
TheLethalCarrot
46.7k17248296
46.7k17248296
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
answered Mar 8 at 8:38
Mike StoneMike Stone
5,24011440
5,24011440
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fscifi.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f206875%2fshort-story-about-cities-being-connected-by-a-conveyor-belt%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
8
There is also scene with pedestrian conveyor belts in Asimov's The Caves of Steel.
– Mr Lister
Mar 8 at 9:54
5
Pedestrian conveyor belts with parallel bands of different speed - basically, rolling roads - were first described in fiction in H.G. Wells' 1899 novel When the Sleeper Wakes. It is likely that Heinlein and Asimov got their inspiration from that much-underrated novel.
– Klaus Æ. Mogensen
Mar 8 at 10:48
1
There is a large network of pedestrian conveyor belts with different speeds also in 1987's Isaac Asimov's Robot City (warning: not actually written by Asimov). I think in Volume 3.
– Federico Poloni
Mar 9 at 13:49