Bug or feature? Simultaneous loading of multiple trains

[bremerjoe]

Dear all,
First of all my THANKS for all your work on this great game as well as the great help in the forum. Being new to OpenTTD after not having played Transport Tycoon for many, many years it took me a bit to learn all I needed so far but thanks to this forum and its search options I managed to find lots of useful manuals, how-tos and discussions that helped me through the game so far. Considering how complex the game is with all the possible Add-Ons (NewGRFs) I was stunned to see everything rather well documented (if you take the time to look at the various mentioned places where the info is available).
Reason for signing up and actually posting is a bug/feature I noticed and I am not sure whether it is intentional or a bug which I should report as instructed in the "sticky".

When building bigger trainstations I used to build one station with four platforms at once and later added another four when needed. Due to me being a beginner I like having at least one train per platform lined up already in advance so as soon as platform gets empty a train uses it (many words but easy to understand what I mean if you look at attached screenshot). When I build the stations in blocks of four platforms each I noticed that only one train per each four platforms does get loaded at a time. At least it seesm to me like that.
When I build the same station out of eight individual platforms though several trains will be processed / loaded at the same time (as you can see in attached screenshot).

Is this a feature that I did not see mentioned anywhere? Or an actual mistake somewhere in the programming?

Appreciate any input. THX

[Leanden]

Im sure its just your perception. Afaik vehicles should be loaded simultaneously if enough cargo exists to load them all, otherwise then they will try and load one vehicle fully.

[Eddi]

there is the setting "improved loading algorithm" (probably in "advanced settings" -> "stations"), which you need to turn off in order to have all trains being loaded simultaneously. in most cases, this is a bad idea though.

[bremerjoe]

Thanks for the replies. I just checked and the "improved loading algorhythm" is on. Don't intend to turn it off anyway. But I will check my savegames and further progress again. I was so sure that all stations had plenty of cargo at hand...

[Leanden]

In the screenshot you posted i see 4 trains loading simultaneously.

[Voyager One]

I was so sure that all stations had plenty of cargo at hand...

It's not about "enough cargo" on a particular station. When multiple vehicles are being loaded, the first gets some, then the second gets some, then the third... only when the last gets some, the first gets some more cargo. That way, a vehicle can wait a looong time before getting completely full.

Imagine you have 10 vehicles on a station. All 10 have to get the first load one by one, then all 10 get the second load one by one, then all 10 get the third load one by one... and after I don't know how many loads, all 10 get their full load one by one.

IMO, loading them one at a time works better and faster.

[bremerjoe]

In the screenshot you posted i see 4 trains loading simultaneously.

Sorryfor the confusion. Actually got the wrong screenshot. That particular station was built platform by platform.

[CharlyHRO]

If there is more cargo present at the station, as a single train can load in total, multiple trains get loaded simultanously. If there is less cargo than a train can load, that train is loaded fully before another train gets some cargo. This is true as long as "improved loading algorithm" is enabled AND the trains are ordered to "full load". AFAIK this doesn't depend on the style you built your stations. I just noticed that a single train can load faster than it takes three others to enter the station (as long as the trains enter from only a single line). So it might be possible to improve your station layout by feeding less platforms from a single line.

edit: Having a second look at your screenshot, the signaling can be improved. You use way too much path signals. Besides that, you use path signals "wrong" at you station entrances.

[bremerjoe]

Thanks for the input!

As I am always happy to learn (knowing that I am still a complete noob at this game) I would be thrilled if you could tell me what I should improve on the signaling. I have one "waiting area" before each platform and before the the split from the inbound maintrack to the seperate waiting areas. The signals before that are to ensure that waiting trains do move as soon as the train in front of them is moving. Any example how I could do better? Please!?!

[CharlyHRO]

Just as a basic mockup, a 3 platform RoRo station. All signal are normal one-way block signals except the one-way path signal wich leads into the station. If all 3 platforms are occupied, trains will wait at the path signal and as soon as a platform clears, the waiting train will enter that platform. So you don't need the extra signals before the station and you also don't need the waiting lanes.

[bremerjoe]

But isn't that very similar to what my layout is? I just added waiting positions in front of the platforms to ensure that a new train can rush to it once becoming available. And as sometimes two or three times are "finished" at almost the same time I noticed that platforms remained vacant longer when they have to travel from the inbound mainline. And on such stations where I am limited with the amount of platforms I try to get max usage out of them. Wouldn't the way you are suggesting cause longer vacant times at the platforms?

(Sure nothing close to reality but like I said I am a noob user that is happy if he can just move all the goods from A to B swiftly so far. Later on when I get more experience with it I will sure find "my way" of playing whether it will be more tending to reality or efficiency.)

[Transportman]

I think both designs can work. CharlyHRO has a design that works better at low production rates or relatively empty lines, while your design works very good at higher production rates, because trains quickly leave a platform, so trains don't keep waiting in the bays. If you make the exit lanes long enough to hold one train, they can clear the platform for other trains.

[bremerjoe]

Thanks Transportman.
Guess you mean exit lanes like at attached Bremen Hoehe (upper left)?

[Transportman]

Thanks Transportman.
Guess you mean exit lanes like at attached Bremen Hoehe (upper left)?

Yes, that are exit lanes. You might want to take a look at your efficiency, because there are trains waiting before a full platform while another platform is being cleared (top 3 platforms) and at another point a train got behind another train while another platform is empty (bottom 3 platfoms of Bremen Hohe). I can't judge from a screenshot how this situation got this way, maybe it is just coincidence on the screenshot. Maybe if amount of trains get higher, that it doesn't happen anymore.

[bremerjoe]

You are fully right. It occured only because I had pulled quite a bunch of trains into the depot at the other end of the track to change the trains out. Wanted some stronger engines on them. That evened out meanwhile as all trains are going again.