This game needs the ability to purchase land to stop AI construction.

[2 Zons]

In order to reserve space for future expansion in towns I've been placing tracks to prevent AI from building in areas. This is very cumbersome and ugly. Real estate is very much a big part of transportation business. I remember in A-Train using it as an excellent way to make money by purchasing plots of land, then increasing the development, and selling the land at a huge profit. Railroad companies did this all the time.

I don't see a direct route to implementing this in the game as it works currently, but having the ability to purchase or build something on the sides of roads to prevent AI construction would be nice. Something that wood look good and conform to the road better than tracks.

[ajax_post]

There is already a mod, called 'Buy The Plot', which allows you to define an area within which the AI cannot build.

[2 Zons]

Cool, it really should be part of the vanilla game.