How to get trains running opposite directions on 1 track / line.

[Flip]

I have a closed loop circular passenger line and I am trying to get 2 trains to run in opposite directions on the same track and line but I cannot seem to get it to work.

Track works like this
Station A -> B -> C-> D -> A -> B -> C -> D -> A etc etc

What I want is for the trains to run in opposite directsion
Train 1
Station A -> B -> C-> D -> A -> B -> C -> D -> A etc etc
Train 2
Stations D -> C-> B -> A -> D -> C -> B ->A -> D etc etc

However I cannot seem to get them to do this. I tried having one train turn around but as soon as it gets to a station it turns around again and follows the original order that I setup the track in.

Is there a way to get 2 trains to run in opposite directions on 1 line or do I need two seperate lines?

[General Tso]

The trains need two tracks or two platforms in order to pass each other. Each line has to be assigned to a separate track or platform.

[Flip]

So it's not possible to have two trains running opposite on a single line? I need two seperate lines in order to accomplish this?

[General Tso]

For a two way continuous loop route you need two lines. One going each way. But the whole route doesn't have to have 2 tracks. You can set up double track passing areas with single track sections between them. And use signals to control things.

For any kind a point to point line where the trains turn around at each end. You can use only one line if you want to.

[Vimpster]

If you want the trains to have different orders from each other, as you have described, than they need to be on different lines, though they can still share the same track so long as they have spots where they can pass each other.
Though maybe a picture would help us know what exactly you are trying to do since what you describe seems rather strange.

[Flip]

Well the line is literally a circle with several stops and the train currently goes one way and stops at each stop in sequence and then starts over
Stop 1, Stop 2 , Stop 3, Stop 4, Stop 1, Stop 2, Stop 3, Stop 4 (it repeats as it's a circle, last stop then leads to first stop).

The problem with 2 lines is that one line will be heavy load and one line will be half empty so was hoping I could put it all on one lime. Maybe I will just make a point to point line and then at the end the train turns around

[Vimpster]

Even if it were possible to make them operate differently while being on the same line it would not change how much each train gets used. The usage of each would end up identical to using two separate lines. They are not competing with each other if they go in different directions.

It is perfectly normal that one direction might have higher usage than the other at any given point in time. But that fluctuates over time. Eventually anyone that has travelled in one direction will need to head back in the other direction, even if it takes a number of years.

[General Tso]

Originally posted by Flip:

Well the line is literally a circle with several stops and the train currently goes one way and stops at each stop in sequence and then starts over
Stop 1, Stop 2 , Stop 3, Stop 4, Stop 1, Stop 2, Stop 3, Stop 4 (it repeats as it's a circle, last stop then leads to first stop).

The problem with 2 lines is that one line will be heavy load and one line will be half empty so was hoping I could put it all on one lime. Maybe I will just make a point to point line and then at the end the train turns around

The most efficient solution would be to create a individual line between each 2 adjoining stations. And let the passenger transfer when going to a distant station. It's not the most fun way to do things at times. But it usually works far better than having competing lines.

[sergetechone]

@Flip

I may repeat the others posts before mine. To create a circle and have one train going clock wise and the other counter clock wise, you need at one point - a double track station or a section that will be double track with only two signal. with two depot or one depot that is connect to both direction. Create one route for train one ( City A - City B - City C - City D - City E and the other route for train two ( City E - City D - City C- City B - City A ). And let the game passages to figure out where to go. And place the trains station in downtown of each cities for better coverage or outside town with a proper city transit that cover the Residential, Commercial and Industrial Zone with at least one stop in each zone.

"So it's not possible to have two trains running opposite on a single line? I need two separate lines in order to accomplish this? "

In - Line ( East - West or North - South ) design instead of a circle can be possible with a single route with a spot in the middle that is double rail with two signal with one depot. The route will be : City A - City B - City C - City D - City E - City D - City C - City B, One train start at the City A, start the second train when the first train is at City E, and the two trains should meet at mid point. And off course, centralise location of the stations or compliment with a transit line at each cities.

So therefore two different design. OR as General Tso mention - lots of point to point, but a lot more expensive to setup.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2470104486

In the last final mission - China - I did a circle design, two route, the rail was double track with a lots of signals because I have to get 12 trains in motion at first ( 6 CCW, 6 CW ) and transport as possible by trains the goods.

[Flip]

Thanks for the replies all, will give these a try. The challenge I find is that now I am entering the 50's trains are getting expensive and I am at the point where 1 train is too little and 2 trains are too much because some stations have like 300 people waiting and others have like 50. Since I don't know where people are going it's hard to tell where the traffic is going.

[Vimpster]

Originally posted by Flip:

... some stations have like 300 people waiting and others have like 50. Since I don't know where people are going it's hard to tell where the traffic is going.

This is the very reason why multi-stop lines (3+ stops) are generally less efficient. When you keep it to just 2 stops per line then you can customise each line according to the passenger volume for that specific connection. Multi-stop lines are more interesting to make though, but you have to expect them to run less efficiently.

[Flip]

Originally posted by Vimpster:

Originally posted by Flip:

... some stations have like 300 people waiting and others have like 50. Since I don't know where people are going it's hard to tell where the traffic is going.

This is the very reason why multi-stop lines (3+ stops) are generally less efficient. When you keep it to just 2 stops per line then you can customise each line according to the passenger volume for that specific connection. Multi-stop lines are more interesting to make though, but you have to expect them to run less efficiently.

Interesting, is it possible to make a profit on 2 stop lines with modern trains? As I understand it, profit is Distance + Speed, with a 2 stop line the distance would be low and thus wouldn't allow those high speed trains to reach top speed?

Perhaps a combo of short 2 stops and longer 2 stops might allow me to use some of the faster ones?

[Autocoach]

I always use multi stop lines and accept that the fill rate will vary.

However point to point will always be the best as the passengers don't care about how many changes they make. A train will (usually) need to get somewhere near to it's top speed to make maximum profit as although you are paid based on theoretical top speed of the slowest vehicle on the line multiplied by straight line distance (and then by 2 for freight and an additional 7 times any distance increase in height) because costs occur in a linear fashion so you want as many trips as possible for a given amount of maintenance costs.

A single loop is the worst possible way of getting profit from a line (Eg A B C D back to A) as passengers going from B to A have to go via C and D which is almost certainly the wrong way.

A double loop with half the trains on each would be my solution if a loop is desired as every passenger has an outbound and return journey to make but I would still be doing one line A B D and another A C D if we assume four stations at the corners of a diamond.

[Vimpster]

Originally posted by Flip:

Interesting, is it possible to make a profit on 2 stop lines with modern trains? As I understand it, profit is Distance + Speed, with a 2 stop line the distance would be low and thus wouldn't allow those high speed trains to reach top speed?

Perhaps a combo of short 2 stops and longer 2 stops might allow me to use some of the faster ones?

Having 3+ stops on a line isn't going to improve profitability on a modern/high speed train. If it has to stop between point A and C anyways than you are losing the advantage of the highspeed regardless of if the person had to transfer at stop B or just stayed onboard a train that stops at A, B and C. My advice would be to, as you more or less suggested, use the cheaper modern trains for connections between neighbouring towns and use the more expensive high speed trains for connections between distant towns, like an express line that skips past several towns to connect two towns that are further apart.