Do pump stacks transmit power vertically in both directions

This question was answered on the Ubuntu Stack Exchange. I've coppied Bryce's answer below and marked this answer as CW. If you'd like to award him Rep please head over there and upvote his answer.

I was able to recreate the segfaulting by running df on a regular Ubuntu install with X turned off.

...
(Dwarf_Fortress:5346): Gdk-CRITICAL **: gdk_window_new: assertion `GDK_IS_WINDOW (parent)' failed
Segmentation fault

I suspect the problem is that this game expects to have a functioning GL driver available. And for that you need X running. But a VPS doesn't have X!

Instead, use Xvfb, which is a "fake" virtual X. You'll need to install xvfb and whatever dependencies it wants (probably xorg-server-core and a bunch of other stuff that may not be installed on Ubuntu Server).

Start the fake xserver up like this:

$ Xvfb :1 -screen 0 1024x768x16 &

Then make sure your DISPLAY variable is pointed to it:

$ export DISPLAY=:1
$ ./df

I also needed to disable sound and run in TEXT mode, but it worked this way, with no X running. I hope it works for you.

The thing about screwpumps in Dwarf Fortress, is that they can either be automatic (receiving power from a wind/watermill) or dwarf powered. Of these, only the former transfers power, as a dwarf manning a screwpump does not provide power, but rather sidesteps the power requirement entirely.

If however, you were to hook any pump in your pumpstack up to a power source with enough power for the entire stack (100 power in your case), assuming you built the pumpstack correctly, the power in the hooked-up screw pump will transfer to the adjacent screwpumps (and so forth).

Because of this behavior (it's the basis for the Dwarven Water Reactor), any pump with manual power will eject its operator if it gets enough power to operate automatically instead.

Have you seen this .GIF? It shows how to ensure the power transfers properly between levels.

Here's what you have:

If you channel that space and then rebuild the screwpump, power will flow between the connected machines and the screwpump below will no longer need to be manned (dwarfed?)

All screw pumps have two tiles -- one which the dwarves stand on to operate, and one which acts as a wall. This latter part needs to be constructed hanging over an open space to facilitate the transfer of power (as the former part must be constructed on solid ground).