Balloon Loops

[Kommie178]

Has anyone else tried real life modern railroad layouts in the game yet?

I have and am happy to say that they're way more efficient for getting bulk rural goods into a massive production facility while only taking up two tracks and zero grid irons.

I ran test from station to station and the one I built balloon loops around was able to transport 4 to 5 times the cargo per week! The time savings are insane!

[coenvijge]

I didn't, but they must be efficient for bulk goods. You make a single tracked line A-B-A. In real life you can only find them where there is a lot of space and less concern about the use of the environment. In RE(2) they also take the benefit of the fact that normal track is cheap. IRL making a balloon loop can give you a lot of extra costs.

[wsmith140]

Can we get some screenshots/layouts?

[coenvijge]

__<_(UN)LOADING PLATFORM________<_____
__>______________________..................balloon......................\
.............................................................................\.......................loop.....................|
...............................................................................\__________>_____/

Just one (un)loading platform/facility; no switches; no gridirons; block signals on the track (one-directional track); one connection in; one connection out.

[Kommie178]

I'll take some screenshots but essentially you just have a two lane track between stations with no grid iron. Then connect the ends together forming a loop and repeat for the other end. The slower speed on the balloon section is a benefit as it allows the train to unload. Set the directions and all you do is make a normal route with way-points set so it goes all the way through the station first, loops, then stops and unloads. If you don't set the way-points it will get backed up in the middle shorter straight station to station section.

[Kommie178]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008409480

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008409535

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008410073

[EMAPhil]

I'm missing something here.
Why have 2 lines through a station if you only use one. You incur extra platform cost?
Can you not by-pass and curl round?

[Kommie178]

With having two lines through the station it allows the train to run in a continuous loop without having to turn the train around in the station or wait for a space in the station. The loop serves two functions, the primary is turn the train around without having to uncouple and re-couple the cars. The secondary function is to slow the arrival of the train enough to unload the train at the station.

If you used one platform/line through the station they would get stuck waiting for each other instead of going in a circle.

Balloon loops simply allow the train to go in a circle.

In real life they use them for passenger service as it only requires a door on side and a station platform on one side as well in addition to the speed benefits of no uncoupling, just unload. load, and go.

Majority of the time its rather difficult to get the line to loop without the use of a second platform. You can also set it to stop with a minimum of zero cars on the first, this allows them to get maintained without to much effect on the train lines running or you can load twice if the production is slow without jamming the station.

[EMAPhil]

Sorry poor explanation on my part. I love the concept and will give it a try in the scenario I'm struggling with. What I meant was not a dog bone through the station but a donut that passes by before looping back at each rural stop saving a platform cost each time. Still a circle and one way of course. A passing loop that will be unused but create blocks could slow things up if required.
From what you said is your maintenance depot at the rural station?

[coenvijge]

Originally posted by EMAPhil:

I'm missing something here.
Why have 2 lines through a station if you only use one. You incur extra platform cost?
Can you not by-pass and curl round?

Yes if you have two lines through the station you have 50.000 extra costs. You can easely make your loop with only one station track. Just make the track that passes the station 'one-way'.


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008622371

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008622570

[Kommie178]

Originally posted by coenvijge:

Originally posted by EMAPhil:

I'm missing something here.
Why have 2 lines through a station if you only use one. You incur extra platform cost?
Can you not by-pass and curl round?

Yes if you have two lines through the station you have 50.000 extra costs. You can easely make your loop with only one station track. Just make the track that passes the station 'one-way'.


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008622371

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3008622570

I plan on it for the next attempt at it, I just didn't want to find the space with that particular map and location. I appreciate that advice and it'll certainly an oversight I had.

[Kommie178]

Originally posted by EMAPhil:

Sorry poor explanation on my part. I love the concept and will give it a try in the scenario I'm struggling with. What I meant was not a dog bone through the station but a donut that passes by before looping back at each rural stop saving a platform cost each time. Still a circle and one way of course. A passing loop that will be unused but create blocks could slow things up if required.
From what you said is your maintenance depot at the rural station?

The maintenance station is at the rural one and works well when you set it it to maintain them often.

[wsmith140]

So with this, are you setting a waypoint in the loop to make sure the train goes through that versus the hard-coded reset at the stations? So like Station 1 to Waypoint 1 (Balloon) to Station 2 to Waypoint 2 (Second Balloon).

[coach david]

Originally posted by wsmith140:

So with this, are you setting a waypoint in the loop to make sure the train goes through that versus the hard-coded reset at the stations? So like Station 1 to Waypoint 1 (Balloon) to Station 2 to Waypoint 2 (Second Balloon).

I think just setting the track direction will ensure.

I have something similar I use for warehouses.. I have a large loop and a single track crossing. It works for many warehouse. After the patch, I will post a picture, right now it stops working due to the trains not always delivering to the warehouse

[coenvijge]

Originally posted by coach david:

.......
I think just setting the track direction will ensure.
.............

Yep, but depending on the exact lay-out you use.

You can create a lay out where you can use the balloon loop and keep the possibility to turn your train direct. In that case you'll have to add a waypoint in order to let your train use the loop.

[wsmith140]

Ahh, got it. Thanks gents!