Trams versus Pollution or the Benefits and problems with trams

[KaolinSunda 4]

One of my biggest problems with my cities as they grow is traffic.  I've tried subways and (with many issues) elevated rails but my success has been hit or miss.  My latest try was trams.  They have been very helpful traffic wise but they appear to be heavy polluters.  I thought - without any prior knowledge mind you - that trams were a more green solution than regular rail so I was very surprised.  Does anyone have good pollution management in place for their trams?  Please let me know if you do. Thanks

p.s. my "many issues" with elevated rails has been with rail stop connections connecting to the rail tracks.  The "many" in that is I've tried several different versions with limited success.

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

1 hour ago, KaolinSunda said:

my "many issues" with elevated rails has been with rail stop connections connecting to the rail tracks

What kinds of stations have you used? Are you using NAM? If so, then which version (I recommend the latest, which is 36 as I write)

With downloaded stations, I recommend reading the readme file(s) very carefully. If that doesn't clarify how to use them, then Google past discussions to learn more about common gotchas. Hint: It's a little tricky to get el-rails and their stations to pass over ground-level nets. If you don't build things just so, then something will be left unconnected.

Also: It's my understanding that el-rail is light rail. Have you looked at "viaduct rail"? I think that's heavy. Also see RRW & RUM.

[matias93 7,535]

Your problem is caused by the way Maxis decided to simulate different kinds of traffic externalities: air pollution in game means smog but also lack of visual privacy, and while electrical elevated rail lines do not cause the former, they are generally considered as harmful for privacy (all people on the trains can watch into your house or your garden). And as the NAM trams are an override network based on the el-rail, they inherit those effects.

But on the other hand, pollution has its pros on the game: air pollution cats m caused by networks is associated to traffic, and traffic promotes commercial growth (while hampering residential quality).

So, as a rule of thumb, tram pollution can be compensated by good urban planning, by keeping the tram route far from residential areas.

[KaolinSunda 4]

Thanks for your comments.  It has been challenging figuring out the best way to work with residential needs more than industry and commercial combined

My first attempt with trams totally wrecked a city.  I'm on my third incarnation now doing part of it underground.  Cant help but think that much pollution in a tunnel would suffocate the poor sims LOL.  I look at the towns and cities around me in a whole different light now.

 

light rail versus heavy rail it's a possibility but I was hoping to have an inner city transport system , can that be achieved with regular rail tracks?

[matias93 7,535]

46 minutes ago, KaolinSunda said:

Cant help but think that much pollution in a tunnel would suffocate the poor sims LOL.  I look at the towns and cities around me in a whole different light now.

again, what's simulated there is visual pollution (or lack of privacy), so underground commuting sims have nowhere to look at and there is no effect altogether.

48 minutes ago, KaolinSunda said:

light rail versus heavy rail it's a possibility but I was hoping to have an inner city transport system , can that be achieved with regular rail tracks?

in fact, heavy rail is more efficient for commuting than el-rail: it pollutes less, is cheaper to build and maintain, and has a similar (or slightly bigger) capacity than el-rail and trams. Add to that the fact that the NAM allows you to build viaducts (at two levels!) and underground rail lines and you have clearly a winner.

[huzman 445]

1 hour ago, matias93 said:

heavy rail is more efficient for commutin

You mean the regular rail system? That would be good news to me.
Better than the Tram system? That"s something I could get into it.

[jabcool52 37]

On 06/11/2017 at 3:40 AM, matias93 said:

in fact, heavy rail is more efficient for commuting than el-rail: it pollutes less, is cheaper to build and maintain, and has a similar (or slightly bigger) capacity than el-rail and trams. Add to that the fact that the NAM allows you to build viaducts (at two levels!) and underground rail lines and you have clearly a winner.

But the trams are so pretty!

[rsc204 21,857]

I agree that for many usage scenarios despite the benefits of regular rails, I'd rather use the GLR/Subway/ElRail combinations.

Subway is much more flexible than U-Rail, which is a much under used/developed feature in the NAM. The freedom to drag subways under pretty much anything is great, whereas URail relies on puzzle pieces, which have limited integration with other networks, especially when it comes to diagonals.

El-Rail may not support L1, but it can go to L2/L4 using the various pieces, including sitting a-top road, street, RD-4 and Avenue networks at L2. Similarly the GLR, which if you think about it is really L0 El-Rail, integrates perfectly on Streets, Roads and Avenues via the various puzzle pieces. You also get four visual variants for normal tram lines, Urban, Rural, Alt Grass & Alt Sidewalk. In short it's a hugely flexible network, which not only can add realism to cities, but can be quite pretty too. I love trams and would not want to ditch them, the pollution doesn't really bother me, I can take care of that with some trees. By keeping the Commercial near the tram/GLR lines and Residential a block away, the pollution can actually work in your favour too.

[APSMS 1,893]

If you have the NAM and have made sure to install the TSCT, there is an option in there to adjust the pollution reducing value of the clean air act, which the NAM modified to cover both industrial and traffic pollution (base game didn't have any options to reduce smog from traffic). By default this value is set at a 60% reduction in pollution, but you can make this value greater (or less) via the TSCT. 

Although having used trams primarily in a commercial environment I've never had a problem with substantial pollution from it. At worst you can just enable the ordinance. There are a number of good pollution reducing BATs in the STEX and LEX as well that can help with this, if cleverly integrated into your planning.

Usually the increased benefit from traffic outweighs the pollution from the transit line.

[djash1000 37]

I'm just having first go with trams.

There are so many different things to click on, does this look right?

It looks like it's partly elevated, so not sure if I've knackered the road

[djash1000 37]

also, they don't seem to connect city to city, so what do you put at the end?

[rsc204 21,857]

6 hours ago, djash1000 said:

There are so many different things to click on, does this look right?

No it doesn't, some pieces are not properly connected up. The station is fine though, the wonky road is just the pieces conforming to the terrain.

At the top and further down I see two Tram in Road (TiR) networks next to the Tram in Avenue (TiA), you need to find the right piece for that in the TiR menu. "Tram in Avenue - Triangle with Tram in Road" is what you are after.

The key here is to follow the tram lines visually, if they have gaps, you can be sure no trams can go where there are no tracks. But be cautious too, because you need to make sure you've the right piece for intersecting networks. For example the piece I mentioned before has other similar-looking pieces which are not designed for TiR. My advice would be to open a blank city, use the terraforming tools to make it completely flat, then plop every piece from the TiA / TiR menus. This will give you an idea of the pieces available and how to find them. It becomes much more intuitive with a bit of exposure. Here's an example just to give you an idea of what's possible:

6 hours ago, djash1000 said:

also, they don't seem to connect city to city, so what do you put at the end?

This is a game limitation, Maxis never envisioned dual-networking, i.e. one piece with two networks, as such it's impossible to have neighbour connections for such networks. What you must do is transition the Tram in Avenue into separate GLR and Avenue/Road networks. Plenty of pieces exist to do this in a number of ways. In fact, with a little creativity, you can even make the split look pretty natural.

[djash1000 37]

22 hours ago, rsc204 said:

No it doesn't, some pieces are not properly connected up. The station is fine though, the wonky road is just the pieces conforming to the terrain.

At the top and further down I see two Tram in Road (TiR) networks next to the Tram in Avenue (TiA), you need to find the right piece for that in the TiR menu. "Tram in Avenue - Triangle with Tram in Road" is what you are after.

The key here is to follow the tram lines visually, if they have gaps, you can be sure no trams can go where there are no tracks. But be cautious too, because you need to make sure you've the right piece for intersecting networks. For example the piece I mentioned before has other similar-looking pieces which are not designed for TiR. My advice would be to open a blank city, use the terraforming tools to make it completely flat, then plop every piece from the TiA / TiR menus. This will give you an idea of the pieces available and how to find them. It becomes much more intuitive with a bit of exposure. Here's an example just to give you an idea of what's possible:

This is a game limitation, Maxis never envisioned dual-networking, i.e. one piece with two networks, as such it's impossible to have neighbour connections for such networks. What you must do is transition the Tram in Avenue into separate GLR and Avenue/Road networks. Plenty of pieces exist to do this in a number of ways. In fact, with a little creativity, you can even make the split look pretty natural.

Yes I see what you mean, I have mixed tram in road with tram in avenue. I shall take your advice, on a blank city and play around.

[monkeywater 910]

On 11/10/2017 at 10:36 AM, rsc204 said:

 I can take care of that with some trees.

Surely there is a limit?  For example if i have a congested tram line, trees will not remove all its pollution.  Even cheat lots capable of cleaning up the air above the densest dirty industry area you can think of fail at cleaning up all pollution from a congested tram line.

[rsc204 21,857]

1 hour ago, monkeywater said:

Surely there is a limit?

Of course, trees only do so much. But it helps contain pollution and provides a positive effect such that you can keep desirability up. I mean, in the real world not many expensive apartments sit along rail, tram or el-rail lines. Such networks are noisy apart from anything else. So it kind of makes sense that being right next to them is not an ideal place to live. As mentioned though, Commerce is usually fine with it and it's possible to grow high wealth close by. I personally have never found the pollution aspect to be a big enough barrier to using GLR networks.