First I just wanna say hi to our limited and disguised community. This game is pretty solid fun, there is literally out there about it and that's both a great thing (small community is cosy) and truly a travesty (god this game can be pain, please share it among the youth) at the end of the day. So if you are a part of the player base just say hi. From regular people to train lovers just say HI (even psychopaths who play it for the pain) . Even in a small effort to hopefully get a sequel or meet like minded people, it would be great to see you out there.

This is gonna be simple and brutal to be honest. But I feel like it should be said.

1. Go through the damn tutorials, they are soooo good and provide you with a lot of extra knowledge into how to play the game.

2. Applying the tutorial, Once you've had a go and looked. these concepts can be applied anywhere and at any level successfully. high capacity stations for example should be applied anywhere that it can be fitted even with steam, not just electric and oil.

3. Time, Imma come back to it repeatedly, you got time. This is not a game where you are against the clock, sit back and relax. Stuff will deliver and money will flow in. Do not let this stop your dreams of efficiency.

4. Electric is the best, just is.

5. Money its a problem yes. however having engineers research things is more important. just step away 90% of the time you can walk away and nothing will go wrong just generate money and get that tech.

6. You can fit trains to do multiple things and carry multiple cars at the same time. if you have multiple level 1 industries putting them on the same circuit can help with many capacity issues.
Time remains on your side.

7. Line capacity A follow up of 6. It is a certain fact that there is never enough space, don't sweat it

8. Do not cross the streams. I mean tracks. This is like Ghost-busters unless you can't avoid it. I do not want to see any crossed tracks.

9. Bridges can be used in a very versatile manner.
- To cross railways tracks
- Crossing chasms and gaps instead of just going through them.
- Inciting tensions in the cold war (look it up)

10. Seeing the wood for the trees. This is the most adequate expression, sometimes you are too close to the problem and can't see that the trees are made of wood. Your problem may be too obvious.

11. You never need more than the first transmission station, just add a bit of space between the tracks at one point, ensure a signal is between the two directions of travel and then plug it in using a piece of track

12. Seek Help. If you need help, reply to this guide or post something and tag me.


I'm going to continue with the train type analysis and Line capacity in another segment as they deserve more.

This will be the bane of your existence and you might not even realise.

Typical and standard line building dictates that you should 1 (or 2) mainlines that are fed into by a series of branch lines.

I may mention a length besides cars and just call it length. This will be the distance between two auto signals. A station is a length, So are refuelling and transmission stations. All Trains fit in two lengths (very few exceptions).

This is correct. But also wrong

The game is too small to simulate accurate line capacity and the factors that matter when impacting it. so don't sweat it, when your technically correct train line building does not work.
So let me help.

Capacity is affected by several things:
- The speed of the line
- The amount of trains on the line
- The length of the line
- The length of the trains
- Stations and the distance between
- Branch lines
- Bridges

Imma be quick describing the problem for each and a possible solution

Speed of the line: If your trains run slow it will reduce the distance between each train stopping more trains from filling that gap.
You should run some faster trains. In so doing you can increase the distance between each train and fill that gap more.

The amount of Trains on the line: This seems simple, more trains = less space. but when accounting for branch lines, that less space, forces joining trains to slow, waiting for space and if your main line trains get slowed you run out of space again.

Length of the Line: The length of the line will also impact space on the line,
You can either make it artificially longer (twists and turns) or follow one of the other pieces of advice

Length of the trains: 8 long trains are nice lets be honest. However, they can take up a lot of line space. While they are more efficient for single trips e.g (construction of industries) and if you can, you should use them. However they spend too much time in station. remember time in station is not time rolling onward and holding up a spot for another train. It also just is long, time waiting for it to pass a join is time a train is not moving on. Some shorter trains can be good to avoid this.

- Horsepower and pulling power (Torque).
Long trains struggle to get out of station, you may be losing a lot of time on the line for other trains waiting for it to get out so acceleration is important. e.g A Saturn carrying 8 full cars of anything will most likely never reach or maintain 90 for very long until it reaches its destination. So use another locomotive.

Stations and the distance between: Your worst nightmare should be trains waiting on the line to go into a station. Remember a train not moving is a train also not moving.
Stations should be 6 lengths if you can, two at the platform, two before it as a waiting bay and two after which can be used for refuelling and to generate space on the platform while your trains most likely exit across the same set of tracks.

Branch lines: Are essential, however just because they can feed in does not mean that they need to, having separate and distinct lines is OK and often easier for the main line to bear if its not carrying more than it needs to.

Bridges: Pain in my ***. Signalling being too dumb to recognise that real trains also have signals on bridges and do not just make them one huge signal block.
Just add more bridges, and feed them through a track set. MORE BRIDGES

I know I said I'd be quick, I was.

There are three train types:
- Coal/Steam
- Diesel
- Electric

They all have their benefits and should be appreciated equally, however some should be appreciated more than others.

Coal/Steam:

Very cheap - Unbelievably cheap to use and establish, all of your costs are accounted for without any extra effort

Versatility - There is so much in terms of trains, if there is a niche you need to field the steam tree has it for you.

Skill - Stations refuelling, and low effort needed means that the skill floor is rock bottom. There remains probably the highest when using effectively

Diesel:

Kinda weak - Diesel trains while they have decent pulling power and consumption do not even scale in comparison to electric locos.

Value for money - Pulling power and speed still hold up against steam engines for the price, It's refuelling often pays for itself on the diesel maps.

Distance - You got a long distance, she'll cover it with far less money spent than an electric train, and will actually make it compared to a Steam train.

Pain factor - Refuelling is a nightmare to set up, make it worth it.

Electric

The best in every area except money and my time.

Infrastructure - Is a real pain to work with, I'm not joking you put a transmission hub after you've built your network and you will regret it.

Building an electric network from the ground up and from the basics is totally fine and doable.

Pulling power - Barring the Shunter, which should not be used for hill stuff and anything beyond warehouse and very small branch line work.

Distance - As long as it has power it will go and go and go. Truely a beaut to use.

Money - Very expensive requiring electrification and power lines and power stations

Well I hope you enjoyed this dear sir or madam who decided to get here, but it is time to end.

Remember this though, if you need help. Answer this and/or tag me to have a look. I'm sure I ain't the best but I can sure help when you need the help.

Best wishes, and may you have a fine day.

Keep Railroading....
Tsarmac

Oh god that came out wro....