Railways. Any tips?

[hey2abills 0]

In all of the cities I have ever built, I have never remembered to build a rail system.  Until my city is to large, and I cannot build an effective one.  So help me out please.  Do you start early in the city?  Put freight and commuters on the same line?  Connect all the railways?  What is the best way to face the stations?  And any thing else you can contribute, thanks!

Also, I do not use any plugins or nams or cheats or anything else.  I like to play al natural

[LironTheChick 20]

I usually starts laying out railways and other mass transportation network from the start so that I can plan well during the zoning. I found it tiresome to layout rail network when the city is already fully grown because of lack of space.

[Retep Molinari 68]

Rail tracks cost next to nothing to maintain, so it's not a bad idea to lay them early so you don't have to go through and take them out later!

[heitomat 156]

I like to place the large transportation networks as early on as possible (highways and rail). The network then works as a "frame" for the city, and also it helps me zoning in a way that the larger networks come to good use.

I like to consider the rail as an "inter-regional" network, and thus I try not to build too much railroads and too many stations within one city.

[Jumpthefence 74]

Those danged Sims don't even know what inter-region transport is. Heck, most never leave their neighborhood, let alone their street. I use the rail to lay out plans for monorails, most of the time. Since Sims want a fast commute, monorail can be an expensive but rewarding network. The rail goes in when no buildings need to be destroyed, and gets replaced when the buildings in your city are skyscrapers. Sometimes I use el rail instead, but you get the idea.

[TFM1874 4]

Thats a good idea which I have never thought of Jumpthefence, although to be honest I am not one for using rail (of any form) I just can seem to get it too work - I have seen pics from people CJ's and you see the smart looking trains jumping about all over the place - I never get that - just a silly wee green thing bolting about!! I may try again when I start my next city - in about ten mins after checking the stex for any new items.

Rail is always something I'd like to add - I mean ground (normal) rail....I have managed to get an elevated system linked with my subways and thought that was the way to go - but I want....no, need to get the whole rail sussed!

I did ask this elsewhere but forgot the answer.......

I have installed the high speed rail thing......but, if I just instal a monorail system with the monorail still work?

[Jezus53 18]

Rail just takes some getting used too since you can't make sharp turns with it. Just build it really early. For example, when I make my first city in a region I will always develop an industrial area first. By doing that, I have my rail lines layed out and going to the edge of my cities. This allows me to build around my rail lines thus making them a vital artery for commuting. And as previously said, they are cheap so building them early is not a problem at all. You can keep freight and commuters on the same lines and station postion does not matter as long as the station touches a piece of rail and a piece of road that is not highway or rural highway.

Originally posted by: TFM1874

I have installed the high speed rail thing......but, if I just instal a monorail system with the monorail still work?quote>

Yes it will. HSR is like Rural Highways, they need a starter piece in order forthem to work. So as long as you do not put the starter piece down, then it will be monorail.

[SockoJr53 51]

I can't seem to supply enough rail, I usually run 2 tiles (so 4 track mainlines) in between my big city centers and I always get cries of "Sims Screaming for Rail Relief" only to find more than 28,000 people commuting on my mainlines. Sims are so wimpy, heck I put up with more than that on my daily Metro-North RR commutes.

As for when I place it, when I start a new city on virgin land, the rail lines are the first to go in, I plan my cities like a lot of Northeastern US cities, areas where the cities built around the rail lines, and the Union Station was the center of every downtown. Plus, it makes sense game-mechanics wise. You don't want to have to rip out buildings and redo your roads to put in rail, so I think its best to start the rail lines first, then do roads, then zone.

[Retep Molinari 68]

Originally posted by: heitomat

I like to place the large transportation networks as early on as possible (highways and rail). The network then works as a "frame" for the city, and also it helps me zoning in a way that the larger networks come to good use.quote>

Me too!