[OTTD] Ivan Furlanis' screenshots

[ivanfurlanis]

What I don't understand is; what happens when an empty coal train traveling back to Point Clear mines decides it needs servicing? It seems that after servicing it will have to travel all the way back to the power plant just to turn around.

Same goes for a full train just leaving that decides to get serviced, afterwards it has to return to the mine station to turn around (granted this ain't as far, but it is a full train therefore less profit!)

That is unless you have a multiply exit depot, which i'd love but don't think is possible just yet, or you disable breakdowns and the depots are just for show/new vehicles.

Whats the story?

Love your pictures otherwise, and cool tutorial!

Yes, I disabled servicing and breakdowns. I don't have anything against breakdowns, they are really realistic and can block for a while a railway line like in reality. The problem that I don't like servicing. If we don't set a "go to depot" order trains can easily loose trying to find a depot. If we set a "go to depot" order trains must go to the depot during every route cycle that, in my opinion, is too much. For these reasons I disabled servicing and breakdowns using depots just to build new trains and scrap old ones (and, of course, to give a little pleasure to the eyes).

[AndrewA]

You can use the service at depot order. That way the trains only take that part of the order if they need servicing. I find this works well as they don't just randomly decide to go off on a depot-hunt miles away from their designated route!

I do like the realism in your screenshots very much though.

[arikover]

File comment: Point Clear Mines station. See the runaround track BEFORE the mine. The layout will not change if a second train will be added to the line (i.e. I'll not add a second track to the mining station) as it isn't good to load two trains together as they will take more time to become full.

This can be avoided with the "Improved loading algorithm". With this feature turned on, if a second train enters the mine, it doesn't start to load until the first one is full.

[Two5Kid]

I guess to fully utilise or understand the concept of the black/red line rule is to play with pb_build. Skyhigh costs for placing tracks will make you think twice or thrice. I would also suggest testing it out on a smaller map first, grasp the concept. Like I'm still trying to grasp the concept of horizontal lines (thanks to beeb375). The more you play, the better or more realistic tracks will start to show up.

And by the way, learn from this thread itself.

[ivanfurlanis]

You can use the service at depot order. That way the trains only take that part of the order if they need servicing. I find this works well as they don't just randomly decide to go off on a depot-hunt miles away from their designated route!

I do like the realism in your screenshots very much though.

Aha, I discover this option just now! Very useful this tutorial, I can learn myself something new .

[ivanfurlanis]

File comment: Point Clear Mines station. See the runaround track BEFORE the mine. The layout will not change if a second train will be added to the line (i.e. I'll not add a second track to the mining station) as it isn't good to load two trains together as they will take more time to become full.

This can be avoided with the "Improved loading algorithm". With this feature turned on, if a second train enters the mine, it doesn't start to load until the first one is full.

As I've said before: "Aha, I discover this option just now! Very useful this tutorial, I can learn myself something new ."

[ivanfurlanis]

Step 3: compile the first timetable

First, I must admit that I'm using the timetable for the first time, so perhaps I made something wrong.

After last tutorial my network grew a little (I'm really playing this scenario): I linked a farm with the Brewery in Powder and I built a line to Daphne coal mine with passenger stations in Daphne and Aurora. So, at present (1906) my passenger network is made of two routes as show in this sophisticated map:

Stockton
|
Powder – Aurora – Daphne
|
Point Clear

One train travels between Stockton and Point Clear, another one between Powder and Daphne. As the Powder River Railroad gives importance to easy interchanges (exactly like Italian railways ), I decided to timetable the two trains to keep short interchange times in Powder. Ideally, the best thing is to keep short interchanges in every direction but, as there is just one train per route, this is impossible (it is enough adding a third train in one of the two routes to achieve this, but for the moment is not economically possible). Until a third train will be pressed into service, I've decided to give preferences to travels Stockton > Powder > Daphne and Daphne > Powder > Point Clear.

Realizing this is easy. First, I autofilled the timetables of both trains and wait for the ending of the process. Then, I compared the two timetables as in the following image:

The timetables after autofilling.

1906-timetable1.png (107.64 KiB) Viewed 5945 times

Having interchanges as I've planned means that both trains must complete their routes in the same amount of time. So, I start to add ticks both in staying and traveling times. As train Stockton – Point Clear has a shorter time than Powder – Daphne, the first must wait somewhere about 1000 ticks, but where? The first choice was one fo the two termini, but it was clear that this solution was not good, as both Stockton and Point Clear has just two tracks and a train stopping there 1000 ticks can create little jamming; instead of this, the best solution is Powder as this station has been recently enlarged with two more tracks for through freight trains. After fiddling a little with ticks, my timetables were these:

The finished timetables.

1906-timetable2.png (90.47 KiB) Viewed 5945 times

Then, I stopped both trains in Powder with the locos towards Point Clear and Daphne, I stopped the game, I reset late counter, in the orders window I set the first station after Powder (i.e. Point Clear and Aurora), I activated both trains and I unpaused the game.

The last operation is testing. I saved the game and let it to run at fast speed for a while checking if everything is working good. It's very important to check if trains have enough time to recover delays that can occur, otherwise the mechanism will fail. As I didn't find any problems, I opened again the savegame that I made just before testing and I continued to play.

Two things before to finish this step. First, it's more easy to make this than to describe with words. Second, I prefer to use ticks because I cannot see a train that travels for 100 days before to complete a route. In my imagination 100 ticks are 1 minute, so a completed route takes 81 "ivanminutes", perhaps too less time but for sure closer to real time!

[arikover]

This tutorial is very interesting! I never played like this before. I always made double tracks to avoid jamming. But I am trying to play the way you report here, and I like it! Keep going!

[Artamir]

You use timetables very similar than me
I like the way you do it

FeLMeD, 12 Jul 2009.png

(473.91 KiB) Downloaded 183 times

[ShadowSpawn]

im very sorry for digging up this 4 month old topic but will you continue with this tutorial? I really like it and i think other pepole does the same. And i think one of those screeenies are worth the screenshot comepetion. (if it is still going of course)

[ivanfurlanis]

I'm back!

Step 4: keep things under your control = maps and roster sheets

I know very well there are players that can keep memory of all trains, routes, etc., but I am not like this: when I have more than 10 trains I start to loose control of my network For this reason I always keep an updated map of the whole system and a roster sheet.

My maps show all railroad stations and major trolley/bus stops. I use different symbols for stations with passenger (a round) and freight service (a square); from this game I start to use a new symbol: a star; this means a generic plant without commercial service like engine house, yard, passing loop, junction, and so on. Of course, the map shows also all lines with different colors and size to specific different transportation systems (standard and narrow gauge railroads, electric and steam/diesel operation, trolley lines, etc.). Here is the map of the northern portion of the Bay Minette game in 1910; the brown lines are the Powder River RR, the red the city streetcar in Powder.

1910-PRRR-map.png (41.8 KiB) Viewed 5259 times

In the meantime I keep also an updated roster sheet where I list in rows ALL trains, vehicles, ships and planes. For each vehicle I indicate:
Category: train, trolley, etc.
Subcategory: steam, diesel, electric.
Reporting mark: the company name's initials (I like to simulate more than one transport company, all run by me under the same player) and number of the vehicle.
Type: the name/classification of the actual type of the vehicle (i.e. for a steam loco 4-6-0 or 4-6-2, etc.).
Cargo: the cargo or cargoes carried by the vehicle.
Route code: i set a code (with numbers and/or letters) for every route; vehicles with the same route code must have shared orders. In fact I divide the route code in two columns: the first indicates the category (express or local passenger, mail, freight, etc.), the second the route itself. So, for example, a local and an express passenger train running exactly on the same line have a different route category but the same route "number". Codes must be indicated in the map, too.
Route: the first, last and eventually main intermediate stations of the route.
Notes: useful to indicate something that it's important to not forget.

Usually I add route codes when the network is becoming really complex; as a matter of fact I don't introduced them in Bay Minette game, yet, as you can see from my roster sheet:

1910-roster.png (23.48 KiB) Viewed 5256 times

***

You know very well my philosophy "keep as few tracks as possible". Here is an example how I apply it. Look at Powder South Junction:

1910-Powder.png

(215.81 KiB) Downloaded 123 times

no flyovers, no double tracks, no parallel switches, I kept the junction and the surrounding tracks quite simple. By the way, they are used by seven trains:
2x Stockton Mines – PWPCo 1 coal
1x Stockton – Point Clear passenger
1x Clear Bridge Farmers Co-op – Powder Brewery grain
1x Daphne Mines – PWPCo 2 coal
1x Powder – Daphne passenger
1x Powder Elevator Spur – Powder Brewery grain
and, believe me, I never had real jams!

[Comm Cody]

Where Were You Ivan? Can't wait to see you use UKRS,PBI, and TaI.

[ivanfurlanis]

New game...

Nordbahn 1925

In 1920 a small group of brave men incorporated a railway company, called Nordbahn (or simply NB), to build and operate railways in a corner of Germany still without iron roads. Now, after five years, the NB is proud to run three rail segments.

The oldest line links Solingen, home of a power plant, with Krefeld where two tracks lead to the mines up in the mountain. Of course, this line sees mainly coal traffic but passenger service hasn't been forgotten!

After one year also the two towns of Frankfurt and Hannover were joined by rails. Unfortunately, Hannover station was built out of the city center as this lays on the other side of a bay and a bridge would be too much expensive; so, passengers must transfer from train to bus to arrive till the downtown.

The third railway, the so called Neckartalbahn, originates from Heidelberg and ends in Trier. In fact the original project expected to terminate in Hannover (on the opposite side of the bay than the Frankfurt's line), but works started only between Trier and Leverkusen and were interrupted because of lack of funds as money was spent to link the woods around Heidelberg with a local sawmill.

In the meantime tramways started to run both in Solingen and Heidelberg; Heidelberg is also served by a third-rail electric private railway (Heidelberg Lokalbahn) to Oldenburg.

[Benny]

Wow. Those 2 last ones are the most realistic ones I've seen in a while!

[ivanfurlanis]

Nordbahn 1935

Ten years after, two more screenshots.

[ivanfurlanis]

I need an advice. I'm updating main stations up to seven-tile tracks to accomodate longer fast trains. Until now I finished works in Solingen and Berlin and now I'm going to modify Heidelberg Nordbahnhof. But there is no space at all as the actual station is sandwiched between the historic city center and the Neckar river. What will you do in my place?

[ShadowSpawn]

Perhaps you could make it like this: those black lines are the new 3 lined station and the tracks, the red lines are just a small modification of the old stuff to make it fit in.

[ivanfurlanis]

Perhaps you could make it like this: those black lines are the new 3 lined station and the tracks, the red lines are just a small modification of the old stuff to make it fit in.

Thank you, but I think there is no enough space. I'm used to completely avoid two consecutive 45° turns and this doesn't allow me to modify the station following your advice. As a matter of fact, Heidelberg Nordbahnhof is still in the original short-platformed configuration. As a solution to extend seven-tile Schnellzüge also on this part of the network I doubled the Verbindungslinie around Nordbahnhof to create a future direct fast service between Solingen and Hannover bypassing Heidelberg!

As today's screenshots I don't want to show you the biggest terminals (Solingen and Berlin) as are less or more about the same as in the last pics. Today, that – I remeber you – it's 1st October 1945, I want to bring you in three less known corners of Nordbahn network.

[Benny]

That last one is beautiful.

[ivanfurlanis]

@ Bennythen00b: thank you very much!

Nordbahn 1946

I've just finshed a project for Heidelberg new Hauptbahnhof. Construction is not started, yet, as the Nordbahn is, as usual, full of debits. Moreover I'm not sure this layout will be the best solution as the entrance of the future Köln-line into the new station forces Berlin – Solingen – Köln trains to reverse in Heidelberg. We'll see what will happen. In the meantime two more sceeenshots: Hannover and the new Koblenzer Inselbahn (KIB).