Hello, I want to share the busiest network I've ever built.
The network starts in Newport. The station to the right is the first one I build on the map. The intercity network has 40 departures per month, the suburban network has 48.
(http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/5103/city7.th.png) (http://img208.imageshack.us/i/city7.png/)
The mainline leads to York Central station on the right had side just below the map window. There is a underground level with suburbans trains serving the area between Newport.
(http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7532/city6.th.png) (http://img514.imageshack.us/i/city6.png/)
The 4 track main rail corridor linking the west side to the east. It carries about 60 trains each direction. The double track line down below is the relief line originally for freight, but now increasingly used by p****enger trains. It carries about 30 trains per month.
(http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8375/city5d.th.png) (http://img19.imageshack.us/i/city5d.png/)
In the middle is Salisbury station, a busy hub in the network. Many special workings terminates in this station. There are 5 surface and 7 underground platforms.
(http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/403/city4.th.png) (http://img261.imageshack.us/i/city4.png/)
One of the busiest area of the network: four bridges connecting the west and east.
(http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/2775/city8.th.png) (http://img30.imageshack.us/i/city8.png/)
On to the eastern half, the main line continues to St Davids and then Gloucester. Many regional and local service terminates at these stations
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8809/city3.th.png) (http://img151.imageshack.us/i/city3.png/)
This screenshot is a bit east to the last one. It shows Lancaster station, the next one on the main line from Gloucester station. In the bottom, in the middle, is Chichester station. Originally built as a station on a branch line, now a important hub as the whole area is urbanised. The double track branch line is highly stressed.
(http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/4402/city2.th.png) (http://img249.imageshack.us/i/city2.png/)
Because the map is almost completely urbanised, it is very difficult to expend the network to increase capacity. My solution is to squeeze more trains into existing network. Putting in more rail signals is a start. I find that with a normal double track line, the largest number of trains per month is about 25-28. If I put more platforms in the stations, the number can go up to about 35. Then there is still some spare capacity for nonstop freight or express trains. They can bring the number up to about 40-45 without significant congestion. The maximum I've even got was about 65, but that was too congested.
How do you manage extreme traffic volume? Please share your expriences.
Gosh, that's jolly impressive! I notice that you're using elements of PakBritain and a rather old version of Simutrans (99.17). You might be interested to know that a number of newer versions of Simutrans (more stable, more features) have been released since (the latest stable version is 102.0), and that a new version of PakBritain is about to be released. You must have been playing that game for years like that...
Wow. What popped into my mind when I saw all that lot...wheres wally.! Finding something not working well must be like a needle in a haystack.
May I ask...how long has it taken to make that network? ...playing time rather than game time.
@Severous
It's very easy to spot a problem because the whole network is an integral system and all the lines are interconnected. The problems most likely to occur are Choose Signal errors. They happen when save a game whilst a train is being sent to alternative route by a choose signal. When you load the save again, the train just got stuck trying to going back to normal route. For example, an error with the Lancaster suburban network would block entrance to a freight siding. A blocked freight train would block the regional lines to Gloucester. Then from there back to Salisbury and the main rail corridor. It can go all the way to Newport and back the other way until most of the trains are brought to a stand still.
I first started this one on 2007-9-14. (Date of first save file, I keep saves at different stages.) I've been playing this on and off ever since. Usually when I'm not going anywhere with other maps.
@jamespetts
I'm waiting for the official release of a new PakBritain. I love the pak and British trains. I'm sticking with old version of Simutrans with this map due to incompatibility (especially after v100).
omg, 2 years of play :o
Yeah,that's really a lot!Once I spent two weeks on a pak64 save file,then (without wanting this)I deleted it.
Always back up ;-)
1GB RAM and 1,7Ghz CPU aren't enough.I don't wanna wait a lot of time till it is done with saving.Can build a lot of new stations in that time. :-)