2 Mini Tutorials for City Centres

[Rochefort 13]

Hello again.

Less is more so the saying goes, so I'm here to share two very simple little ideas today.

 

Congestion in downtown commercial areas is a common problem in all large cities and results in higher commute times, higher polution levels and higher abandonment....none of the things we mayors want to see.

 

In addition I've always been troubled by rail into my downtown as I have a thing against level crossings...you just don't see them littered about city centres !! I took a look at elevated rail and decided the only way is up !!

 

As in my other tutorials I'll be using the NAM, smoncrie's hole digging lots, bones1 slope mod and a bit of decoration courtesy of siqueira_scb.

 

Rail Connection

 

Step 1. Using the ground lifter tiles draw a straight line as long as you want.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%201%20RC.JPG align=baseline>

 

Step 2. Next, extend the middle 7 tiles on either side using single road tiles (doesn't have to be 7, depends on which station you use and how you want the road/avenue/etc.. to lead away from it). You should end up with something like this....

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%202%20RC.JPG align=baseline>

 

Step 3. For the station I'm using the connexion station by tag_one because its a 1x5 station which fits in well with my design above. Marrast also produces a 1x6 station and there are several slim line stations available on the STEX for variation. Once plopped, place a road either side....in this version I'm going to leave a one space tile at either end of each road for bus stops.

 

Now, Once you've placed the roads, draw down from the centre tile on each side. If you're using a slope mod the fact that you are drawing down from an existing road above should produce the extruded road shown below.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%204a%20RC.JPG align=baseline>

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%203%20RC.JPG align=baseline>

 

Step 4. Decorate as you see fit...I've used the standard in game grass filler tile plopped with trees, but you can use whatever you like. Zone, again as you see fit, but for this tutorial I have plopped a number of BATs readily available on the STEX to show you the end result.

 

Now remember, you can cut into the rail line through your city centre anywhere you like and bridge the gaps with the NAM puzzle pieces and elevating your rail in this way means NO level crossings. I know somepeople are going to say you might as well just use elevated rail and this is a fair point, but I like variety and I also like the look of the embankments. Its down to the individual so I hope this appeals to a few of you as an alternative.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%204%20RC.JPG align=baseline>

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%205%20RC.JPG align=baseline>

 

Next up.....

 

Congestion Relieving Underpass

 

Traffic along your main commercial routes can get pretty darn snarled up and much of it is through traffic on its way to another destination. You can relieve that with an underpass that takes traffic through the centre without snarling up your system. Again, no rocket science here and a feature of many major cities in the world.

 

Step 1.  Using the sunken digger tile, lay a path through the area you wish to by-pass.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%201%20UP.JPG align=baseline> 

 

Step 2. Next, using single road tiles, extend this into a double space..results being as below.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%202%20UP.JPG align=baseline>

 

Step 3. Put an avenue through the route.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%203%20UP.JPG align=baseline>

 

Step 4. Draw a one way road around the top of the hollow, leaving gaps where you want bridges.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%204%20UP.JPG align=baseline>

 

TIP: Now, if you're going to decorate the sides of the underpass, this is the time to do it. Despite the wonder of home and end sometimes the pesky little blighters wont play ball and you'll find placing filler tiles (particularly with walls or fences) exactly where you want them can be testing to say the least. This way, if you do have trouble and need to demolish the odd stretch of road, there's not much to rebuild. If you lay out all the roads and bridges first and then you hit problems, there'll be a whole lot of redoing your own work. Again, I've used a simple walled filler tile by siqueira_scb, but you could just as easily use grass filler lots or any of the great stuff on the STEX.

 

Step 5. Once decorated, lay those NAM puzzle pieces to complete the bridges across the underpass....when working that close to the hollow, you'll need to be sure you use the T junction slope piece. Complete the one way road and Zone, Zone, Zone.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Step%205%20UP.JPG align=baseline>

 

So, as promised, 2 very simple little ideas that might bring a bit of variety to your cities.

 

I hope someone finds a use for them and if you do, I'll be glad to post any other ideas I get.

 

Bye for now.

 

Rochefort

 

 

If you liked this tutorial, please feel free to drop by on a couple of my previous offerings:

 

Interchange Mini-Tutorial

Sharp as a Razor Rivers

 

[dev 47]

Another awesome tutorial! You need to contact an admin and get these published in the Omnibus! Very useful techniques!

[pickled_pig 7]

Really like your avenue-tunneling idea.  I've seen in Boston pretty much the same idea, but on a smaller scale - an avenue will tunnel like that but for only one block, sort of to split between local and express traffic.

[storms991 0]

coolio, could you make one for European city centres, so us Europeans can build the stuff in a better way

[aaronperry 0]

Hello Taz here.
As usual really liking the simplicity of ur tut's as u saw in my cj i made my own version of the junction but in rail, when i read this post i thought u had done that so phew and i like them and sure it add a diferent style so well done you! o and check my Cj https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/view.asp?mode=viewtopic&topicID=72920&num=30&pageNo=2

[Cjah 15]

Its great to see alot more people other then the SHS trying to inform the masses and your just the guy to do it....

I used to make tutorails too and maybe one day in the future I'll resume.....

 

I like that rail idea,but that sunken avenue idea I've used alot before....

 

Either way this tutorail is quite excellent....It may never see the onimbus,but try to get it pinned....

 

Trust me its the best you can do nowadays is get your tutorail pinned...

[Rochefort 13]

Thanks for the replies my friends.

storms991: I believe this kind of underpass is universal...in fact I got the idea when I was on business in London yesterday and crossed over exactly such an underpass at the top of Tottenham Court Road on my way to Euston station.

 

Cjah: You should definitely start tutorials again..I love your style and I think ST would benefit from some of your playing tips. When I first started lurking around ST a few years ago, tutorials were the things that taught me so many variations and brought the game to life for me. I think the reason we all love the game is because there are always new things you can do. I've lost count of the ideas I've copied from CJs and tutorials and sadly I don't think enough people have the confidence to post them. I know some of my ideas are old hat to many of the more experienced game players, but there will always be someone who finds them helpful and that's reason enough to post.

[spacenuteskimo 0]

    Great advice for congestion removing!

    Matthew

[SamFlash 0]

Very nicely done.  I've used the sunken avenue idea before but the elevated rail is something I've probably would never have thought of.  I wonder how high you need to build it to have room to push a tunnel thru? I guess I'll have to experiment. 

[+Guest]

Thanx to your Tutorials I'm giving Terraforming another chance.Thanx

[scoobsuk 44]

Just wanted to add a few thoughts of mine on this subject - I agree with the original poster - here in the UK at least, having all these level crossings and flat junctions just doesn't happen, especially not when you're approaching a major urban centre.

I've therefore spent quite some time playing with this and his grade separated rails idea is a good one.



I just wanted to mention a few other things to keep in mind:

Using elevated embankments for your rails works well - I find that if you're using the slope mod available to smooth out steep jerky roads, you can tunnel through a raised embankment, but it will only do it if the width of the embankment is more than 1 tile - I tend to use 3 as shown in the screenshot.

Using the NAM's raised rail pieces, including the on-slope connection piece, you can smoothly transition from flat rail on an embankment to raised rail pieces, and using the viaduct effect pieces you can find on the STEX, you can create a slightly more urban feel for your downtown areas - it can break up the monotony of all the embankments, anyway - and with the addition of raised-rail compatible stations that fit in with the the look of the viaducts, you can create a uniform and interesting urban look.

It takes a lot of care though - all the different pieces interacting can take time to place properly and you should save often - you may find you get some crashing due to the well-known bugs in the game. One other restriction is the current lack of raised rail curve puzzle pieces - you can only do straight lines with them at the moment, I believe.

Even so, with embankments, tunnels, raised stations, viaducts and so on, you can create more pleasing urban looks for your railways.

[Prophet42 1,503]

Great tutorial!  Looks like I'm going have to do a little urban renewal in my downtown area

[DuskTrooper 316]

An interesting, yet atypical way to make a central business district. This should help some people.

[samlee860407 1]

i cant build the bridges over the underpassees!!!
helppp....