More trains vs longer trains (passenger)

[TheKatalysator]

what would be better?

[hayspggammer]

I use the M-300 for local and regional lines and faster larger multiple units for longer distances. I seldom use an engine and passenger cars. Seems to work well for me. When passenger demand grows on the local or regional lines I will add more M-300s until I start getting wait times to enter the station. Then I start making each M-300 longer until demand is met. The longer multiple units can be managed the same way.

[larry_roberts]

More trains means a more frequent service. which I would think would be more attractive to passengers. On the other hand if a train is full and passengers can't get on it that can't be very good for them. So I would say more frequent to begin with then make them bigger and faster when demand increases.

[Huperspace]

in TPF1 more trains would be benificial.
But as TpF2 don't include waiting time, only travel time it makes no difference.

[Tsubame ⭐]

Does not matter, passengers will wait forever for a vehicle and only travel time counts in this game. I have passenger lines with 30+ minute frequencies and people will wait.

I would use whichever you prefer.

Objectively speaking, longer trains have the advantage of reducing required frequencies, and are useful in tracks with operational constraints, such as single track, shared operation with local/express traffic, etc.

More frequent trains in the other hand have the advantage of distributing the cargo over a longer period of time, along connecting traffic, especially shorter feeder lines - i.e. fewer buses that are empty half of the time and then overloaded for the other half when all that traffic from the larger train arrives.

[numbat]

If you assume that each train has a stand-alone locomotive, then more trains is likely to cost you more in maintenance. As someone else on these forums explained, the passenger/cargo wagons have to pay the maintenance for the locomotives.

I don't have enough hours in the game to figure out where the balance point is, but it seems to me that adding a single carriage to two existing trains (as long as each carriage carries more than their respective maintenance costs) adds the profit directly to the bottom line. Whereas creating a new two-carriage + loco train might end up losing money, if the carriages don't make enough to pay for the maintenance on the locomotive.

Cheers,
Chris.

[canophone]

Originally posted by Tsubame ⭐:

Does not matter, passengers will wait forever for a vehicle and only travel time counts in this game. I have passenger lines with 30+ minute frequencies and people will wait.

I would use whichever you prefer.

Objectively speaking, longer trains have the advantage of reducing required frequencies, and are useful in tracks with operational constraints, such as single track, shared operation with local/express traffic, etc.

More frequent trains in the other hand have the advantage of distributing the cargo over a longer period of time, along connecting traffic, especially shorter feeder lines - i.e. fewer buses that are empty half of the time and then overloaded for the other half when all that traffic from the larger train arrives.

Less wait = each passenger agent doing more trips giving higher reward. Longer wait = less run costs.

For cargo though, longer trains have better reward, as industries produce the same maximum 400 output regardless, which is all you can move.

[TheKatalysator]

yeah i understand, thanks for the answer.

Would it reduce automobile traffic if you have more frequent busses/trains?

[larry_roberts]

Would it reduce automobile traffic if you have more frequent busses/trains?

Without doubt, people will use public transport if it's cheaper and frequent.

[gGeorg]

Originally posted by larry_roberts:

Would it reduce automobile traffic if you have more frequent busses/trains?

Without doubt, people will use public transport if it's cheaper and frequent.

You are spreading missinformation repeatedly. STOP IT.

Several posts above, two game proffesors (Huperspace, Tsubane) wrote down proper informytion from game wiki:
Freqency do not matter.
Frequency do not attract more customers.
Frequnecy do not make line cheaper.

Originally posted by TheKatalysator:

Would it reduce automobile traffic if you have more frequent busses/trains?

No, it would not.
You can reduce people traffic by speed advantage of your lines.
People compare theoretical time travel in their car (they do not consider traffic jam), to the speed of travel by your system. They inlude time travel on board combined to get to the destination. They include walk time. They do not count waiting time.
Solution :
Make BUS shuttle service point to point inside town, sort of a star with center the train station.

[gGeorg]

Originally posted by numbat:

If you assume that each train has a stand-alone locomotive, then more trains is likely to cost you more in maintenance. As someone else on these forums explained, the passenger/cargo wagons have to pay the maintenance for the locomotives.

Yes and No.
You pay Loco for his power in HP. There is almost linear dependency. Make yourself a deivision maintenance_cost / horse_power you will get almost the same number for any loco.
Theerfore, efficient usage of the maintenance cost (horse power) is attach as much wagons as possible to get train power status - poor (or just right before that). It is for rrecomended smooth tracks. When you save money when building tracks, or you play an extreme hilly map, you will need less effcient usage of power. So then you aim at power status good.

It means, power status of a train is counter intuitive.
good or extreme good status means less money.
Poor status meeans better money.
Yeas, game design and economy preesentation is wierd.

[=KBC= DerBastender [Ger]]

Does money still matter!!! :D The main thing is that people are happy ;) and you have fun with it, how everything works :D

[TheKatalysator]

Originally posted by gGeorg:

Originally posted by larry_roberts:

Would it reduce automobile traffic if you have more frequent busses/trains?

Without doubt, people will use public transport if it's cheaper and frequent.

You are spreading missinformation repeatedly. STOP IT.

Several posts above, two game proffesors (Huperspace, Tsubane) wrote down proper informytion from game wiki:
Freqency do not matter.
Frequency do not attract more customers.
Frequnecy do not make line cheaper.

Originally posted by TheKatalysator:

Would it reduce automobile traffic if you have more frequent busses/trains?

No, it would not.
You can reduce people traffic by speed advantage of your lines.
People compare theoretical time travel in their car (they do not consider traffic jam), to the speed of travel by your system. They inlude time travel on board combined to get to the destination. They include walk time. They do not count waiting time.
Solution :
Make BUS shuttle service point to point inside town, sort of a star with center the train station.

Thanks!

[TheKatalysator]

One more question, does overcrowding of stations/busstops/tramstops impact the automobile traffic?

Because passengers will leave the stations/stops.

[Autocoach]

They will go home by teleport and start a new journey which may be by car

[Zapp]

Originally posted by TheKatalysator:

More trains vs longer trains?

At first, when the line isn't very utilized, adding more trains is better.

Later on, when trains start to slow each other down (congestion), making the trains longer is better.