Double track operation

[Javis]

Hi,

Found many topics/tuts about laying single track with passing sidings but can’t seem to find anything about double track operation… Remarkable because isn’t that the most common configuration ?…

I have connected 4 cities with double track. Can someone please explain how to get a train to switch from one track to the other by the end of the line ? I.e. use track 1 for one direction and track 2 for the return section ?

Thanks a lot for any hints/tips !

 

 

 

[twofl]

i think you need to build a loop track. i don’t think trains can switch tracks in a station/or on trackend like trams can.

but instead of building a hugh loop where your train can circle to get on the other track (which would take some time). you can do a crossing right at the end of the station, when your train has already turned and is heading back to the other station.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by twofl.

[Dozer]

I guess signals are your friend in this case. I further guess that you created one line, that connects the 4 cities. Then you need to create a switch at the end of the line, so the train can switch tracks. Then you install signals, which prevent the train from using the same track to travel in the other direction.

[leew]

I have made double tracks.  Basically you need to make the terminal stations at each end single track, then just drag one track into the other with a switch just before the terminal station.  Don’t forget signals of course, place one way signals at regular intervals along each track, the number needed depends on the number of trains you intend to run, for more trains use more signals.  If you place too many signals then trains are more likely to bunch up.  By using good signal spacing you can keep the trains apart.  Don’t place any signals between the end of the double track section and the terminal stations.  I am British so I run my trains on the left but you can run them on the right if you wish.  If running your trains on the left then the signals should be in the “six foot” (the space between the two tracks), if running trains on the right then the signals should be on the outsides of the double track.

[Anonymous]

Can the trains handle double platforms? As far as I understood some posts, each line is assigned one platform Of the station only. If the trains passong in the oposite dirrection will be forced to arrive to another platform, wont it cause problems (in better case just ignoring the passangers, in worst case stuck due to pathfinding issues, because it wont be able to find path to assigned platform?)

maybe Im wrong, but so far this is keeping me from building this way.

[Stevo]

Agarwel you’re correct. It’s being discussed in several thread, for example this: http://www.train-fever.com/forums/topic/switches-crossings-and-signals/

Some examples in it.

[Azrael]

Thats one of my terminus stations.

I moved the mouse over the signal to highlight it, you can see it under the line marking.

Just build this setup, for every line seperate on your terminus stations, build some signal blocks so several trains can drive in the same direction at the same time on your line and you’re good to go, for the basics.

[Javis]

Thanks very much for the suggestions ! It works !  🙂

I have tried the suggestions by twofl and Dozer first and it worked right away. After placing the signals the ‘Manage Lines’ animation also showed the correct direction for both tracks. Bought a second train and let it run once the first train reached the second station. It stopped in front of the crossing/signal ” waiting for free pass” (or something rather… ), placed a signal about half way the first two stations and off it went.

Am in a spot of trouble now… no more money (and i only have road transport running at one city sofar) No problem, start again. This was just to see what intricaties would turn up while creating double track and how to get trains running on it correctly.

Mission accomplished. Thanks very much again, gents !

Also thanks a lot for your comment, leew ! Very informative. Will try single track stations at each end next .  ( but what about extending the line later ?… Just replace the single track station by a double ?… )

@ Agarwel : the two trains running at my double track line are loading/unloading passengers just fine at each station and from each track. No problem at the end stations, where only one track is used, neither.

Thanks a wagonload again, guys !

Cheers,

jan

[Mansen]

The only workaround I’ve found so far to the “every train uses the same platform” issue is to make a reversed line. Let’s say you have two trains on a line between two cities. They’d share the same platform every time (causing one train to hold if they’re right behind each other)

But if you create a second line with the two stops in opposite order, it’ll pick the other platform in both ends. Tell either train to go to the other line and after a period of adaptation (changing tracks, passenger amount recovering) you’ve got a two platform system.

I have no idea how well this works in practice with say 4 platforms.

[Azrael]

If you want a stations with fluent traffic, keep those 2 basic rules in your head:

1) In a station one track per line.
2) Only build so many switches as you need.

And before you connect a city to your network, look around it, if there are other cities, which you may want to connect later on and what the contourlines are showing, what the terrain is like.

Example: You want to connect City A to your network. There are also the neighboring cities B, C, D and E.
D and E are blocked off by mountain ranges so you decide, that you want to connect A to your network by extending your mainline and that you want to connect B and C to A, each by a seperate line.
So in the end you will have 3 lines in planned station on A, so it will need 3 tracks => 3-Track-Passenger station.

This way, you’ll save money, because otherwise you may have only build a single-track station and later on, when you want to connect B and C, you would’ve to tear down the station, maybe connecting tracks and rebuilding it, so investing unnecessary sums of money.

[Jwoo]

I had done the same thing here for two cities connected, but then I wanted to connect one to another city should of put in a 3 platform,  so if you go buy the screen above I took for example the left track over to the other city but I had a lot of trains due to i was using 4 tracks form one city to another. and now they were waiting loads and went in new profit so I tried 3 tracks to one platform and it worked, so looking at the screen again I joined a third track onto the existing two with signals, had same train and amount of carriages on the lines for identical speed. still longer then 4 tracks but now they make money again,  I did the same with the new line I built so when you look at it now arisen the screen instead of 4 lines I now see 6 but 3 of those go to another city, I think when you decide this will be my main city it’s best to put in a 3 or 4 station to cover yourself later in like someone posted,

I always seem to make my main city in middle of map aswell so should of thaught of this. your prob think I g I could of destroyed platform and re built a new one and connected the lines I tried in pause mode but due to the alignment of the station etc I couldn’t connect the existing lines and went bankrupt trying lol, tip save your game manually before big improvements so if you don’t succeed you can load before you tried

[Emeg]

A double track terminal station with a depot connection, two lines (black and blue) are ending here. 

[Emeg]

To explane the picture above with a second picture below. A double track route (having two opposing one way tracks) is used by the blue and black line. Both lines are entering a terminal station where they are ending. The track from the railroad depot is connected with both station platforms by using a semi double slip switch (shown by the arrow 3) Signal number 1 (near the depot) is guarding the traffic towards the station. A trains of the blue line are stopped there when an opposing blue train is leaving the station until it has past point B and the way is clear to move further to the blue line station platform. If a blue train at signal 1 is waiting for a leaving black train it waits until the black train has passed point A. If a black train at signal 1 has stopped to give way for a from the station leaving black train it shall wait until the opposing black train has past point A. But a black train moving towards signal 1 don’t wait for a leaving blue train because the routes of the opposing trains don’t interfere. One way signal 2 is used to create the left (coming towards you) one way track.

[connorboy2000]

This post is awesome thanks for the tips with building signals correctly guys!

[Author]

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