Gigantic Station Scenario

[chevyrider]

Cool idea to lower the terrain for your station.

I'll use your scenary to build to largeststation ever.
See my new topic.
http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php?t=12286

[Train<In>Vain]

OK my turn, lets see if I can do it in under 70 years. I think I'm on the right track. BTW I'm using RelX2 mod.

[chevyrider]

Re:Train<In>Vain
Looks good, see you use the same layout to feed the factory with chemicals in concentric circles.
For the first time i used short platforms,but the loading times were very long.
I had more than enough chemicals to feed the factory alone.
But tankers contain only 10 tons and i couldn't make the trains any longer due the short platforms.
So i had to set up a steel economy,cause flatbeds could carry 20 tons of steel.
Good luck

[chevyrider]

Well i made a new setup,trying to built a 80 platformsstation.
Now it's 1946 and 75 platforms are ready.
I was surprised i allready broke the 1.000.000 border.
Because the factory can't produce more as 7905 tons but in 1950 already receives about 12000 tons, i will build an extra factory near Deltaville station.
The 30 platforms transporting goods can easy transport more.
At the Coolspring Steel mill i have build an extra Station for steeltransport
Now this production rises very fast.
Seaside Bay is enorm with 44.000 inhabitants.
As fast as you can, build only one little tram or busline and it will grow.
More info about my 80 tracker see topic.
http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php?t=12286

[PurdueGuy]

Something I've developed and find interesting...

I thought of this before this scenario, but this is my first time using it.

Problem: Double loading - two trains pull into the station and compete for a load. It takes them both twice as long to load, because each gets a portion.

Old solution: Single platform station for loading (multiple at unloading stations).

Leave enough room behind the station for the next train to wait in line. Ideally, one train should arrive just before the one loading leaves, so it waits a minimal time. If there is a gap, and the next train isn't there when the loading one leaves, then station ratings drop. If more than one train is waiting at a time, then take one out - the system is overstocked on trains. Sometimes this can be adjusted by changing the number of cars on the train.

New solution: Double platform loading station, but have the back end of the loading train stick out just a bit.

This works pretty much just like the Old Solution, but the waiting train gets into the station much more quickly. Refer to the attached picture. The train sticking out of the back of the station just a bit puts it in the signal block before the station. This makes the next train not allowed to enter that block, or the station, until the loading train gets out. Now, when the loading train is full, it pulls forward to leave the station, and almost right away clears the signal at the back of the station. The waiting train can then pull forward into the second platform while the first is still getting out of the station. There is very little gap between when the 1st train stops loading and when the 2nd train starts loading, and the time will only decrease as trains get faster.

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I'm really enjoying this scenario. I have built from all 8 mines to the steel mill, from the steel mill to the factory, and from the factory to the town. All that's left is building from the chemical plants to the factory, and then adjusting the goods trains for the increased production from the chemicals. I believe the current year is about 1918. Of course, this means I'll also have to adjust as each new train is introduced. I have enabled a number of new mod trains, the concrete slopes, and no breakdowns. If anyone considers this cheating, fine. I'm not trying to compete, but just to see what I can do with the scenario.

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You can also see in the picture my workaround to using waypoints in routing. I hate the trains going backward out of my RoRo stations due to the 2-way signals which are needed at the beginning. The solution to this is traditionally to place a routing waypoint after the station. I found that in some of my bigger stations (not this one) that trains may come into different platforms and use different exits, and a waypoint on the wrong exit leaves the train going in circles around the rail system. Instead of waypoints, I use a single-platform station after the main station, and use it only as a waypoint. While routing, click on the platform twice to make your train "route through" the waypoint station, and it should pass through without stopping. If they do stop at it, change the train to "express".

What's everybody think?

[chevyrider]

Re:PurdueGuy
Nice solution, and i'm happy you find it a nice scenario too.
I always use the following method:
Make just two stations together for the same line.
The percentage of the stations will not raise of that,but the industrie,here the oremine will produce always 100% instead of 83% with one station.
That's the profit of this.
In the attachment you will see that both oremines are served by two stations.
The small platform in the middle above belongs to Deltaville minesstation,and atracts ore also from the north oremine.
The small platform in the middle track under belongs to Coolspringwest, and atracts ore from the southern mine.
Delta ville is build from the left to the middle,Coolspring west from the right to the middle, also creating two stationnames.
After that build them together.
Pay attention gravitating the right station name.

[PurdueGuy]

I've heard mentions of the 2-station thing before, but haven't figured it out. I think I understand how you've explained it, but let me just make sure.

If you have one station serving one industry, and have 100% station rating, you will only have 83% industry rating? Or will it be 100% industry rating, but you only actually get 83% of the ore (or other) production amount?

[chevyrider]

Re:PurdueGuy,
Yes, your first explanation is true.
Station rating rises allways in the direction of 100%.
But only if there is frequently is a train, or a train with a full load option.
The factory on the otherhand will only give 100% with two stations.
That station may also be one of an AI compagny.
[/quote]

[MacNetron]

In contrast to chevy, I tried to make the central station flat. No elevation at all. It works great till the point where I am now: I can't expand the station anymore because loco says it's to much spread out. Any tips?

[chevyrider]

I can't expand the station anymore because loco says it's to much spread out. Any tips?

Yes,see my problems when i build the second level of my 80 tracker.
The limit is that you can't build more then 80 platform tiles.
You're not reaching that, i count 12*4=48tiles.
The second limit is you need to stay within a square of 16 horizontal and 16 verticale tiles.
Well that isn't your limit too.
But you have drivetrough tracks laying between the platforms,they count too.
This makes 14 tracks wide,but the platforms are not symetricly build cause of this drivethrough tracks.
To gravitate the stations name to the south\west corner(you see the name delta ville move while building)You first have to temporarely fill up the drivetrough tracks with platforms.
Then you see the name move to the SE.
The name always stays in the gravitationcentre.
Then you can build the last two tracks in the SW.
Done this you can remove the platforms from the drive trough tracks.

[MacNetron]

Thanks for the tips. It worked for a moment. That means, I still had more and more platforms wanted to add then was possible.
I made a work-a-round by creating "transfer"-stations. One station for steel and one for chemicals. From those, a single Roro to the central factory.

Now, I'm getting seriously annoyed with the break-downs. So I start over.. again... now with no-break-down on the NL-set.

Screenshot: left, steel-transfer; right, start of chemical-transfer;
Two main good-lines to two cities.

[chevyrider]

Re:MacNetron,
Looks nice, but i think that you still have one drive through track in the middle of Deltaville.(i can't zoom in enough).
Just lead that track left around the factory and you can close up your platforms to make it 80.

[Sybil Goose]

You can spread out the station quite far I've found, as long as you have enough spare platform pieces to move the station centre about.
edit: Replaced the image - here's the finished station. 12 platforms for oil, 18 for goods and 9 for steel. 68 trains stop here currently.

[punar]

Nice work Sybil Goose!

[Severous]

Sybil Goose

Brilliant. I can see whats going on and could get in and micromanage the empties. Perhaps not as much fun to build as the other multi level mega stations.

Could you post a couple of observations re unloading/loading.

- you have a mix of length 1, 2 and 3 platforms. Do they make any difference to load/unload times?

- you have two locos on the trains. Does it make any difference if the second loco is at the back of the train? So that it doesnt take up platform space ?

My theory is that
- length two platforms are occupied fully by the lead loco so offer no advantage over a length one platform.
- have the second loco at the back always. It doesnt load so doesnt need a platform ?
- redeploy saved station pieces on long platforms on your busy tracks. So they cover the first loco and all the wagons (but not the rear loco). Use on the cargo that is your bottleneck to speed up delivery or pick up.
- use length one platorms everywhere else especially if trains are waiting for cargo anyway...or are delivering surplus raw material.

[Sybil Goose]

The different length of the platforms is just artistic. I'm too spread out to use the leftover platforms to make any long platforms now, I could put an extra row in some of the left hand platforms but that's about it. I just used up the remaining pieces to prettify what I have.

The reason that some of the loco's have both trains at the front, and others one at either end isn't a deliberate thing. When I first buy a train I buy the engines first and wagons second, so both engines are at the front. When I replace the engines when they get too unreliable (and I'm not using any reliability mod, so that's every 7 years) Lomo puts one at either end. Even with only one engine at the front the first goods wagon still sticks out behind a 3 piece platform, and it'll be worse when I start to switch to the the Pacific so it's probably isn't worth putting the second engine at the back.

And it was a lot of fun building the station, I didn't plan it that way it just kind of evolved. And I've found it a lot easier to manage than a multi-level station too. So far I've got 124 trains, and about 80 use that station. I'm transporting about 25-30,000 goods per year so far, It should improve a bit more when I get the Pacific.

[chevyrider]

When counting, i see that your platforms are placed 32 tiles from eachother.I know that with tricks a single track platform can count more then 16 tiles.
But for a big station witch is spread out in all directions,i thought that all platforms should be placed within a square of 16*16 tiles.
Could you explain step by step doing this?

[MacNetron]

I'm using the NL-set with no break downs, As I didn't know and wanted to "spoil" the original trains (I'm playing the normal campaigns too). I had to "tweak" the start date to 1960 (that might not be needed with the latest NL-set, but I'm not going to start over again without finishing first ).

With the current trains and their wagons, it proved better to use platforms of good length. (Un)Loading times are so much faster. Two long platforms are faster than 4 small ones. At least, with these fast trains.

Currently, I've transported 50% at 30 years...

PS, the strange and lengthy goods-route (top left), is because I'm not using elevations.

[Sybil Goose]

Ok, scenario finished.

I did a little better than I thought, although the coal supply had dropped a lot towards the end. Maximum output from the factory was about 6000 goods per month.

When counting, i see that your platforms are placed 32 tiles from eachother.I know that with tricks a single track platform can count more then 16 tiles.
But for a big station witch is spread out in all directions,i thought that all platforms should be placed within a square of 16*16 tiles.
Could you explain step by step doing this?

Well, what happens is that you're not allowed to place a platform tile more than 8 tiles from the station sign. The sign isn't placed in the geometric centre, but in a sort of 'gravitational' centre, so if you have enough spare platform tiles to move this centre about you can go much further than 16 tiles. You can see how it works in this screenshot - the single platform tile next to the steel works belongs to Lower Lake Watertown.

[chevyrider]

Thanks very much, i'll give it a try