Unnecessary complicated track number ordering scheme

[Arjen42]

Why are track numbers ordered like 3, 1, 2, 4 on the Prague map instead of 1, 2, 3, 4?

Is this something to make the game unnecessary hard?

[Mišo]

SteR の投稿を引用：

As to why Prague is this way, well, who knows? It's not accurate to modern day, but I remember the devs mentioning that it was somewhat based on a map of the area pre-WWII. That's a long time ago, so it's very well possible things were done differently back then.
Also, Prague's train stations seem to just have Platform numbers rather than track numbers, so two tracks share a platform, which isn't exactly possible in the current state of the game. Of course, I may very well be wrong about that, since I'm just using google to come to this conclusion, but everything I've seen so far is leading me to believe that.

Prague map layout is contemporary yet simplified. For instance, Podbaba was opened in 2014. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praha-Podbaba_railway_station

Praha Hlavní nádraží (Prague Main Station) was named after president Wilson in 1920s's and I used this historical name instead of just Main Station as a tribute to him.

Internally, the ... 4 - 2 - 1 - 3 ... scheme is still used AFAIK but it has more than 20 tracks (including several dead-end tracks) in reality.

[kohoutdan666]

Train stations in Czech Republic are usually numbered 1-2-3-4-...., but I already saw newly renovated train stations having numbers in nonsense order, even thought rail order was 1-2-3-4 before renovation. I mean specifically Kolín train station.

[Albrat]

Technically if you want to be accurate... Platforms should have names and numbers... On dual platform stations in the UK it is common to have a UP and DOWN platform. Meaning that a train is travelling away from London (DOWN) or towards London (UP) With Mile measurements from London. (all mile posts on the UK railways are measuring the distance from London. Branches measure from the main line London distance to Branch distance.)

Any train travelling towards London (along the line) is going UP the line. (even if you geographically are moving away from London.) Meaning the distance along the rail line is getting shorter to London.
British Rail Systems are confusing... :P

[Reynard Fulvipes]

As others have stated the numbering scheme often has to do with a combination of not wanting to have to renumber tracks and encoding information into the track number about what happens on those tracks. Keep in mind that railroads have been around for a long time and much of that time they had to operate without the benefits of computerized systems to direct people where to go or to control the trains, add to that how dangerous it would be if someone involved in the operation of the railroad was confused about what they had been told to do.

It may not make sense to you as someone playing a game where you will be exposed to many different numbering schemes over the course of a couple days but it would have made perfect sense to the people using and running the train systems day after day for many years that even numbers meant one direction, odd numbers meant the other direction.

This idea of encoding information into a number is all over the place. If you ever buy a part for a car and notice the number is ridiculously long it's probably no because they made that many parts, it's because that number has additional information encoded into it that is useful to the manufacturer.

[Arjen42]

Having an unorthodox number scheme on a specific map would be something to add to a later map for extra difficulty, or otherwise something like a curiosity. Some players would appreciate that, some might not, while others don't see what's the fuss about, and that's ok I guess.

However, doing this on the first endless map after the tutorial might not be the smartest thing to do. This may confuse more, and even upset some, new players. When I opened this topic I was under the impression the Prague numbering scheme was applicable to every map. (I corrected my text after I checked.) I hope my feedback is appreciated.

[Legata Flavia]

How about add option to rename the platforms?

[Albrat]

Kandralla の投稿を引用：

It may not make sense to you as someone playing a game where you will be exposed to many different numbering schemes over the course of a couple days but it would have made perfect sense to the people using and running the train systems day after day for many years that even numbers meant one direction, odd numbers meant the other direction.

My farther was a signalman back in the 1970's. The "frame" they had then was numbered 1 - 35 Each lever referred to a signal or set of points. If I walked in and looked at the frame... I would have no clue what it all did. but there were interlocks and switching gear.

There were a sequence of levers to pull before you could release the signal. eg. you move signal 4 back, interlock 4a forwards, switch 5 back, switch 6 back and interlock 4b backwards. Now you can move signal 4 forwards (clear to pass) again. The interlocks only engage when the route is correct and you can only move them in certain sequences. So this decided junction numbers.

You usually found a sheet in the signal box that had platform number and a list of levers to move to set main line to platform. (but this is sort of off topic.)

[coenvijge]

'How about add option to rename the platforms?'

That would be great! +1

________

[Kaiser Soze]

It is in fact quite common even today to have this system.
However for passenger it is odd, so it is sometimes being changed to 1, 2, 3, 4.

But i prefer way better the tradictional one. tracks 1 & 2 are allways the main ones in the middle. Perhaps confusing for passengerm but for signaling guys there is no doubt: a train passing without stoping at a station will always go in tracks 1&2, a train parked will go to the otehr numbers, odd one direction, even the other.
so if you know you are going to track 5...you know it is going to be second on the side you are going (1, being central, then 3 then 5). This works no matter how big the stations is. and even if you dont know the number or tracks the station has.

Also is not uncommon to have stations that go like this:
8,6,4,2,1,3. Because that have grown in only one side.

[Albrat]

Sheffield Midland in the UK is an example of this.
from the "front" of the station it goes 1a,b,2a,b (platform split with points in the middle to a slip line. to allow multiple trains in the longer platform.)
3,4. are on the east side. 5a,b through platform to north. 6a,b,c through platform. 7 west bound platform and 8a,b Through platform.

There is a platform 3a and b. but B is on the west side. A is on the east side.

Platform 1 is main line north. Platform 6 is main line south. But this is so the north and south lines never have to cross services. Plat 6 is the first southbound platform that does not cross a northbound line.

[Melfice]

Hengelo in the Netherlands is a fun station as well in terms of platform numbers.

Looking from the city centre to the station, it has track 1 (through track), track 2 with platform 2a and 2b, platform 3a and 3b with track 3 (platforms 2ab and 3ab together create the main platform island!), then there are a four more through/shunting/yard tracks (tracks 4, 5, 6, 7), and then there are a slew more tracks that aren't directly adjacent to the platforms.

BUT! In the platform island, there is a cul-de-sac. Can you guess the number?
You're wrong. Unless you know what I'm talking about. But then you wouldn't be guessing.
It's track 11, with platform 11!

Why? Because it's the eleventh track that was built on the station. And the platforms used to be named after the track number it served.
I don't know the current state of affairs with regards to platform numbering. It might be true that they've simplified the numbering.

[coenvijge]

In the Netherlands stationstracks (for passengers) where indicated with the platformnumber and the platform track. In Hengelo after building a station with 'high' tracks (and maybe also before(?) there was only one platform, with four platform tracks (2, 3, 10? or 12? and 11). You can check the tracknumbers on 'www.sporenplan.nl' Probably in Hengelo they did not use a platformnumber and used 'from the beginning' the platform-tracknumbers.

It must have been in the sixties that the platformnumbers were abondonned and only the platform-track numbers were used for indicating the trains to the public.

As far as I know the system of numbering stations tracks never changed: track 1 is the one close to the main stationbuilding and the highest number is the track 'far away' at the other side. If a platform-track is devided in two or more parts 1a and 1b (etc) is used as mentioned. The 'a-platformtrack' is always the one closest to Amsterdam.

[dewy__]

Actually having the tracks named 1, 2, 3, 4 makes the game much more 'unnecessarily hard'. I work for a RR where one line is 4,2,1,3 and other lines are 3,1,2,4. When you work with a track designation scheme like 4,2,1,3 or 3,1,2,4 it actually is better and makes more sense.

[Legata Flavia]

Dewclaw の投稿を引用：

Actually having the tracks named 1, 2, 3, 4 makes the game much more 'unnecessarily hard'. I work for a RR where one line is 4,2,1,3 and other lines are 3,1,2,4. When you work with a track designation scheme like 4,2,1,3 or 3,1,2,4 it actually is better and makes more sense.

Hard to explain it to stubborn civilians.

[profd]

As simple or complicatd to understand as the Avenue/Street system for... streets (duh) in the US.
Here [in irl Rail systems]*, one side is Odd, one is Even.. when you're going to London, you're on the odd line, so every track on your left is odd numbered, any track on your right is of an even number..
... or the opposite.. can't remember what i've read few minutes ago..
[This system makes it]* easier to remember is you cut the main line during a move.. Going from #2 to #6 track is cool, going from #1 to #6 is a dangerous move. Needs protections/signals and stuff to not have an opposite direction train smash you, your train, cars and passengers.
But eh.. people like Kiss: Keep it simple stupid.. so they don't have to think about the numbering scheme. If you just think about the numbers as drawings, it's all abstraction and works too.
Sorry for wall of text. Thx for reading.
Edit: typos, syntax, stuff*.. (don't write when tired..)