Steve's Carts Mod Guide: Building Custom Automated Minecarts
Steve's Carts lets you design fully customizable modular minecarts that automate almost anything in Minecraft. From mining tunnels and chopping forests to farming crops and hauling cargo, every cart is built from scratch using a powerful module system with over 60 interchangeable parts.
Overview
Steve's Carts is a technology mod centered around one concept: building custom minecarts from interchangeable modules. Rather than offering a single type of cart, the mod gives you a Cart Assembler workbench and over 60 different modules spanning hulls, engines, drills, storage, farming tools, weapons, and utility addons. You snap these modules together to create purpose-built carts that ride along standard Rails and perform their tasks automatically.
The mod adds several infrastructure blocks for managing your carts, including the Cargo Manager for item transfer, the Liquid Manager for fluid handling, and the Distributor for routing carts along different tracks. There is a clear progression from simple Wooden Hull carts with a Tiny Coal Engine all the way up to massive Galgadorian Hull carts with indestructible tools and enormous storage capacity.
You can browse the full list of items and crafting recipes using the tabs on this page. This guide focuses on understanding the module system, building your first carts, and progressing through the material tiers.
Getting Started
- 1
Craft a Cart Assembler
The Cart Assembler is the central crafting station for the entire mod. It requires Iron Ingots, Stone, and two Simple PCBs. Place it down and right-click to open its interface. The assembler has a Hull slot at the top left, followed by slots for engines, tools, attachments, storage, and addons. You will also see a fuel gauge and an output slot.
- 2
Craft Your First Components
Before building a cart, you need components. Start with a Simple PCB (the most fundamental crafting ingredient, made from Redstone, Iron Ingots, and a Gold Ingot) and Wooden Wheels (made from Sticks and Planks). These two components unlock the Wooden Hull, the simplest hull in the mod.
- 3
Build a Wooden Hull Cart
Craft a Wooden Hull module from Planks and Wooden Wheels. Place it in the Cart Assembler's hull slot. The Wooden Hull has a capacity of 50 modular cost, supports 1 engine, and allows 0 addon slots with a complexity cap of 15. This limits you to very simple carts, but it is perfect for learning the system.
- 4
Add an Engine and Fuel the Assembler
Every cart needs at least one engine. Craft a Tiny Coal Engine (Iron Ingots, a Furnace, and a Piston) with a modular cost of only 2. Place it in an engine slot. The Cart Assembler needs fuel to operate; place Coal in the fuel slot on the right side. The assembler has a base fuel capacity of 4,000, which can be increased with upgrades. Click the assemble button to begin crafting.
- 5
Deploy Your Cart
Once assembly completes, your finished cart appears in the output slot. Pick it up and place it on a Rail just like a regular Minecart. Right-click the cart to open its interface, where you can load Coal into the engine and manage any storage or tools you added. The cart will begin moving along the track automatically once fueled.
Every module has a modular cost, and every hull has a capacity. The total cost of all modules in your cart cannot exceed the hull's capacity. A Wooden Hull allows 50 cost, a Standard Hull allows 200, a Reinforced Hull allows 500, and a Galgadorian Hull allows 1,000. Plan your builds around these budgets.
Hull Types
The hull determines what your cart can hold. It sets the modular cost capacity, the number of engine slots, and the number of addon slots available. Choosing the right hull is the first and most important decision when designing a cart.
Wooden Hull
The entry-level hull with 50 capacity, 1 engine slot, 0 addon slots, and a complexity cap of 15. Good for simple transport carts or early automation like torch placing. Its low cost makes it ideal for throwaway carts you do not mind losing.
Standard Hull
The workhorse hull with 200 capacity, 3 engine slots, 6 addon slots, and a complexity cap of 50. Built from Iron Ingots and Iron Wheels, this is where the mod really opens up. You can fit drills, storage, and multiple engines for longer-running carts. Most players will spend the bulk of their time with Standard Hull carts.
Reinforced Hull
A significant step up at 500 capacity, 5 engine slots, 12 addon slots, and a complexity cap of 150. Requires 
Reinforced Metal components. This hull supports the most complex cart configurations including multiple tool modules, large storage, and advanced addons like the Enchanter or Ore Extractor.
Galgadorian Hull
The ultimate hull with 1,000 capacity, 5 engine slots, 12 addon slots, and a complexity cap of 150. Built from 
Galgadorian Metal, this hull is designed for endgame carts loaded with the most expensive modules. Galgadorian tools are indestructible, making this the hull of choice for permanent automated operations.
Novelty Hulls
The Pumpkin Chariot (40 capacity, 1 engine, 0 addons) is a seasonal hull available during Halloween. The Mechanical Pig (150 capacity, 2 engines, 4 addons) is a fun alternative to the Standard Hull with a pig-shaped cart model.
Hull Comparison
| Wooden | Standard | Reinforced | Galgadorian | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 50 | 200 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Engine Slots | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Addon Slots | 0 | 6 | 12 | 12 |
| Complexity Cap | 15 | 50 | 150 | 150 |
| Key Material | Planks | Iron | Reinforced Metal | Galgadorian Metal |
Hull Recipes
Engines
Engines power your cart and determine how long it can operate before needing refueling (or in the case of solar engines, whether it needs fuel at all). You can install multiple engines if your hull supports it, mixing types for redundancy.
Coal Engines
The Tiny Coal Engine (cost 2) has a fuel multiplier of 0.5x, meaning it burns through Coal quickly but is cheap to build. The standard Coal Engine (cost 15) is far more efficient at 2.25x fuel multiplier, stretching each piece of Coal much further. Both accept any furnace fuel. Coal Engines are the simplest to set up since you just load them with Coal and go.
Solar Engines
Solar engines generate power passively during daytime without any fuel. The Basic Solar Engine (cost 12) produces 2 power per tick and stores up to 100,000 units. The standard Solar Engine (cost 20) produces 5 per tick with 800,000 storage. The Compact Solar Engine (cost 32) also produces 5 per tick but uses side mounting slots instead of top slots, with 25,000 storage. Solar engines are excellent for long-running automated carts that need to operate indefinitely. The configurable production values can be adjusted in the mod's config file.
Thermal Engines
Thermal engines burn Lava for power and require a tank module on the cart. The standard Thermal Engine (cost 28) consumes 25 mB of Lava per tick. The Advanced Thermal Engine (cost 58) is more powerful at 60 mB of Lava per tick but also requires 90 mB of Water per tick as coolant, meaning you need two tank modules. These engines are excellent for underground mining carts where there is no sunlight for solar panels.
With a Standard Hull or better, you can install multiple engines of different types. A popular combination is a Solar Engine for daytime operation paired with a Coal Engine as backup for underground segments or nighttime. The cart will draw from whatever engine has available power.
Engine Recipes
Tools: Drills, Wood Cutters, and Farmers
Tool modules are the heart of automation in Steve's Carts. They attach to the front of your cart and actively interact with the world. Only one tool type can be active at a time (drills, wood cutters, and farmers are mutually exclusive groups), but each tier offers dramatically better performance.
Drills
Drills mine blocks in front of the cart as it moves along Rails. The Iron Drill (cost 3) is the cheapest entry point with 50,000 durability. The Basic Drill (cost 10) uses Diamond components and has 300,000 durability. The Hardened Drill (cost 45) significantly expands the mining area and has 1,000,000 durability. At the top, the Galgadorian Drill (cost 150) is indestructible and mines instantly. The maximum drill size can be configured in the mod config (default: 4).
Wood Cutters
Wood Cutters chop down trees as the cart passes by. The Basic Wood Cutter (cost 34) has an 80% drop rate and 320,000 durability. The Hardened Wood Cutter (cost 65) guarantees 100% drops with 640,000 durability. The Galgadorian Wood Cutter (cost 120) is indestructible and has a 125% drop chance, meaning bonus drops. The Netherite Wood Cutter (cost 120) is also available but is not indestructible. The Planter Range Extender addon (cost 20) increases the area a wood cutter can reach.
Farmers
Farmers plant and harvest crops automatically. The Basic Farmer (cost 36) has a 1-block range and 300,000 durability. The Galgadorian Farmer (cost 55) doubles the range to 2 blocks and is indestructible. Farmers work best with addon modules like the Fertilizer (cost 10) for applying Bone Meal and the Hydrator (cost 6) for keeping soil tilled and watered.
Drill Comparison
| Iron Drill | Basic Drill | Hardened Drill | Galgadorian Drill | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modular Cost | 3 | 10 | 45 | 150 |
| Durability | 50,000 | 300,000 | 1,000,000 | Infinite |
| Indestructible | No | No | No | Yes |
| Key Material | Iron | Diamond | Reinforced Metal | Enhanced Galgadorian Metal |
Drill Recipes
Storage Modules
Storage modules give your cart inventory space for items and liquids. The type you choose affects both the available slots and which mounting positions are used on the cart model.
Item Storage
The Side Chests (cost 3) provide 15 slots and mount on the left and right sides. The Front Chest (cost 5) offers 12 slots on the front. The Top Chest (cost 6) gives 18 slots mounted on top. The Internal Storage (cost 25) provides 9 slots but takes no visible space and allows duplicates, so you can stack multiple Internal Storage modules. For massive hauling, the Extracting Chests (cost 75) offer 72 slots with hopper-like extraction capability.
Liquid Tanks
Liquid tanks store fluids like Water, Lava, or Milk. The Internal SC Tank (cost 37) holds 4,000 mB. Side Tanks (cost 10) and Front SC Tanks (cost 15) hold 8,000 mB each. The Top SC Tank (cost 22) holds 14,000 mB. For serious fluid hauling, the Advanced SC Tank (cost 54) stores 32,000 mB. Tanks are also required for Thermal Engines and certain utility modules like the Hydrator.
Addon Modules
Addon modules add specialized capabilities to your cart. They consume modular cost and addon slots (set by your hull type). Here are the most useful ones organized by function.
Utility Addons
The Torch Placer (cost 14) automatically places Torches as the cart moves, essential for mining carts to keep tunnels lit. The Bridge Builder (cost 14) places blocks to bridge gaps in the terrain. The Railer (cost 3) places Rail behind the cart as it moves, while the Large Railer (cost 17) places a wider track. The Track Remover (cost 8) picks up Rail behind the cart, which cannot be used alongside Railers.
Processing Addons
The Smelter (cost 22) and Advanced Smelter (cost 42) let the cart smelt ores into Ingots on the go. The Crafter (cost 22) and Advanced Crafter (cost 42) add a crafting interface to the cart. Both allow duplicates, so you can install multiple smelters for faster throughput. The Incinerator (cost 23) destroys unwanted items, keeping your storage clear of Cobblestone during mining runs.
Combat and Detection
The Shooter (cost 15) and Advanced Shooter (cost 50) let the cart fire projectiles. The Advanced Shooter requires Entity Detector modules to identify targets. Entity Detectors come in five types: Animal (cost 1), Player (cost 7), Villager (cost 1), Monster (cost 1), and Bat (cost 1). The Divine Shield (cost 60) protects the cart from damage.
Advanced Addons
The Chunk Loader (cost 84) keeps the cart's chunk loaded, critical for long-distance automation. The Enchanter (cost 72) applies enchantments to tools and weapons in the cart. The Ore Extractor (cost 80) identifies ore veins near the drill path. The Drill Intelligence (cost 21) makes drills smarter about which blocks to mine. The Experience Bank (cost 36) collects experience orbs during operation.
Some modules are mutually exclusive (called "nemesis" modules in the code). You cannot install a Track Remover with a Railer or Large Railer. You cannot use a Front Chest alongside a Cleaning Machine or Liquid Cleaner. The Melter and Extreme Melter conflict with the Freezer. The Cart Assembler interface will show errors if you try to combine incompatible modules.
Passenger and Control Modules
The Seat module (cost 3) lets a player ride the cart. Once installed, you can add a Brake Handle (cost 12) for manual speed control or the Advanced Control System (cost 38) which adds a steering wheel and speed handle for full manual driving. The Cage module (cost 7) captures passive mobs and can be combined with the Milker (cost 26) for automated milk collection. Steve's Arcade (cost 10) adds a playable minigame to pass time while riding, and requires a Seat to be installed.
Infrastructure Blocks
Beyond the Cart Assembler, Steve's Carts adds several blocks for managing your cart network.
Cargo Manager
The Cargo Manager transfers items between carts and adjacent inventories. It has 60 internal slots organized in a configurable layout. You can set up to 4 transfer rules specifying which item types to move (all items, fuel, storage, torches, seeds, saplings, arrows, and more) and in which direction (to cart or from cart). Each rule can be assigned a color-coded track side and transfer amount.
Liquid Manager
Works like the Cargo Manager but for fluids. Transfers liquids between cart tanks and fluid handlers in the world.
Distributor
Routes carts along different track paths. Place it at a junction to control which direction carts should travel based on configurable conditions.
Module Toggler (Activator)
The Module Toggler (called Activator in the code) toggles specific modules on or off as carts pass over it. It can control Drills, Shields, Invisibility Cores, Chunk Loaders, Cages, and Track Removers. Each option can be set to activate, deactivate, or ignore. Place it on a track where you want carts to change behavior, like turning off the drill when the cart returns to base.
Detector and Junction Rails
The Detector Rail outputs a Redstone signal when a modular cart passes over it, with configurable detection conditions. The 
Advanced Detector Rail provides more detection options. The 
Junction Rail works like a basic rail switch for routing carts at intersections.
Infrastructure Recipes
Cart Assembler Upgrades
The Cart Assembler can be enhanced with upgrade blocks placed adjacent to it on any face. Each upgrade snaps onto the assembler and provides a specific effect. You can attach multiple upgrades as long as each one has exactly one adjacent assembler (an upgrade touching two assemblers will not work).
All upgrades are crafted using a Blank Upgrade component as their base. The Batteries upgrade increases fuel storage capacity. The Production Line upgrade speeds up assembly. The Cart Deployer automatically places finished carts onto adjacent Rails. The Cart Modifier and Cart Crane allow manipulation of carts already on tracks. The Redstone Control upgrade lets you gate assembly with Redstone signals.
Advanced upgrades include the Solar Panel (adds solar charging to the assembler), the Thermal Engine upgrade (allows Lava as fuel), the Module Knowledge and Industrial Espionage upgrades (unlock new module recipes), the Experienced Assembler (reduces assembly time), and the New Era upgrade (the top-tier efficiency boost requiring Galgadorian Metal and an Enchanted Book).
Upgrade Recipes
2Material Progression
Steve's Carts has three material tiers beyond vanilla resources, each unlocking more powerful modules.
Reinforced Metal
The mid-tier material. Craft Stabilized Metal from Iron Ingots, Hardened Mesh, and Refined Hardener (5 per craft). Smelt Stabilized Metal in a Furnace to get Reinforced Metal. This material unlocks the Reinforced Hull, Reinforced Wheels, Hardened Drill, and Hardened Wood Cutter.
Galgadorian Metal
The high-tier material requires Eye of Galgador components (crafted from Magma Cream, Fermented Spider Eye, Ghast Tear, and Ender Eye). Combine Eyes of Galgador with Diamonds, Glowstone Dust, and Stabilized Metal to create Lumps of Galgador (2 per craft). Smelt Lumps of Galgador to get Galgadorian Metal. This unlocks the Galgadorian Hull, Galgadorian Wheels, Galgadorian Drill, Galgadorian Wood Cutter, and Galgadorian Farmer.
Enhanced Galgadorian Metal
The top-tier material. Craft a Large Lump of Galgador from 9 Lumps of Galgador, then smelt it. 
Enhanced Galgadorian Metal is used in the Galgadorian Drill recipe and represents the absolute endgame of the mod's material progression.
Reinforced Metal Processing
Galgadorian Metal Processing
Key Component Crafting
Two components appear in nearly every recipe in the mod: the Simple PCB and the Advanced PCB. The Simple PCB is crafted from Redstone, Iron Ingots, and a Gold Ingot in a specific pattern. The Advanced PCB requires a Simple PCB plus additional Redstone and Iron. You will burn through large quantities of both, so set up bulk crafting early.
Wheels also come in four tiers matching the hulls: Wooden Wheels (Sticks and Planks), Iron Wheels (Sticks and Iron Ingots), Reinforced Wheels (Iron Ingots and Reinforced Metal), and Galgadorian Wheels (Reinforced Metal and Galgadorian Metal). Each hull requires its corresponding wheel type.
Essential Component Recipes
Configuration Options
Steve's Carts provides several config options in its common and client configuration files. The most impactful is disableTimedCrafting which, when set to true, makes the Cart Assembler produce carts instantly (assembly time becomes 1 tick). The maxDynamites setting controls the maximum number of Dynamites a cart can carry (default: 50). The drillSize setting caps the maximum drill mining area (default: 4).
On the client side, useArcadeSounds and useArcadeMobSounds control audio for Steve's Arcade minigame module. Solar engine production rates are also configurable: Basic Solar produces 2 power/tick, Compact and Standard Solar both produce 5 power/tick by default.
If you find the assembler wait times tedious, set disableTimedCrafting to true in the config. This is especially useful when prototyping cart designs. You can always turn it back off once you have settled on your builds.
Example Cart Builds
Starter Mining Cart
Use a Standard Hull with a Coal Engine, Iron Drill, Railer, Torch Placer, and Side Chests. Total modular cost: approximately 38 out of 200. This cart will dig forward, place Torches and Rail behind it, and store mined blocks. Load it with Coal, Torches, and Rails, and point it at a wall to start a branch mine.
Solar Farm Cart
Use a Standard Hull with a Solar Engine, Basic Farmer, Fertilizer, and Internal Storage. Total cost: approximately 88 out of 200. Build a loop of Rail through your farm fields. The cart will harvest and replant crops indefinitely using only sunlight, depositing harvests when it passes a Cargo Manager.
Endgame Strip Miner
Use a Galgadorian Hull with a Galgadorian Drill, two Solar Engines, Large Railer, Torch Placer, Incinerator, Advanced SC Tank, Smelter, and Extracting Chests. Total cost: approximately 378 out of 1,000. This cart mines indefinitely with an indestructible drill, smelts ores on the fly, incinerates Cobblestone, and stores everything in 72 slots. Combined with a Chunk Loader (cost 84), it will operate across loaded chunks without your presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I fuel the Cart Assembler?
Place any furnace fuel (Coal, Charcoal, Blaze Rods, etc.) into the fuel slot on the right side of the assembler interface. The assembler has a base fuel capacity of 4,000 which can be increased with the Batteries upgrade. You can also add a Thermal Engine upgrade to use Lava, or a Solar Panel upgrade for passive charging.
Why does the Cart Assembler say there are errors?
Common errors include: no hull installed, the total modular cost of your modules exceeds the hull's capacity, you have conflicting (nemesis) modules installed, you are missing a required dependency module (e.g., Thermal Engine needs a tank, Advanced Shooter needs an Entity Detector), or the output slot still has a finished cart in it. Check each of these and the error should resolve.
Can I disassemble a cart to recover modules?
Yes, but you need the Disassemble upgrade attached to your Cart Assembler. Place the cart in the assembler, and the Disassemble upgrade will eject the component modules into its own inventory. Without this upgrade, once a cart is assembled, the modules are permanently combined.
How do I make my cart run while I'm away?
Install a Chunk Loader module (cost 84) on your cart. This keeps the chunk the cart occupies loaded even when no player is nearby. Note that the Chunk Loader has a high modular cost, so you will need at least a Standard Hull. Pair it with a Solar Engine for truly hands-off operation.
What is the difference between the Railer and Large Railer?
The Railer (cost 3) lays down a single Rail as the cart moves forward. The Large Railer (cost 17) places a wider track section. Both require Rails in the cart's storage to place. Neither can be used alongside the Track Remover module since they are mutually exclusive.
Does Steve's Carts work with other mods' Rails or power systems?
Steve's Carts uses standard vanilla Rails for movement. If FTB Industrial Craft is installed, the Electric Engine module (cost 15) becomes available, allowing carts to run on IC2 power. The Cargo Manager and Liquid Manager work with standard Forge item and fluid capabilities, so they are compatible with pipes and conduits from other tech mods.