Station inside tunnel?

[kamnet]

I know that there has been an unending debate on how to have underground rail networks that mirror above-ground rail networks. But has there been any consideration to the idea of just having an in-line station sit in a tunnel? I tried to search to see if this has ever been suggested, but I didn't find any prior suggestions or discussions on it.

I'm not sure how this codes out, but here is my basic idea:

1) Use the current road/tram/rail tunnel code and modify it
2) There must be a clean exit on both sides of the tunnel for it to be built, just like with existing tunnels.
3) The tunnel can only have one station in it
4) The station can only be built as an extension to a single above-ground station, and it must be within the maximum number of tiles to that station
5) You can join multiple in-tunnel stations next to each other, but they will all be attached to the first in-tunnel station. You cannot lay multiple in-tunnel stations attached to different above-ground stations.

If this is viable, then this would be a great way to expand the game play. Especially considering passenger air/rail stations, if you had a large airport in a city, you can have trains run under the airport and connect directly to the airport. Or you could build smaller bus/tram stations above ground, and then have an in-tunnel station underneath connect to it, with the tunnel under an entire city without disturbing the existing above-ground infrastructure.

The three problems that I do see are:
1) To be realistic, tunnels would have to be a max of 1 level below a station. No idea how that works out for 2+ levels below
2) Once you have a tunnel established in one direction, you cannot have another tunnel cross it, unless you enable the option to have underground tunnels cross
3) Very long tunnels are going to be expensive. As they should be.

[lawton27]

That's actually a rather possible idea, however these tunnels would need to be very expensive to stop them being took advantage of for giant station spreads, the length would need to be capped at the max station spread value, or even at a separate smaller value. Somebody might code this, but due to lack of interest so far I doubt it, even if it is i highly doubt trunk inclusion.

I congratulate you on using the search function and explaining the idea properly, if I could write patches I'd consider that one.

[CommanderZ]

The problem is, that the game map array supports only one station tile per tile and Z-coordinate of the station tile is automatically calculated from the tile height. The requested feature would need rather major rehaul of the map array.

[lawton27]

The problem is, that the game map array supports only one station tile per tile and Z-coordinate of the station tile is automatically calculated from the tile height. The requested feature would need rather major rehaul of the map array.

Surly only the entrance and exit would count as a station tile as a tunnel is a portal and nothing regarding it is stored on the tiles between.

(correct me if I'm wrong)

[Eddi]

that is correct, and with a little more semi-knowledge than shown here, none of the mentioned problems seem to be actual problems that one would face when trying to implement these suggestions. the most problems you'll probably have to face would be getting the trains to actually stop inside the wormhole, and with the exit tile being an elongated regular tile, calculating the platform length. the other stuff should be rather straight forward.

when you've come this far, you'll have to run the idea past a dev, which will have to weigh the pros and cons, since a feature like this could block future developments, like custom bridge heads or generally flexible bridges.

and could you explain what kind of effect you want to achieve with 4) and 5)?

[boekabart]

As I think it might indeed be technically possible (just like the recent signals-in-tunnels patch is apparently possible) by making one or both of the entrances station tiles (platform length == wormhole/tunnel length, stopping apparently is possible...) this, just like signals-in-tunnels, won't make it into trunk since it will be considered too much of a hack. This kind of stuff just isn't going to happen until there is some decent multi-info-per-tile possibility, I'm afraid...

[kamnet]

and could you explain what kind of effect you want to achieve with 4) and 5)?

4) The station can only be built as an extension to a single above-ground station, and it must be within the maximum number of tiles to that station
5) You can join multiple in-tunnel stations next to each other, but they will all be attached to the first in-tunnel station. You cannot lay multiple in-tunnel stations attached to different above-ground stations.

With 4): It makes no sense to have an underground-only station, it has to have some way to move passengers and goods from underground to the surface. There needs to be an existing above-ground station of any type that the underground station connects to.

With 5): If you have two underground station tunnels next to each other, it would have to be treated just like putting station tiles next to each other. You cannot have two separate stations next to each other, there has to be at least one tile separating the stations to have different stations, and thus you'd have to do the same thing with in-tunnel stations.

The problem is, that the game map array supports only one station tile per tile and Z-coordinate of the station tile is automatically calculated from the tile height. The requested feature would need rather major rehaul of the map array.

As it is now, you can have a station tile above-ground and a tunnel running underneath that station tile. Would it be possible to do the reverse? That is, have a station tile underneath the land, as long as there is not a station tile directly above it?

[Eddi]

You cannot have two separate stations next to each other, there has to be at least one tile separating the stations to have different stations

yes, you can, use the Ctrl key.

The problem is, that the game map array supports only one station tile per tile and Z-coordinate of the station tile is automatically calculated from the tile height. The requested feature would need rather major rehaul of the map array.

As it is now, you can have a station tile above-ground and a tunnel running underneath that station tile. Would it be possible to do the reverse? That is, have a station tile underneath the land, as long as there is not a station tile directly above it?

like said, that is unlikely to be an issue at all, don't worry about it.

[kamnet]

Huh, so apparently you can have two separate stations next to each other. For some reason I seem to remember an error of "too close to an existing station" message popping up when I've tried that in the past.

Oh well.

[lawton27]

Huh, so apparently you can have two separate stations next to each other. For some reason I seem to remember an error of "too close to an existing station" message popping up when I've tried that in the past.

Oh well.

In advanced settings turn join adjacent stations on.

[matthew57778]

so is it possible to do it?
1. can you make turns in the tunnels?
2. what about signals?
3. stations in tunnels?

[Gremnon]

The second has already been done by patch, see the Development forum to find it.
As to the other two, I seriously doubt it.

[petert]

1. can you make turns in the tunnels?

3. stations in tunnels?

If you haven't already read the topic, it's not possible.

[Dexxter]

Well that would mean you must:
code that you can only place 1 station on z axis = nonexistent as game only has x&y
The map to be layered in 3 layers (each layer having 2-3 levels = each with own height)
Then you could go on subdermal (or subaquatic) layer, ground level and high level (not sky but certainly mountains)

[doener]

i like the idea of having big underground stations under citys.
this would make something like underground tracks possible you just have to go up to the ground to make turns or signals.
even the city has more space to grow than, Nice for City Builder server...

But the station in tunnels should only accept passengers and mail or?

[Gremnon]

You shouldn't really be worried about the smaller details like that until you know you can get such underground stations.
If you care to code a patch that does just that, then maybe after it works without breaking anything else you can worry about the rest.

[maquinista]

i like the idea of having big underground stations under citys.
this would make something like underground tracks possible you just have to go up to the ground to make turns or signals.
even the city has more space to grow than, Nice for City Builder server...

But the station in tunnels should only accept passengers and mail or?

There are some station NewGRFs that build fake buildings over the station.

[SirkoZ]

1. can you make turns in the tunnels?

3. stations in tunnels?

If you haven't already read the topic, it's not possible.

Until someone does it.

I just had to.

[DJ Nekkid]

i like the idea of having big underground stations under citys.
this would make something like underground tracks possible you just have to go up to the ground to make turns or signals.
even the city has more space to grow than, Nice for City Builder server...

But the station in tunnels should only accept passengers and mail or?

There are some station NewGRFs that build fake buildings over the station.

There is even a newgrf that place buildings on top of tracks

[Gremnon]

NuTracks, specifically, which is probably about the closest it's possible to get.