Industry not using intra-city rail

[Smidge204]

So I have forestry industries on both ends of the city, with a thick residential/commercial region between them. That's just the way the city has grown...

I build cargo train stations in both industrial areas, and they are linked via the existing rail lines that connect to neighboring cities. There is absoluitely no problem for trains to get from one station to the other.

There is also a barely used highway system that circles up and around the dense inner city region linking the two areas.

And yet... the residential/commercial zone is clogged with logging trucks! I've followed several of them and they are traveling to/from buildings that are just a few buildings away from the rail terminals. They don't even take the highway which terminates in both zones - just straight through the narrow residential streets!

Is there anything I can do about this?

[Twilight]

It seems that this route is shorter then via motorway. Try to make it a bit undesirable. Slower roads, curves..
Maybe use the "no heavy traffic" district policiy.
Another attempt could be that all your trucks have to pass the fright station before they hit the highway. This could lead the route calculation to include the trains..
Just guessing anyway.
Screenshots would be helpful

[Smidge204]

Screenshot:

http://www.smidgeindustriesltd.com/Skylines_TruckPath.png

Considering what you were saying about path length, that might be the key. Both the rail and highway loop up and around about half the city's height off the top of that image. When I implement the heavy traffic ban everything chokes - but I'm probably not using it correctly so I'll look into that a bit more. Thanks for the tip.

[BonPadre]

ever thought of heavy traffic ban policy covering your full residential area ???
But also maybe the way you laied your tracks, that may prevent your train to perform that Giant U-Turn to get around your city... OR maybe and that's a big maye as honnestly I never tried it, I'm not sure your own trains would perform that U-turn in outer boundaries of your tiles (I honnestly doubt it...), sou do you have your onw railroad connections between the 2 stations in your owned tiles ?

[Bullwinkle]

Buildings that need wood and wood products will have a priority is to get locally grown wood/wood products first, and to get imported wood/wood products second. You mention that the stations are connected, but have you established a rail line from one station to the other (and back again to complete the line) to make sure both stations are receiving locally-grown wood that can be delivered to buildings nearby buildings? If you have, then I have to wonder if the wood ever left the city limits on its route. Not sure if that would matter, but maybe.

[Smidge204]

I put in a havey traffic ban and it does seem to help. The trains still aren't taking cargo intra-city though - only imports/exports across the city boarder.

Here's another screenshot zoomed out more:

http://www.smidgeindustriesltd.com/Skylines_WholeCity.png

Cargo trains take both left and right paths at the intersections, but they never turn down the other branch. All intra-city cargo is taken by truck. Somewhat annoying but maybe what I'm expecting just isn't part of the game.

[grapplehoeker]

Originally posted by Smidge204:

I put in a havey traffic ban and it does seem to help. The trains still aren't taking cargo intra-city though - only imports/exports across the city boarder.

Here's another screenshot zoomed out more:

http://www.smidgeindustriesltd.com/Skylines_WholeCity.png

Cargo trains take both left and right paths at the intersections, but they never turn down the other branch. All intra-city cargo is taken by truck. Somewhat annoying but maybe what I'm expecting just isn't part of the game.

I have a couple of ideas for you...
How about removing the generic industry and building it anew next to your docks in the east?
Then use the forest north of there for your lumber industry and connect a dedicated cargo line between them. You could even completely isolate your specialised industry by giving it no road connection so that it has to use rail. You will of course have to then put in a passenger rail or metro link for the Cims too.
Don't connect your specialised industry cargo line to the intercity network. The only import/export trains you want to generate are from your generic to the outside, so have one receiving/shipping terminal for intercity freight. Another for receiving from your specialised district and another to transport freight to your commercial district. That's 3 independent lines, 2 internal and 1 external and none of them should be connected to passenger lines.
Here's an example that doesn't include specialised but you can see that it would use the same principle.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=466055188
Hope that giives you food for thought ;)

[Twilight]

What also might improve things, especioally when your city further grows:
try to separate passenger/tourist and intra city cargo rail networks. Connect your cargo network to the outside network with two neighbouringfreigt stations.

As a result, you can see the pure cargo traffic between your city stations.

[Smidge204]

Yeah yeah. I just isolated the rail lines and it seems to be working. Not at full capacity but the zones aren't that big. Thanks for the tips!