Rail? What we need to run it?

[Ricardo]

Just created a long railway line, a lot of raw materials have been spent. I can see that it doesn't work. Do I have to create a Rail Station I for the railway line? Does there have to be a station on the other side as well? What is the difference between Rail Station and Rail Head?

[Kadrush]

I usually make rail stations on every city for SHQ > Zone and Zone > SHQ transport and truck stations on each route for supplying assets outside the city and troops

[Anonymous Helper]

You need at least Rail Station on one end and Rail head on other but you'll most likely want rail station on both ends sooner or later. As I see it, rail head is just a drop off point with no transport capacity of it's own but rail needs start (rail station) and end (rail head or another rail station) to function properly. Railway without end point works only at 10% capacity.

"However, Railroads to properly
function need to have a beginning and an ending. Rail Station Assets provide
this function. But so do Rail Head Assets (2). If there is no ending on a certain
railroad only 10% of the Rail Logistical Points will be allowed to be “spread
out” over that railroad, as it the case with our little branch (3)."

[Ricardo]

Originally posted by Anonymous Helper:

You need at least Rail Station on one end and Rail head on other but you'll most likely want rail station on both ends sooner or later. As I see it, rail head is just a drop off point with no transport capacity of it's own but rail needs start (rail station) and end (rail head or another rail station) to function properly. Railway without end point works only at 10% capacity.

"However, Railroads to properly
function need to have a beginning and an ending. Rail Station Assets provide
this function. But so do Rail Head Assets (2). If there is no ending on a certain
railroad only 10% of the Rail Logistical Points will be allowed to be “spread
out” over that railroad, as it the case with our little branch (3)."

Thanks, that explains a lot (thanks to your quote I found this in manual now).

So if there is a Rail Station on one side and an Rail Head on the other - is it a fast way for one-way goods?

[maerchen]

Exactly. I do rail III at the SHQ, no railheads, just station I or II at the rim cities

[George The Ork]

oh so do you need a rail station at the ends to send stuff back? I thought having the rail heads was just a cheap way to have a pit stop, but without adding any logistical points?

[maerchen]

Page 134 manual. Yes.

[Ricardo]

Another important thing about railways. If there is no road adjacent to a railway line, it takes more AP to move along the tracks than in an undeveloped area. For example, my Yellow Page says that Wheel AP cost for Plains Rocky is 15AP, but track riding is 20AP. Tracked is already 10AP on the ground but already 20AP on the tracks. And today I thought why my tanks are so slow to drive on new tracks, I thought there was a problem with the fuel.

So wheeled vehicles moving along the tracks are three times slower than driving on a sealed road. Bravo the creators of the game for the realism of the details - after all, when driving a truck along the tracks, we will not go too soon :)

[maerchen]

True, Ricardo, but have you strategic moved along rails? That's what they are for.

I am transferring whole tank regiments through my empire in one turn...

[Ricardo]

Never heard about Strategic Movement, and I have to knock that entry into the manual.

[maerchen]

S hotkey

[Ricardo]

Originally posted by maerchen:

S hotkey

Thanks. Good to know after 124.7 hours of game-play ;)
If someone does not know the topic yet, I found it now in manual:
5.11.5.7. Strategic Transfer

[maerchen]

Always a pleasure to help.