Can placing Coal Towers be improved, please?

[Flare]

I'm trying to integrate coaling towers into my maintenance yards, but it's nearly impossible because I can't see the rear of the structure to align it with existing track unless I zoom out, but zooming back in changes the orientation if I moved the mouse.

Can the tower be adjusted 90 degrees so the chute faces the player when placing, and move when the view goes up/down? I imagine that will help a lot.

[reoeddie]

Originally posted by Flare:

I'm trying to integrate coaling towers into my maintenance yards, but it's nearly impossible because I can't see the rear of the structure to align it with existing track unless I zoom out, but zooming back in changes the orientation if I moved the mouse.

Can the tower be adjusted 90 degrees so the chute faces the player when placing, and move when the view goes up/down? I imagine that will help a lot.

I agree completely with that post. Not only the coaling tower but, other track structures as well.

[Skorj]

A different approach would be to control the rotation of structures in the same way that the rotation of everything else is done. Set a specific angle to match the track (modulo 90°). With the rotation locked down, that would make moving it around so much easier.

[ostlandr]

The original water tower has a wooden beam modeled that appears to be intended to line up with the rails when you place the tower (same with the sand house.) Great idea, IF the beam were in the right spot, and were tall enough to be seen above the ballast/groundwork. As it is, trying to get a new water tower to line up correctly with the rails is frustrating at best.

At some time in the hazy and indeterminate future, when the Devs actually get a chance to come up for air, it would be great if this got fixed (beam lines up with edge of ties) and was implemented for all functional (or to be functional) trackside structures.

The rotate and lock feature would be great.

[Nikoli Voldkif]

Honestly, water towers and such should be configured to by default to snap to the track at the correct distant. If not that then there should be a visible column to mark where the water drops from when the nozzle is down.

Overall the whole building placement system needs reworked, you need to be able to walk around a building and adjust it's placement before locking it down.

[Aberd]

Until the developer decides to do a complete revamp and improvement to the placement of all the facilities from coal tower to firewood depot there is little to be done. In the meantime, what I find works best:
For OG water tower, firewood depot and sand tower, use track without ballast direct on ground to get best placement and good elevation. Then replace the track with desired track with ballast.
For all sheds, new water towers and coaling tower (and telegraph), place as best you can close to the final location. Save game, then go to Railroad.studio and edit the location and alignment angle. Import the changes back to the game and see the results.
It take a little practice, but the results are worth it.

As a side note, when using railroad.studio, X is east/west with west being positive X which corresponds with West being 0 alignment angle in game.

[Libra]

Best would be for a piece of track on all input/output sides of facilities, and the ability to snap them to tracks. Would make for a nice touch to add some additional detail, like a soaked spot in the ballast below a water tower, darker coal dust covering the ballast and ties at the coal chute, lighter excess sand at the sanding tower, and maybe small unusable broken pieces of wood at the firewood depot

[Ghost666]

Originally posted by Flare:

I'm trying to integrate coaling towers into my maintenance yards, but it's nearly impossible because I can't see the rear of the structure to align it with existing track unless I zoom out, but zooming back in changes the orientation if I moved the mouse.

Can the tower be adjusted 90 degrees so the chute faces the player when placing, and move when the view goes up/down? I imagine that will help a lot.

all facilities and buildings need a snapping feature

[STRATOCH1EF]

Originally posted by NIkoli Voldkif:

Honestly, water towers and such should be configured to by default to snap to the track at the correct distant. If not that then there should be a visible column to mark where the water drops from when the nozzle is down.

Overall the whole building placement system needs reworked, you need to be able to walk around a building and adjust it's placement before locking it down.

1000% agree!

[STRATOCH1EF]

Originally posted by Libra:

Best would be for a piece of track on all input/output sides of facilities, and the ability to snap them to tracks. Would make for a nice touch to add some additional detail, like a soaked spot in the ballast below a water tower, darker coal dust covering the ballast and ties at the coal chute, lighter excess sand at the sanding tower, and maybe small unusable broken pieces of wood at the firewood depot

I've thought about that, having a piece of rail fixed to the facility. But I've never thought about the idea of adding details like a water puddle or spilled coal, that would be really nice!

[reoeddie]

How about changing the eye-point elevation to being higher and setting it back just a bit, so you can see more for structure alignment to tracks. And at the same time that would help
shunting long consist of cars for loading and unloading at platforms. Its a quick fix, possible an ad-hoc solution until a more permanent fix can be obtain.

[cmdzerosixtwo]

Coaling towers, and locomotive sheds in addition to free placement should have select-able snap points like the switches that you can choose from and then snap to a track end you want to connect to. Firewood depots, water and sand towers should have the option to free place or snap the correct distance from the track. It's a quality of life issue that should have been addressed already.

[bjp4850]

As annoying as they all are, I find placing the coal towers easier than the other types.
Stand on the track you want to place it next to, look along the track with your pointer dead-centre on the ties, and place. This will cause it to float, so you can either delete a section of track and follow the same steps, or place groundwork beneath the tower. The ladder will not work if the tower is floating.

[wladi | astragon]

We noted it down on our feedback list - we have collected pretty much all you said and we think what you say is valid and valuable.