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I have a suggestion which could be used at a very busy station. I don’t know if this already has been suggested, but I would suggest that, when you are making a line, you could select one or more platform(s) that the train/bus should arrive on. Like if you have three platforms on a train station, you would like to have to train to stop on platform two instead of one. You could also select more, so you want it to arrive at platform two or three, if platform two is occupied.
Another thing I would suggest, is more platforms on a station, so instead of having five platforms, you could have twelwe just in case that your lines are so busy, so you need more trains on a line. Here, the select platform function could be useful, if you have four tracks on the line, and the train should run at two at the same time, you could select two platforms for the train to arrive on.
At last, I would like a buffer at the end of a track, so it doesn’t look like it just ends with no buffer.
I hope all these suggestions will be made into the game, but take the time, as I know that it maybe takes a little bit time.
Also, a suggestion I really like is: http://www.train-fever.com/forums/topic/suggestion-draggable-platforms-placeable-station-entrance/
Thanks
Sorry for my bad English
EDIT: I forgot something: Superelevated/Tilting tracks, making travel speed faster. If you don’t know what it is, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cant_(road/rail)
There is nothing to stop you placing as many stations as you want, three 5 platform stations can be grouped to make a 15 platform interchange. However, whether the game or your PC could handle so much traffic is another question.
Yes! It’s especially annoying for large tram/bus stations where you have four lines that all want to stop on the same platform while the other three remain unused. As for trains, you can join stations together as simonmd said, you just need to click on the blue icon of the station and select “group” and then click on the other station. You can already choose which platform the train stops at by using waypoints; just put a waypoint right before the station and include it as the last stop before the station. But it would be nice to not have to use waypoints to do this.
Well, when you group, it is not possible to move from one station to another directly, as they are not physically connected, but about platform selection, I meant to select for than one single platform, so the train can stop at any platform you choose
Ah, you mean like how Open TTD does it? I was wanting this feature at first as well, but then I realised that two trains from the same line shouldn’t be at the same station in the same direction at the same time anyway. When you think about it, at a real life train station there’s one platform for each line (or each line only uses one platform). Even when there’s an express train on a line that uses a different platform, that is actually a different line anyway; express vs normal service. If you need to have two trains to get to the station at once, you might consider putting more wagons on instead; it’ll end up a lot cheaper and will make you more money.
I did get used to it after a while and realised that it is actually better in TF than Open TTD. You just need to space the signals apart to make sure that the trains don’t bunch up. Using waypoints will make sure that two different lines won’t stop on the same platform. In this regard, there is a small amount of micro-management, but you only have to do it once and it’s set up.
Allowing 2 vehicles from one line in one station loading does not have a sense. But! The platform selector has a greate use.
Lets have 3 platform station and 4 lines. – Now you have manualy choose which 2lines share the platform. This platform would be crowded, and those two line will slow down. In case of train choose platform available at the moment, the station has greater throughput. This feature would allows to built effective stations.
Waypoints do not solve the issue.
Waypoints allows to dedicate certain platform for the line. That is an improvement. I am glad for that, cose I could build a triple line track in front of 4 track station and put a”T” junction with a depo. Attach 6 lines, an all trains arrives on dedicated platforms and all lines can access one depot. Thats good.
But!
Lets have 2 lines long intercity – freq 10 minutes. One local line freq 5 minutes. One station with two platforms.
Thanks to way-points I can manually choose which intercity platform will be shared for the local line. Thats right. Therfore the local line will slow down one specific intercity line, cose those two share platform.
In case of platform selector, the incoming local line train, choose the platform which is currently available. Therefore the station throughput is higher. The slowdown of sharing platforms spread between two intercity lines. Spacing is better for all three lines. Complex chain of of switches and traffic lights give a sense.
Of course that brute solution to the issue is – just build as many platforms as you have lines.
Do you see the diference?
I think that a new type of traffic light marked as “platform selector/alternative way” with combination of waypoints will do the job.
That would only work if you could run your network like a clockwork. And since you cannot…
Anyhow – the better solution would be to make totally dynamic system:
– only one train of a given line can access the station
– platform is chosen dynamically
Theoretically that would work even better. However such system breaks down quickly due to switching costs. As frequencies go lower, the time spent on the switches before the station entrance would be more and more of a constraint. The most vile example would be having 6 lines on 3 platforms (as you suggest) and then a slow local train being dynamically assigned to the station opposite to that train’s track of origin, effectively blocking the station entirely because that little train needs to go through several 46km/h ( because we want to be compact 😛 ) switches on the way to its platform.
I think it is quite possible that on heavily laden stations ( especially terminus type stations ) dynamic assignment would be more of a problem then a solution.
Anyhow – I need to eat crow. The platform selection issue still exists. Not for trains, but it does hurt for buses, trucks and trams.
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Anyhow – the better solution would be to make totally dynamic system:
– only one train of a given line can access the station
– platform is chosen dynamically “Yes, please. I described the system by an example, to make it clear. You used the statement definition. The result is the same. I am quite happy that you admit to eat the crow.
The issue time of switching is there and also a cure exists already. The platform selector, in front of a station knows how long it takes to most-far-side platform, and also it knows when the straight platform would be free. So we are looking for a task of a shortest route (less time consuming). In the last patch is a new math feature, the agent cars look for a less time consuming way depends on traffic jam. Well, this it. 🙂 .
If the player build 6 lanes track and compress it to 2 platform station. The system makes sure that the platforms are used optimal. Thats all. It depends on line frequencies and station maintenance cost where is a sweet spot. I am systematic man and like to create the systems with few controllable spots. So with working platform selector I would get a station maintenance cost as tool. This tool allows setting threshold of complexity switching and traffic lights systems before the stations.
For example, in case of sky-high station maintenance the hungry for diamond switch would be sky-high too. 🙂
I would very much like more platforms too. I like to make to build everything as realistic as possible, so grouping two stations together with two small station building just doesn’t do the trick for me…
Perhaps, in-game stations expansion would be a nice idea. I am thinking of an upgrading tool that can be used to add a track/platform and that can upgraded station buildings to a bigger size or perhaps add a cover over either the platforms (small ones) or the entire station (a big one).
I already made more generalized suggestion:
http://www.train-fever.com/forums/topic/suggestion-better-pathing-fastest-free-route/
With right waypoint & one-way setup this could make specific lines dynamically use a set of platforms.
gGeorg: My crow consumption is only about platform selection for buses/trucks/trams. I keep my position on the railroads 🙂
Anyhow – from my ~8.5 year experience as a software developer I would be inclined to consider what you suggest “fuzzy logic”. The word “optimal” in the case of multi faceted problems is not well defined, thus any mechanism you will introduce will fail one way or another, causes alot of problems and breeds tons of ill defined bugs.
Hint: there is “automatic vehicle spacing” in this game. You know well how well it works 🙂
Besides – most lines in TF operate on a similar frequency ( or would, if we could properely space trains ), so even if you could get that platform selector work the way you want, it would devolve to what we have now, because there is just one optimal solution, and it is static, except for rare aberrations of the natural rythym.
Uzurp – I ve noticed that your logic is above average, so your career makes a sense. In the last century I was an assembler programmer nowadays mostly network admin, some scripts… .
Whatever you call it, higher station utilization is great. It brings a complexity for those who wants, beginners dont need to mess.
Look here: http://s2.postimg.org/4p0dcm4e1/Train_Fever_2014_12_30_08_34_37_88.jpg
4 lines, 3 platforms. Train is waiting but obviously free platform is wasted. That makes me mad.
For the road vehicles – selection of faster lane(4 lane road), overtaking, effective platform usage for cargo (stuck at station, full load fail, … )and big buss stations could be good. Better wheel grip to road ( I love my buss-submarine thou :-] )I admit that these would have bigger effect on the game play generally then train platform selector.
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