[BMSS] British Modular Stations Set

[jvassie]

As for the spaces created by "edge" and "island" stations they're no bigger than what we currently have between or either side of the normal track so I don't find the gaps displeasing,

Sorry? Are you going to try to dispute those "gaps" away? In this case, taking a look on this picture could help:

edge and island.png

In fact, "what we currently have" is NO gaps. I.e., available space serviceably used by station infrastructure, not wasted.

I think he meant compared to the gaps between normal track without platforms.
But either way, the island platform in your screenshot looks really good. Having nothing at the sides isn't disturbing.
The gap that results with the edge platforms is rather large; it needs something in between IMO. A dummy track can work wonders, as that makes it look much better indeed.

In regard to the last part of your post, about a dummy track, how do you think it might work in a through 'edge' type station? Normally tracks without a platform are straight through the centre, if that makes sense?

[FooBar]

You could add a siding with a buffer stop at one end, quite similar to what mb showed in his last two screenshots. Side-platform tiles will then have a platform on one side of the track and half a siding on the other side.

[Gord]

If it was possible, the best solution would be to have the actual tracks running close to the edge of the tile rather than in the middle, that way, you can make the platforms bigger....but I reckon that would be a horrendous amount of work.

Personally, I like the gaps. Each to their own i suppose. I understand some people think it looks weird. But its differences in opnion like this that gives us so many options as players when playing OTTD.

[Eddi]

you can't change the position of the track, that's the entire point this discussion revolves around.

[Gord]

I know, thats pretty much what I said! Although you put it more straightforward than me!

I like a lot of ideas put forward though...particularly the dummy tracks. The american station set has gaps inbetween the platforms but walkways across the track kind of brings the station together a bit so it doesn't look so bad.

Normanston.PNG (225.27 KiB) Viewed 682 times

Overpasses have already been mentioned. I think that as long as there is something to bring the two sides together...and there quite clearly is going to be in this set....then it'll look good.

[michael blunck]

you can't change the position of the track, that's the entire point this discussion revolves around.

Exactly. Thanks, Eddi.

Question is how to "fill" those gaps? IMO, they´re most problematic with "edge"-type stations, but also, to a lesser degree, with island stations in city centers (not that much in rural areas, though).

One problem with "dummy tracks" in stations is that you can´t have dummy train vehicles with them, because a station set usually doesn´t introduce its own rolling stock. And there´ll be certainly problems with any sort of "generic" vehicles when used together with certain train sets.

My current solution is that with the NewStations set, there´ll be only vehicles on dummy tracks when used together with the DB Set.

regards
Michael

[Gord]

Just seen your screenshots on the previous page, I think your stations work a lot better without the gaps Michael...because the buildings you have that you can attach to the stations look neat and small (which is one of the reasons why I always like using them)....and look really good with the full platforms. It really depends on each artist's style in my opinion.

It is really is difficult to think fo things that could fill the gaps between the edge platforms. As you mentioned, on the island platforms it would be more straightforward....pathways by the side of the track, piles of old seepers/balast etc.

[SM9T8]

As for the spaces created by "edge" and "island" stations they're no bigger than what we currently have between or either side of the normal track so I don't find the gaps displeasing,

Sorry? Are you going to try to dispute those "gaps" away? In this case, taking a look on this picture could help:

edge and island.png

In fact, "what we currently have" is NO gaps. I.e., available space serviceably used by station infrastructure, not wasted.

I think he meant compared to the gaps between normal track without platforms.
But either way, the island platform in your screenshot looks really good. Having nothing at the sides isn't disturbing.
The gap that results with the edge platforms is rather large; it needs something in between IMO. A dummy track can work wonders, as that makes it look much better indeed.

The gaps surrounding normal non-station track is precisely what I meant. The railway owned margin either side of the track is realistically maintained in the island station.

The gap between tracks in an 'edge' style station is a bit of a problem, I'm happy explaining them away in smaller stations, but in large stations the amount of green space does end up looking like wasted land.

[Lord Aro]

i can cope with big gaps between platforms i'd love to see it in the set, as it's the closest to realism OTTD can get at this point in time

[audigex]

I think that first of all, they're unavoidable for the most part. Dummy tracks will, IMO, just look silly - they won't connect to anything. Maybe, however, changing it from green to a ballast-y colour would look better - so it looks like part of the station, as opposed to a mini field. Secondly, it's the most comparable to UK stations possible - most of our stations have a gap between the tracks, this is as close as we're gonna get. Just pretend it's all ex-broad-guage

In terms of the crosswalks, I don't think that really works since most UK stations don't have them (and if they do, they're at the end of the platform, after the slope) On the other hand, most people will have bridges/overpasses/end sections to their stations, which will bring it together much more. I'll also, I think, tend to have buildings on my platforms, making them more bulky, but that's personal preference.

Just as an aside, this is the only "both" station I've ever seen in the UK other than a couple of bay platforms eg carlisle platform 2... where platforms are both sides of the track.
http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/ ... p?id=22161 Platform 1 and platform 2 both serve the same single track (platform 2 is no longer used), and platform 3 serves the other direction. Anyone know of any similar examples?

[Scautura]

Ascot station in Berkshire does this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37360520@N06/3533661072 (really not the greatest photo, I'm looking for better!)

[Badger]

Yeovil Pen Mill does too.

[michael blunck]

Wow! Platforms both sides of track and dummy tracks. qed. Hehe.

regards
Michael

[SM9T8]

I'm kicking myself now Badger. Pen Mill was my childhood station, and I had a nagging feeling it had something odd about the platforms.

This is a bit of a guess but were its platforms built that way for interchange to Yeovil Town?

[audigex]

Looking at the picture, the two platforms look to go a different way on the far side, so that would make sense.

In ulverston's case it was also for an interchange onto what's now the lakeside and haverthwaite railway.

[Badger]

They just join to form a single track. The junction fot the spur to Yeovil Junction is behind the camera. Just had a squizz on Google maps.

[Doorslammer]

Don't see why the gap has to be forced to have something in it. Leave it be, I say.

[Core Xii]

A siding in the gap really only makes sense in a drive-through station, not terminus.

How about a fence running in the middle?

The best of all worlds would naturally be the choice of any: nothing, platform, fence and siding.

[jvassie]

A siding in the gap really only makes sense in a drive-through station, not terminus.

How about a fence running in the middle?

The best of all worlds would naturally be the choice of any: nothing, platform, fence and siding.

Not necessarily. Michael shows a very nice demonstration of how sidings in the gap works for a terminus station, often used in real life situations to stable carriages and the like where proper yard facilities dont exist etc.

To be honest, I would reverse your statement, as I feel they dont work for through stations, because of the alignment of track, its a tough cookie.

I dont think a fence would be an ideal choice, can't remember ever seeing an 'edge' style station with fence in the middle. As it is, the user is given the first two choices, nothing or a platform.

[SM9T8]

Some termini had an extra track that was used as an escape road for the engines, it wasn't common but there are a few examples, Tidworth for one.



Importantly escape roads wouldn't have carriages or wagons parked on them, which avoids the problem with grf sets.

On a different subject, will you be adding on platform signal boxes?