Transport Tycoon Forums

i would just like to suggest 3rd rail. I made this picture in MS paint.

Alternative to electric track? You can make NewGRF with the third rail and set it to replace the standard electric track. Some people complain that the catenary obstructs view, so they will be grateful for the third track rail if you make it ...

If you can make a full set I can do something with it in game

There is a 3rd rail set out there, it's drawn by Purno and coded by me. I don't think it will be released before Purno's 2cc set is done though.

i might be able to draw 1. would this require ethe entire tracks? or just the 3rd rail overlay?

also, is it possable to have a left and right, or would it be better to stick it in the middle?

in the middle imo, as you'd be able to clearly see what kind of track it was, and you'd not be looking in between signals, unless you use signals on the inside o the track

I would like on the side insted of the middle. It is more realistic.

triple7pilot wrote:I would like on the side insted of the middle. It is more realistic.

But maybe less discernible ... btw that effect that the third rail is on one side of the tracks in one lane and on other in the second (as you have drawn on the picture) will be probably unachievable, as openttd will tread these track as "equal" and will draw both of them same way.

Maybe in that case it will be better to put that in the middle ... or at least one pixel closer to middle

in the middle would probably be best for oTTD, other wise a train is going to have its power on the right going one way then on the left going another

Can't it be done like the catenary? I'm not sure but I thought they are different on even and uneven tiles.

Leviath.NL wrote:Can't it be done like the catenary? I'm not sure but I thought they are different on even and uneven tiles.

Now I see it .... you're right, so then it should be probably possible to make the rail like it was painted in the example picture

There is currently a 3rd rail sprite set in the BTSP ( BR Track Side Pack) that is in development alongside the BR Set. I cant remember who has drawn it (Maybe M3henry) but I will send them to this thread...

AntBUK wrote:in the middle would probably be best for oTTD, other wise a train is going to have its power on the right going one way then on the left going another

I don't understand what you mean by this.
The only thing I can think of is that the third rail (if mounted next to the side of the tracks) must be at one fixed side of the trains all the time. However, I cannot think of one system where the trains have their electric pickups on only one side of the train. Most systems have the third rail mounted on the left or right, switching from side to side, depending on what is best for safety and such.
Besides, a system with a third rail on a fixed side (read: with trains with pickups at one side) would make it virtually impossible to turn a train around. That is almost as unusable as a train with doors on only one side.

... 3rd rail (metro style) ...

If you want to implement any 3rd rail system, the screenie below shows the only implementation possible. The 3rd rail will swap side from time to time, depending on direction of track pieces. This is the same IRL.

It has not been implemented yet ...

hertogjan wrote: The only thing I can think of is that the third rail (if mounted next to the side of the tracks) must be at one fixed side of the trains all the time.

Prague metro uses 3rd rail with the 3rd rail on one or other side of the track. But direction of the rail is switched quite often - basically on every junction at minimum, alhough it is switched in stations to other side to "hide" under floor.

In the UK it doesn't matter which side of the track the 3rd rail is because all the trains have pick-up "shoes" on both sides of the train, the rail will switch to whichever side has more room although outside of stations the 3rd rail power rails on the outside of the track (not between the two tracks) and at stations they are usually between the two tracks to prevent electrocution should someone fall off the platform.

Bilbo wrote:

hertogjan wrote: The only thing I can think of is that the third rail (if mounted next to the side of the tracks) must be at one fixed side of the trains all the time.

Prague metro uses 3rd rail with the 3rd rail on one or other side of the track. But direction of the rail is switched quite often - basically on every junction at minimum, alhough it is switched in stations to other side to "hide" under floor.

Same goes for russian metro, btw.

My previous post may be ill-formulated but what I was trying to say was that to my knowledge there is no system which uses a third rail on one side only. As far as I know, all trains of side-mounted third rail systems have pickups on both sides.

Why not have the third rail down the middle?

Because most systems that have a 3rd rail don't have it down the middle. the London underground has 3rd and 4th rail where the 4th rail is in the centre but the 3rd is still on the side.