Are multiplatform train stations necessary?

[AntuManuel]

Hey everyone, I’m hoping you can help me with something. I see one of the expansions added multiplatform train stations (with up to 12 lines). However, I can’t find a good use for them, besides some aesthetical variation. The thing is I don’t think that a normal 3x3 map is big enough to justify such an enormous train network (considering cims only use it for really long distances). Am I missing the point here? Thanks!!

[grapplehoeker]

Even without mods and even if you did restrict yourself to 9 tiles you could still make use of the Multiplatform Rail Hub. You wouldn't have to use all of the platforms, but if you did wish to, then you could have a dedicated platform for each of 4 separate outside connections for your intercity trains and then 8 platforms for your innercity lines.
Remember the important aspect of this is it is a hub that allows for the transfer to metro too, as well as an attractive city asset.
Of course you may have to use mods to create 4 separate rail connections to the outside if the map you chose to use didn't have them to start with, but then again you ccould have created the map yourself and provided them with this asset in mind.
You could also have chosen to expand your tilable area to 25 tiles which would allow plenty of room for 4+8 lines.

[AntuManuel]

Thank you very much for your reply. I don’t use mods, so I think that’s part of my problem. Besides, it might have been created having in mind some specific scenarios included in the expansions.

I didn’t know you could expand to more than 9 tiles. Does that need mods too? Thanks again!

[grapplehoeker]

Originally posted by Conchalex:

I didn’t know you could expand to more than 9 tiles. Does that need mods too? Thanks again!

Yes and there are many that allow you to do so in the Workshop. The one that I use for 25 tiles is this one,
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413498678
Incidentally, while the game was designed to be played within a 9 tile area, expanding to 25 tiles is still something the game mechanic is able to work with.
There are also mods that allow you to fully expand to 81 tiles, but it has to be said that this is well beyond what the game mechanic is able to work with and you may need other mods in order to help it work.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=576327847
Additionally, increasing the workable tile area will naturally place more of a burden on your system, so if you are using a lower end PC, it would be advisable to limit the size of your city building, but by all means see what works for you and remember you do not have to purchase every tile - just expand as much as your city requires.

[Pixoon Tube]

Originally posted by grapplehoeker:

There are also mods that allow you to fully expand to 81 tiles, but it has to be said that this is well beyond what the game mechanic is able to work with and you may need other mods in order to help it work.

I am always playing with the 81 tiles mod and personally, I cannot encounter any cases of the gameplay mechanics not working anymore etc. The only problem is that it may start to lag a bit, but it is still playable. I enjoy expanding into the suburbs. For exactly this purpose, multi-platform train stations are perfect as they interact as hubs for the inner city core (metro, inner-town-railway lines) to connect up with the suburbs (long distance trains).

However, I think that multi-platform-stations are also very useful when you do not want to expand into the suburbs and stay within 9 tiles. Railway lines within your city will still work, unless the density of train stations is less then those of metro stations (or: the distance between two train stations must be bigger than those of two metro stations). For instance, just check out the Paris Metro, a perfect real world example, that subways and trains can work together (Compare the Metro with the RER). By combining those two methods of transport, I could always achieve a high ridership.

Additionally, one does not always need multi-platform-stations. The most important rule is: More trains = more traffic jams on rail = need for more seperated tracks. If you just decide to run two train lines with 100% of trains for one line, you can easily squeeze them onto one platform. The same goes for the case, if you only have got one train line that stops at the same station as your intercity trains. But if you want to increase the amount of trains on your line to maybe even 500%, you will have to seperate all your lines because then, the amount of trains is so great that they simply need enough space for all trains. In one of my 200k+ cities, I used to run two train lines parallel, but every one has its own track, although both lines were pushed up to 500% of trains on the lines, simply because the demand for public transportation was so high.

And last but not least, if you have multiple train lines running on one track, trains of line 1 are obstructing trains of line 2. And if trains may be in a bad position, they may block each other and nothing will work anymore. Thus, I am not only using multi-plaform stations for railways, but for metro stations too. You can find them in the steam workshop.

So all in all I really recommend you to use multi-platform stations as they simply offer more possibilities to expand further once your current network has reached the limits of capacity. Besides, Mass Transit is a great DLC, not only for multi-platform-stations, so get it.

[grapplehoeker]

Originally posted by Pixoon Tube:

Originally posted by grapplehoeker:

There are also mods that allow you to fully expand to 81 tiles, but it has to be said that this is well beyond what the game mechanic is able to work with and you may need other mods in order to help it work.

I am always playing with the 81 tiles mod and personally, I cannot encounter any cases of the gameplay mechanics not working anymore etc. The only problem is that it may start to lag a bit, but it is still playable. I enjoy expanding into the suburbs. For exactly this purpose, multi-platform train stations are perfect as they interact as hubs for the inner city core (metro, inner-town-railway lines) to connect up with the suburbs (long distance trains).

We agree that using the 81 tile mod is dependent on the capability of the player's system so that is one consideration.
However, with regard to the basegame mechanic, when using this mod, I have observed frequent instances of forced teleportation of vehicles unable to traverse their itineries on time due to either the distances involved, congestion or a combination of the two. This can be very problematic when that occurs with service vehicles, which by nature have to service the whole city. In this case, a mod such as Districts, which allow you to restrict services to local service, is a useful solution.
Additionally, the player needs to be aware of how the game works so that they may more easily spot issues that may occur when the game is played well beyond it's designed parameters. So, I wouldn't recommend the 81 tiles mod to a beginner for this reason.
There is another aspect that I prefer the 25 tiles over the 81 for. As an artist, I have an appreciation for the need to frame the subject and allowing for the landscape to remain untouched by your city build area, helps to frame the city. 25 tiles is ample space in which to build and allows for plenty of terrain around it to help give your work of art more impact. Using every available tile with the 81 tile mod lessens that effect I feel and the aesthetics of your city suffers somewhat for want of a frame of reference the borders of the map provide.
That doesn't mean I never use the mod, because I do, when a particular city build has a need for it. For example, my Trilobyte City project was an elongated map and I had a need for tiles to go beyond the 25 tile box in an east-west direction. So I needed the 81 tile mod to allow for a rectangular build area the 25 tile mod couldn't provide.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=943961190

[Pixoon Tube]

Ok, I never have to deal with despawning vehicels, as I am playing with the TM:PE mod and I always turn the despawn off to simulate a more realistic traffic flow.

I already noticed that service vehicels tend to travel for very long distances so I will soon have to check out the Districts mod.

But I think we are moving off topic. This discussion was about multiplatform train stations and not about whether to use 25 or 81 tiles.

[Johana S.]

I struggled to figure this out for an hour.

Use the secondary mouse button (aka right click) to rotate the direction of the monorail station with road. In general, if you are struggling to figure out how to do something in this game, try the secondary mouse button.