Refit Trains

[Signalman]

Would it be possible to have trains refitted in schedules, ie Load coal train, deliver to power station then goto depot and refit for iron ore and goto iron mine close by powerstaion and take load to steel mill and then goto another depot to refit back to coal again. This would help to utilize trains, so instead of two trains you only have one.

[FHS]

Yes, that is possible by using Conditional Orders.

[JGR]

This is the TTDPatch section.
Not the OpenTTD section.

http://wiki.ttdpatch.net/tiki-index.php ... ders:Alpha
Requires a nightly build though (frankly you should be using one of those anyway...)

As far as I can tell conditional orders isn't really what he wants, http://wiki.openttd.org/Orders#Refit would be more fitting...

[Rubidium]

This is the TTDPatch section.
Not the OpenTTD section

Luckily we can blame the person who moved it from the "Forum Suggestions and Feedback" section (where it initially was). Anyhow as you already (correctly) said OpenTTD's conditional orders have nothing to do with refitting.

[wallyweb]

Would it be possible to have trains refitted in schedules, ie Load coal train, deliver to power station then goto depot and refit for iron ore and goto iron mine close by powerstaion and take load to steel mill and then goto another depot to refit back to coal again. This would help to utilize trains, so instead of two trains you only have one.

Signalman, it might help us if you let us know which game you are playing: TTDPatch or OpenTTD. Seeing as how you posted in the TTDPatch section of the forums, we can assume that is what you are using, in which case follow JGR's first suggestion.

I often use Automatic Refit, but a word of caution ... each refit costs you money.

[Lakie]

I'm going to move this to the OpenTTD Section with a link so the user can find their way back (hopefully).
I figure the user means in OpenTTD as that tends to be more common.

~ Lakie

[Signalman]

Sorry peeps, I am using OpenTTD, and have just upgraded to 7.2 and found what I am after, Many Thanks. I am still using TTD, but not as often.

[kamnet]

What would be more helpful is if an engine could uncouple from one group of cars and couple to another group of cars.

For example, take a heavy-duty train to pull coal from a mine to a power station, uncouple from cars and then go to iron ore and pick up those cars and pull to a steel mill, then back to the coal mine to pull more coal cars. In the meantime, you could use a smaller, lighter duty train to pull the empty cars back to their station and reload.

[lawton27]

What would be more helpful is if an engine could uncouple from one group of cars and couple to another group of cars.

For example, take a heavy-duty train to pull coal from a mine to a power station, uncouple from cars and then go to iron ore and pick up those cars and pull to a steel mill, then back to the coal mine to pull more coal cars. In the meantime, you could use a smaller, lighter duty train to pull the empty cars back to their station and reload.

I don't know much about the OTTD code but what you've suggested would require quite some work to get going, wouldn't it be easier (perhaps cheaper) to have 2 trains, one for coal, and one for iron ore?

[wallyweb]

I'm going to move this to the OpenTTD Section with a link so the user can find their way back (hopefully).
I figure the user means in OpenTTD as that tends to be more common.

Hi Lakie, I wouldn't make any assumptions without someone directly ackowledging their preferences, although in this case it would appear that you made the correct choice. Regards, Wally

[kamnet]

What would be more helpful is if an engine could uncouple from one group of cars and couple to another group of cars.

For example, take a heavy-duty train to pull coal from a mine to a power station, uncouple from cars and then go to iron ore and pick up those cars and pull to a steel mill, then back to the coal mine to pull more coal cars. In the meantime, you could use a smaller, lighter duty train to pull the empty cars back to their station and reload.

I don't know much about the OTTD code but what you've suggested would require quite some work to get going, wouldn't it be easier (perhaps cheaper) to have 2 trains, one for coal, and one for iron ore?

Easier, perhaps. Cheaper, maybe. But it might not be very efficient to have multiple big-trains going. For example, consider a large HP engine hauling a full load of coal up a mountain. You need that big train to get it up there. But do you need the same size train to take it down the mountain? Or to haul empty cars? Your big engines stay on the main lines to deliver as fast as possible, but you may want to consider using smaller/slower trains on side rails to return cars back to stations for loading while your big trains keep working on the main line to deliver cargo as fast as possible.

[ostlandr]

I have started using refit orders so that my unit trains (oil, usually) can make some money on the backhaul. Building a fuel oil depot is not expensive, and that lets those tank cars haul fuel oil back from the refinery.

Orders as follows (start with train refitted to (crude) oil:

Go to oil supplying station (full load)

Go to oil refinery station (unload)

Go to depot (refit to fuel oil)

Go to fuel oil receiving station (unload)

Go to depot (refit to (crude) oil)