Railway tracks able to run along roads

[Cryolaser]

I found some videos recently of 'street runner' trains and thought it's a shame tracks can only cross roads in OTTD. This could be useful for expansion of infrastructure inside developed cities without annoying the local authority. I appreciate implementation would likely be very difficult however, and with the multi-car cargo trams available in some GRFs (eg. GRVTS and HEQS) not really necessary.

Here's a demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iG0xOAgWMI&t=3m
Road vehicles can typically run parallel to the train on either side, with the track in the centre.

[Audiopulse]

You can do that with Trams. I think the mod you would be looking for is named "Industrial Trams" or something similar.

I like them a lot for not just in-city-transport but close proximity transport, too. Their tracks work like roads with both sides being restricted to one direction thus they are much simpler to lay.

[kamnet]

Indeed, there are several sets with industrial trams in them now. There's nothing preventing anybody from coding a regular train set as trams in OpenTTD in order to simulate street running, but trams occupy both sides of a street and will occupy the same space as cars.

One could also design a rail track set that uses road pavement for a foundation. While cars cannot run on these tracks, one could design them so that you can run a road on either side, but it would look like a 6-lane highway with a train in the middle... One could also use it to run tracks in place of roads through cities but still have it blend in.

[acs121]

I see many people answering "yeah there's trams etc".

In fact, one could try the opposite : doing trams with trains. I use urban rail tracks from Japanese Track Set + Urban Transit system bridge if I want it segregated, lay the tracks between 2 road lanes or segregated, and use the empty platforms from NewStations with 1 tile stations to simulate bus / tram stops. Add a little electric or diesel railcar, and you're off. I could post a picture of that if anyone is interested in the blend-in.

EDIT : Here's how well it blends in a city.

The buses are Leyland Lynx from Bobs British Buses (in BaNaNaS).
The trains are DSB S-Tog IV from 2cc TrainsInNML (in BaNaNaS).
The roads are from American Road Replacement Set (in BaNaNaS).
The rest is included above.

Personally I like how the "interurban" at the top looks. I think all we'd need are gateless level crossings.

[Audiopulse]

Huh - that looks really nice. I am tempted to steal that idea.