Vehicles generate negative profit per turn

[zypa]

I've got a small problem. (See attached image)

I transfer sand from a sandpit (1) to the coast (2)
My ships carry the sand to the very end of the map and drop it there. (3)
Lorries transport the sand to a glassworks (4)

The lorries from 1 to 2 do not generate any profit. The just drop the cargo there. (however, some profit is displayed. It's called "TRANSFER" in the german version. It displayed in yellow. (Not green like profit, not red like costs, it's yellow)
The ships do not generate any profit. However, it says ~50k TRANSFER. (Yellow color)
The lorries from 3 to 4 generate negative income.
Every turn costs ~1k.

What's wrong here?
Why do the lorries generate negative profit?

I do not think that the transfer time is too high. The ships get ~50k "yellow"money.


I use nightly r11985.
I use a lot of GRFs. (ECS, dbtrainset, longvehicles, ...)
I could post a savegame, but I use that much GRFs. So it wouldn't be very helpful, would it?

[Yexo]

I've got a small problem. (See attached image)

I transfer sand from a sandpit (1) to the coast (2)
My ships carry the sand to the very end of the map and drop it there. (3)
Lorries transport the sand to a glassworks (4)

The lorries from 1 to 2 do not generate any profit. The just drop the cargo there. (however, some profit is displayed. It's called "TRANSFER" in the german version. It displayed in yellow. (Not green like profit, not red like costs, it's yellow)
The ships do not generate any profit. However, it says ~50k TRANSFER. (Yellow color)
The lorries from 3 to 4 generate negative income.
Every turn costs ~1k.

What's wrong here?
Why do the lorries generate negative profit?

I do not think that the transfer time is too high. The ships get ~50k "yellow"money.


I use nightly r11985.
I use a lot of GRFs. (ECS, dbtrainset, longvehicles, ...)
I could post a savegame, but I use that much GRFs. So it wouldn't be very helpful, would it?

There are making profit. The problem is the 'transfer' money. If you transport goods directly, you get paid for the cargo you transport. If you transport it indirectly, the first bus and ship in your case, are getting virtual money for transporting the distance they do. Now in the last track (in your layout) the cargo is transported back (in the direction of the source) so the total distance transported is getting smaller. Then when your busses have to be paid, you've already gotten more 'income' (yellow money) then you get for the total transport. You'll notice that even while they display a negative profit, you'll get a lot of money when they arrive.

[richk67]

Ships are slow. This means it may not be very economical anyway (a truck may get there quicker by road).

The calculation of the delivery will be:

company is paid (CP) = payment for x tons of cargo from (1) to (4), in the time taken

To make everything balance, the final vehicle is paid:

VP = (payment for x tons of cargo from (3) to (4)) minus (money paid so far in transfer credits for x tons)

Check the info panel for the final truck. It should show the transfer credits it is carrying. It is a short haul - so is probably paid very little, but may be carrying a lot of credits already paid for. The main thing is the CP should be positive. The final vehicle is "earning" virtual loss, in the same way the yellow Transfer: vehicles are earning a "virtual" profit.

When I first (re)wrote the transfer system, I had the final vehicle show the amount the ROUTE was paid, and the amount the VEHICLE is paid. It is then obvious what you earn from transfers, and clear why one part is negative. The devs vetoed that, and it just shows the VEHICLE profit - and we have this question every week. Go figure.

[zypa]

[...]
You'll notice that even while they display a negative profit, you'll get a lot of money when they arrive.

You're right. I didn't notice that. Thank you!

[...]
Check the info panel for the final truck. It should show the transfer credits it is carrying. It is a short haul - so is probably paid very little, but may be carrying a lot of credits already paid for. The main thing is the CP should be positive. The final vehicle is "earning" virtual loss, in the same way the yellow Transfer: vehicles are earning a "virtual" profit.

Ah! I've found the transfer-money info. That's good! Thank you!

When I first (re)wrote the transfer system, I had the final vehicle show the amount the ROUTE was paid, and the amount the VEHICLE is paid. It is then obvious what you earn from transfers, and clear why one part is negative. The devs vetoed that, and it just shows the VEHICLE profit - and we have this question every week. Go figure.

This question every week? Uuups - I'm sorry. I've tried to search for a similar question, but it seems that I'm too stupid to use the forum search...

I think the devs vetoed correctly. Coded as it is all vehicles get their part of the profit. If only the last vehicle would get money some vehicles wouldn't make any profit ever.
Now every vehicle in the transport-chain has the possibility to generate profit.

@richk and yexo:
Thank you for your quick and helful responses!

[richk67]

This question every week? Uuups - I'm sorry. I've tried to search for a similar question, but it seems that I'm too stupid to use the forum search...

No probs. Its my personal frustration.

I think the devs vetoed correctly. Coded as it is all vehicles get their part of the profit. If only the last vehicle would get money some vehicles wouldn't make any profit ever.
Now every vehicle in the transport-chain has the possibility to generate profit.

Ah - not quite what I meant. When the final delivery was made, it showed the two values - vehicle profit and transfer profit. For "consistency", the current way of doing it just shows the vehicle profit.

[zypa]

Ah. I think I got it now.
And I ask myself: "Why did they vetoed it?"

What a pitty.