Snowpiercer

Snowpiercer is a large, one-thousand-one carriage train manufactured and run by Wilford Industries. It continually circles the globe with the remains of human civilisation following the global freezing extinction event seven years prior.^[1]

The train is comprised of "classes" towards the front of the train, with those without tickets at the back of the train — these are known as "Tailies".

History

Social structure

Snowpiercer houses about 3,000 souls. It is, by design, a heterogeneous environment with well delimited social classes and several formal and informal professions. Each distinct groups with significantly divergent levels of influence and expectations. Snowpiercer social structure is organised in two main categories, based on both physical placement on Snowpiercer (from front to tail) and social status:

Ticketed Passengers
- First Class Passengers are the few privileged guests who bought an exclusive one-way ticket aboard Snowpiercer from Wilford Industries. This select category has the highest social status aboard Snowpiercer. It is thought they enjoy a limitless amount of daily calories and access to the train, spacious accommodation with luxurious amenities, and reproductive rights. Among them are the world richest and most influential, some of whom were industrial tycoons responsible for global warming before the Freeze. Many First Class Passengers attempt to live as if there was no significant change in the world's environment.^[1] A feature of that alienated lifestyle is the tendency to make complaints and demands to Hospitality, arguably in outright denial of how autocratic the governance of Snowpiercer ultimately is.^[1] Notable First Class Passengers include Lilah Folger, a former lawyer from Finkelstein, Braxom and Folger, her husband Robert, daughter Lilah Junior and their bodyguard Erik, Rajiv Sharma, Chairman of the First Class Committee, his wife and son, members of the Danish Royal Family, Martin Colvin, his Cantonese husband York Lam and their two sons.

Crew members and their families, who were offered tickets and invited onboard by Wilford Industries due to their specialised skillsets as part of a position to fill to support the needs of Ticketed Passengers and keep Snowpiercer Engine Eternal.
- Second Class is for highly skilled and specialised workers, management and their families. This category has a medium social status aboard Snowpiercer. It is thought they enjoy a diverse source yet fixed amount of daily calories, spacious accommodation with comfortable amenities, and some reproductive rights. They have access to most of the train as part of their position but might not be authorized to use First Class amenities. Notable Second Class Passengers include Primary Teacher Miss Gillies, Dr Henry Klimpt and Dr Jinju Seong. Dr Pelton, a doctor in charge of the Third Class Clinic Car, might also have Second Class Quarters. The Engineers Bennet Knox and Javier De La Torre, Head of Hospitality Melanie Cavill, Concierge Ruth Wardell, Lead Brakeman Roche and Jackboot Commander Grey might also be considered Second Class Passengers.
- Third Class is for low skillset workers and their families. Thirdies are passengers with a well defined social role but not much privilege or authority. They enjoy a limited amount of calories (of dubious origins) and smaller accommodation. Their reproductive rights are limited to a Baby Lottery. Jackboots, Brakemen, AGSEC and Sanitation workers, Janitors and Breachmen and Tunnelmen are all considered Third Class Passengers despite their essential role in maintaining Snowpiercer up and running. The Train Rulse however state that Third Class has the right to petition Wilford in labour dispute and matters of jurisprudence.

Stowaways
- Tailies are apparently not an intentional part of Snowpiercer's society. They inhabit the tail section of the train, on what were originally cargo cars, have no permission to visit other cars except on rare occasions and when specifically given that permission. Group commitment among Tailies is strong, yet they are often tempted to find some way of entering a higher status group. The original Tailies were the survivors of a desperate group of stowaways who entered Snowpiercer by force of numbers after a violent conflict with the authorized passengers (mainly jackboots). At some point, an uneasy understanding was reached, and currently, the Tail Section has very limited rights and survives on rations given unilaterally by Snorpiercer's management, to considerable distress of all involved. Tailies are easily the most tightly knit of all four social classes aboard Snowpiercer, to the point of often decreeing their commitment to the tail as a whole and feeling duty-bound to the group even after years of distance and sparse contact.^[2]

Third Class Passengers and Tail section survivors represent 70% of the 3,000 souls onboard Snowpiercer (approximately 2,100 persons). There is a small measure of social mobility in Snowpiercer. While the Tail Section is apparently given compulsory contraceptives, what few children exist among the Tailies are sometimes recruited for an apprenticeship, which is implied to open access to at least Third Class. Third Class Passenger can apply to regular Fightnights which, while brutal, are nonetheless a means of progressing from Third to Second Class. Ironically enough, the First Class Dining Car can fit about 32 guests, which represents about 1% of Snowpiercier population.

Snowpiercer Crew

Most of the Third Class (unskilled labour force) and Second Class (skilled and specialised labour force) Passengers are actually Crew members. Snowpiercier is manned by a diverse crew, consisting of several departments and a strict hierarchy.

The (hypothetical) role of the Conductor might originally have been held by "Mr Wilford" himself.
Engineers took part in designing Snowpiercer, and assist Mr Wilford in keeping its Engine Eternal working. They maintain the life support and energy systems aboard the train. On a daily basis, they monitor the weather conditions, seismic activity and state of the tracks the train circulates on. They are seen to be also responsible for conducting the train. Their living quarters are located within the Engine Car (C0001). Members of Engineering most likely enjoy unlimited and privileged access to the train, the Engine Car access being insecure. Bennett Knox and Javier "Javi" De La Torre are the only known Engineers.
Members of Hospitality enjoy a very important position within the Crew and Ticketed Passengers hierarchy. Melanie Cavill is the Head of Hospitality and seems to be "Mr Wilford" second-in-command. As such, her duty is to maintain smooth relations between the Crew and Ticketed Passengers, and between the Ticketed Passengers of the different Classes. This mostly implies making sure First Class passengers enjoy their trip. She is seen addressing a staff including Concierges, Stewards, Chambermaids, Janitors, Chefs, the Notary, and Commander Grey. As Head of Hospitality, she is also the Voice of the Train and is responsible for making public announcements twice a day (the first at 8:00 AM and the second in the evening), synchronizing time for the whole train. She is seconded in her duties by Concierge Ruth Wardell who is in charge of organising day-to-day life and activities for the First Class Passengers, as well as announcements to the Tail section inhabitants. Along the Head of Hospitality, she takes part in the First Class Committee. A Second Class Committee and a Third Class Committee might also exist. Other known members of Hospitality include Tristan. The Radio Room and Hospitality Office is located within the first cars of the train between the Engine Car (C0001) and First Class Quarters. It is unclear yet where their living quarters are located. Members of Hospitality most likely enjoy unlimited and privileged access to the train, except for the Engine Car. Janitors, Maintenance and Laundry workers might be part of the Hospitality Department.
The Notary seems to held a unique power and status within the train, as any official action taken by a member of the Crew requires forms bearing Wilford Industries logo to be signed and notarized, as seen when Dr Klimt was ordered to release Nikki Genêt from the Drawers. Among various clerical duties, she is most certainly responsible for the Removal Request for Andre Layton, and Apprenticeship Offers. She is also in charge of writing down the minutes of any Tribunal occurring onboard.

Jackboots are the armed enforcement branch and security force of Snorpiercer, operating under the orders of Commander Grey. Firearms are prohibited inside the train to prevent any breach or damage to the hull. As such, they are usually armed with small handaxes, which they tend to use with savage bloodlust even when it is clear that there is no danger to themselves or others.^[2] They guard the boundaries between each Class and between the Tail section (C0999, C1000, C1001), patrol the train and maintain order during events such as Fight Night. Before Snowpiercer left the station, they were responsible for securing the boarding process and later fight against the people without tickets who boarded the Tail. Their Garrison is most likely located at the rear of the train, between the Tail section and the Sanitation section. Other known members of the Jackboots Department include Jackboot Tyson, Jackboot Kaffey, Jackboot Clifford, Jackboot Donaldson, Jackboot Jefferson, Jackboot Stroud, Jackboot Mansfield, Jackboot Trotter, Jackboot Alvarez and Jackboot Rogers.
Brakemen perform various police duties within the train (Tail Section included), such as Train Rules enforcement, lower management, patrols and status reporting, under the orders of Lead Brakeman Roche. They have jurisdiction over all Ticketed Passengers and Crew members to detect, arrest and interrogate a suspect should a crime be committed amongst Ticketed Passengers and Crew members alike. Many are former Wilford Industries Security, but there are many exceptions.^[1] Their Garrison is most likely located at the rear of the train, within Third Class Quarters and close to Sanitation Section. Other known members of the Brakemen Department include Brakewoman Bess Till, her partner Brakeman John "Oz" Ozweiler, Brakeman Ames and Brakeman Fuller.
Breachmen are responsible for repairing any breach made to the hull of Snowpiercer. As such, their task is the most dangerous aboard, as they are exposed to both the deadly cold and the speed of the train. Breachman Bojan Boscovic is the only known member of the Breach Team.
Agriculture section (AGSEC) workers are vital crew members as they are responsible for producing food and maintaining an extremely fragile closed ecosystem. As Agriculture Officer, scientist Jinju Seong is most likely the Head of that department. As she is mostly seen managing the First Class Aquarium and Sushi Bar (C0012), she might either be an ichthyologist or an oceanographer. Gardeners operate the numerous hydroponic Greenhouse Cars and cultivate up to 14 rotations of crops. Stockbreeder/ Butchers might operate the various Livestock and Cattle Cars where cows and goats are bred. Sean Wise used to work in the AGSEC. Food Processing, where Astrid the former Taily works, might be a subsection of AGSEC. Most AGSEC workers are Third Class Passengers.^[1]
Tunnelmen are mechanics in charge of maintaining the various systems below each car and make sure the Sub-train is up and running.^[1]Known members of the Tunnelmen include Tunnelman Jakes Carter.

Train structure

Based on the blueprint of the Brakeman's Garrison in the title credits, a typical car is about 40 feet long and 13 feet 6 inches wide (12.2m long and 4.1m wide). From external images of the train, the height of cars seems to vary between about 1.5 and 2 times the width (20-26 feet, or 6-8m tall) and would fit about two stories and a half.

While they only represent about 30% of her occupants (about a thousand persons), about half of the length of the train is dedicated to First and Second Class Passengers. The second half of the train houses both technical and agriculture cars, Third Class and Tail-Section.

Snowpiercer is powered by a perpetual-motion engine referred to as the Engine Eternal. It is not clear how this works, but it appears to draw more power when travelling at greater speeds.

She circles the globe 2.7 times a year, and every "revolution" is about 133 days. 6 years and 10 months after she left Chicago, Snowpiercer already made 19 revolutions and is about to begin its 20th. Its track length is 318,000 km, much more than the circumference of the Earth, as it travels across every continent, originally conceived as a tourist train which would visit hundreds of cities around the world. The first season of the TV-show begins, the train just left Alaska and entered the mountainous region of Yukon Territory in former Canada, moving south along the western coast of North America. This stretch of tracks becomes more and more unstable after each revolution, with avalanches occurring as the train approach. A few days later, after crossing the Rocky Mountains, the train is seen zooming through the Grand Canyon in Arizona towards former Mexico. Her climb of the Sierra Madre led to the frozen rainforests of Amazonia.

Carriages

Snowpiercer canon 1,001 cars include :

C0001. Front section / Engine Car
CXXX. The Hospitality Office and Radio Room Car
C0011. First Class / Dining Car
CXXX. First Class / Aquarium and Sushi Bar Car
CXXX. First Class Quarters / including the Folgers' Carriage, the Sharma's Carriage, the Danish Royal Family Carriage(s)...
CXXX. Second Class Quarters / including Jinju Seong's Quarters, Dr Henry Klimpt Quarters...
CXXX. Second Class / Drawers Cars
CXXX. The Classroom Cars
CXXX. Third Class / The Night Car, between Third and Second Class
CXXX. Third Class Quarters
CXXX. Third Class / Mess Hall Car
CXXX. Agriculture section (AGSEC), at least 131 Greenhouse Cars
CXXX. Sanitation section (SANSEC)
CXXX. Third Class / Market Car
CXXX. Third Class / Chains Car
CXXX. Third Class / Clinic Car
CXXX. Third Class / Brakemen Garrison Car
CXXX. Third Class / Jackboots Garrison Car
CXXX. Storage and Cargo Cars
C0996. Tail section / Electricity junction and Utility Car (with access hatch to the Sub-train)
C0997. Tail section / Utility Car
C0998. Tail section / Bio-security Car
C0999. Tail section / Cargo Car 3
C1000. Tail section / Cargo Car 2
C1001. Tail section / Cargo Car 1

The Agriculture section (AGSEC) include about 131 cars. It is unclear if that number refers only to Greenhouse Cars, or to the whole AGSEC cars (including Cattle Cars for cows and goats, an old Apiary Car). It is also unclear if the Food Processing section is included within the AGSEC cars and if all the AGSEC cars are located at the end of the train, between the Tail section and Third Class, or if the different cars are dispatched all along the train to secure the food provisions. The section might also include a Water Reservoir Car. The First Class Aquarium and Sushi Bar Car might be part of AGSEC as it is operated by Agriculture Officer and scientist Jinju Seong.

The Third Class Chains Car and Market Car, the Night Car and the Classroom Car are shown to be preceded by Utility Cars. It can be supposed that those cars are necessary to maintain life support (water, electricity, temperature, air quality...) all along the train. They might also house power banks and auxiliary engines to help maintain the speed of the 10 miles-long train. We might also suppose that the Sub-train transportation system is only accessible from those intermediary cars, which act as "subway stations" within the train. Due to the borders between Third, Second and First Class, the Sub-train might actually be divided into three close-loop subsystems for operating reasons (it is faster to operate small distance trips).

One can also wonder from which cars the Ticketed Passengers boarded Snowpiercer before she left the Chicago.

The carriages presented below should not be considered canon so far, as they are part of the WilfordIndustries.com experience that invite people to create their own design for the cars :

0001. The Engines
0002. The Control Room
0003. Cybernetic Implant Workshop
0004. The Sky Lounge
0005. Theather Car
0025. 1st Class Quarters
0165. 1st Class Dining
0166. Botanical Café
0167. The Chimney Bar
0168. Train No.
0187. The Aquarium/Sushi Bar
0188. The Gallery
0189. The Thermae
0190. 1st Class Gymnasium
0191. The Aviary
0192. Stargazing
0193. Lantern Room
0194. Beach
0195. Ice Rink
0196. Lena Hall
0197. Train No.
0198. Train No.
0199. Train No.
0217. 2nd Class Quarters
0218. Cyber-Dream Skyview Car
0408. 2nd Class Media Car

0409. Library
0410. Spa Car
0411. Petting Zoo
0412. The Cat Cafe
0413. Dojo
0414. Train No.
0415. Train No.
0416. Train No.
0429. Classroom
0430. The Play Pen
0440. Japanese Temple Car
0445. Steampunk Room
0465. Train No.
0475. Mess Hall
0491. Night Car
0668. Wilford Marketplace
0722. The Caboose Diner
0723. Diner Bar
0727. The Greenhouse
0838. Livestock Car
0980. The Market
0981. The Chains
0982. Arena Car
0983. Terrarium Car
0992. Soundcar
0993. Spook House

Trivia

There are 3,000+ passengers aboard.^[3]
Third Class and Tail make 70% of passengers in Snowpiercer.
Third Class has noodles.^[1]
Snowpiercer has its own black market, one of the most common drugs exchanged is Kronole.
Snowpiercer is ran by the elite, comprised of Melanie Cavill, Bennett Knox and Jinju Seong — it is also hinted that Ruth Wardell is privy to Snowpiercer's management.
Most of Snowpiercer can be transversed by a tram system that runs below the cars themselves and is not accessible to the Tail Section.^[1]
Snowpiercer's crew can close the boundaries between the classes ("borders") during the night without any special measures or announcements, although they usually do not. This border closing temporarily cancels the otherwise free transit of Firsts among the various Train Sections. The Sub-train can be blocked as well.^[4]
Its mentioned that other people attempted to survive by going into bunkers or uploading their consciousness, presumably into computer systems, while "Mr. Wilford dusted off his train set."^[4]