How can we do to choose the train wagons ourselves?

[__NemesiS__]

When I set up a warehouse that gathers 4/5 resources, the trains automatically take the first goods until there are no more. While I would like to be able to create a train and choose the cars so that it takes a little of all the resources at the same time.

Is there a way to micro manage trains?
If it's not possible I think it's a big problem

[Railsplitter]

I've only been at this game for a few hours, but when you set up the loading option on your train, there is a Manual option (along with Automatic, Passengers and Mail, and Freight Only). I haven't tried it yet, so I'm not sure how it works, but it might be worth a shot.

[Empty1958]

Each train has 4 modes. Choices start with "Auto", "Pass & Mail", "Freight", and "Manual". The manual mode allows you to choose from available resources at each stop and unload them at a stop of your choice. It's a bit of a pain but it works. I rarely use it so I'm not sure what it will do if it gets to a stop and it is out of what it is setup for. It may sit there and wait. And if it gets to a stop that does not want what you setup for an unload the train will take it away. I use freight mode when running between a warehouse and city and I imagine auto will react the same. The train will load whatever it's destination wants most. If you are running your warehouse dry it indicates you need to supply it more/faster. In one game I was feeding meat from Chicago to a warehouse in Indianapolis with 4 trains on a direct route to keep up. The warehouse was supplying 3 cities.

[Railsplitter]

Empty, maybe you can answer this for me: I'm using warehouses for the first time and I'm not certain just how to go about it. At first I thought I could set up a warehouse out in the desert somewhere, feed goods to it, then transport those goods to other destinations. Then I read the Tips and Tricks on warehouses and it seems the "proper" way to do it is to set up the warehouses next to a business or a city. The way you did it with Chicago and Indianapolis seems to be somewhere in the middle.

Any advice?

Thanks.

[rff1]

It depends on circumstances. A warehouse close to a city will take any goods to or from that city, leaving the city station free for the more valuable passenger and mail traffic. A remote warehouse can collect goods from several resources or cities, and you can then set up trains to deliver those goods to several cities. In the latter case, make sure that the city-to-warehouse journeys are not picking up goods that you want delivered elsewhere.
As Empty said, a train will just sit and wait if there are no goods for it to collect. It will also sit and wait if those goods are not at the moment demanded at its destination (because the stocks are full).

[Railsplitter]

Many thanks, rff1. Gonna try it right now.

[Empty1958]

As rff1 said it's circumstances. A little preplanning can be very helpful as the time moves forward. My setup with Chicago/Indi was to build a WH near Indi so it was attached. Chicago does meat and Indi does beer. The WH gets it's beer from Indi automatically. Chicago supplies meat by rail and takes beer from the WH back. Both cities grow. The two other cities nearby make beer. They take beer by rail to the WH and take meat back. It is a win win but with 1 meat supply and 3 beers. I had to upgrade the meat factory in Chicago a few times but not the beer factories. I also had to upgrade the cattle farm to keep up with the meat factory. I also supplied the WH with wheat, corn and wood. These 5 things seem to have a lot to do with city growth. I'm sure there are other ways to get growth but I find this cuts down on the different lines. I have lots of "copied" trains running on the same lines. However I try to supply city factories direct rather than tie up the WH with a whole lotta something the factory needs. I also find 4 cities to a WH is too much for really big cities. Depending on wether you want to build cities or rail lines you might want to try 3 cities to a WH. I've also been known to attach 2 WHs to a city. It comes down to who has and who needs and locations. Good luck

[Railsplitter]

Hey, thanks, Empty. This is good information. Just in the last half hour I set up my first WH at OK City and imported fruit and sugar; OK City has a liquor factory and I exported booze to Dodge City and Pierre. Works like a charm.

Now you've given me some other ideas I want to try.

I have to tell you, this warehouse feature is awesome! Thanks again.

[Dray Prescot]

I think that in Manual Mode you can specify Some or All of the Car Loads EXACTLY, but there is ALSO an option for any number of GENERIC car loads which will pick up whatever is available that needs delivering besides the exact cargoes to be picked up. I am not sure what priority method it will use to fill up the generic cars with cargoes, i.e. which ones first. The generic carloads can be Mail, Passenger as well as freight.

Just remember that you can pick up freight cargoes at City/Stations only if that City produces that item. If you want to drop off cargoes to be picked up by another train that are NOT produced there, you will HAVE to use a Warehouse.