Well I thought I'd ask.

[Brute_Airforce]

I've been working on a commuter rail route. I have a lot of track work done, maybe 80%, ~0 scenery(I can't design scenery to save my life).

It has a few features, a short branch to what will be a seaside resort. Four track express runs abbutted by 2 track run. A few yards(storage tracks, nothing special). A larger yard that houses the powerstation and roundhouse, the roundhouse being the railroads source of power. A coalmine far off in the corner, not sure how I'll work it in. Subway runs(no subway stations.) If anyone could give me some tips on how to build subway stations. There are elevated lines at the end of the west 4 track run, the line flys over itself and splits in two directions. Theres a shuttle between the two endpoints of the EL. But that leaves the east end open, I was wondering what should I put?

The line runs NYCTA cars an Express Steam service and Push-pull Diesels with cab cars(RDCs).

 

[Boco]

Take a look at David Drake's CityScape series. Well worth the time spent and I think you find something to use.

Have fun!


Boco

 

[Brute_Airforce]

Thanks for the quick response, being more first route is there any other stuff you'd all like to see?

 

[gisa]

Hi Brute Airforce,


Things like ports, airports, etc...take up lots of room and add an interesting dynamic if you ask me. I'm creating my own commuter style route (started from scratch last night). I think I made my station too big, but I'm digressing. For me, I would like to model about 30-50 kilometres of track, with a few industries but mostly passenger based. I'm finding catenaries a major major pain though...still why not plop in some industries or a portal? I love passing by trains when I'm driving on my way to somewhere...

Also, Boco is totally right: add some cityscape blocks/splines if you can and perhaps make a mini subway route through there or what not. It also helps if you keep the route open to expansion so that if you get bored, or want to make it bigger, you can just go from a different angle. Ideally, I'd love to make a commuter route with a large city so that I could drive a train, subway and streetcar in the metropolis for a different sense of how they all feel.


Gisa ^^

 

[Brute_Airforce]

Well the track work is done, came to a less than interesting end though...theres a portal to spit out some trains, I have to find a way to terminate trains with out the ones behind it searching for another route. :n:

 

[gisa]

I have some good news for you Bruce. You can set portals to create trains and in a sense, consume them. There are several threads on here and links which explain how to do that. Still, here's a great link for you

http://trains.0catch.com/Tut7-IntroToPortals.htm

For me, I plan to make a portal that spits out subway trains at regular intervals...they'll run along my route (I love eye candy). They will stop at a few stations, stop at Union Station (my mega station) perhaps stop at other stations if I model that side of the baseboard and then exit to a portal on the otherside (my route will most likely be a mixture of subway track alongside a freight/passenger route, possibly with some electrification [I love to bite off more than I can chew] ). This will give the illusion of a busy route while hopefully keeping things simple. I think the uses of portal are much more than we give it credit for, but we'll just have to play around with it and experimehttp://trains.0catch.com/Tut7-IntroToPortals.htmnt (mind you I've never fully used one yet).

Also, be sure to experiment with triggers, so you can force the trains to go in one direction. Remember to keep the tracks simple so the AS (artificial stupidity) doesn't kick in).

Good luck and keep us posted!


Gisa ^^