How do you build your train tracks?

[la merde]

I am about to finish the third phase and I have installed my first few fuel generators using heavy oil. Now I have a buffer of rubber and plastic, and I am asking myself how to get those goods to my main base. I am using those crude oil resource wells on the south-west side.

I have already laid large power lines along the coast and am considering using this route to transport the other resources as well. I just could plant some conveyor belts, because it is not that long path to the main base (easy spawn sport) but I thought it would be nice to just try those trains - even though conveyor belts are easier to calculate because I know in which rate my stuff comes.

Because it is in water, I wanted to build some kind of foundation, where I build the tracks on, laying on pillars.
My question: How do I deal with the different terrain hights; especially the water? I don't want to build every single element by hand, but I thought this blueprint might be helpful.
How do you do it? Do you have a blueprint for train tracks making a curve and another one going straight? Do you have blueprints for just the foundation the tracks lay on (because do the train tracks connect, if I have two different blueprints, I want to conenct?)?

Are these blueprints any help at all in building routes (including conveyor belts or pipes)?

[ThanatosX]

The train system is pretty raw, some straight modes and supports would make it a lot easier.

Probably what you want is a foundation blueprint with support leg/s and a flat rectangular top to lay double rail across, then you jump from piece to piece laying track. Maybe even a couple of blueprints with different support lengths to account for terrain height, if you're feeling fancy.

Do your curves in the air since it will be the most freeform part anyway.

[turvarya]

I made blueprints for bi-directional train tracks. Just foundations(the small ones 2x4m) on steel beams for some elevation(mainly for visual benefit, so the tracks don't overlap with terrain) in both directions with stop signals. I lay down the blueprinted structure in enough spacing and connect them to each other.
I also created one, where the tracks face down a little(2m ramp) at the end, one for up, one for up and down and a ramp(4x 2m ramps).
This makes laying down routes much faster.
I am also planning to make blueprints for intersections(3 directions and 4 directions) but haven't got around to that.

[turvarya]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3339148182
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3339149532
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3339149486
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3339149583

[la merde]

Originally posted by turvarya:

I made blueprints for bi-directional train tracks. Just foundations(the small ones 2x4m) on steel beams for some elevation(mainly for visual benefit, so the tracks don't overlap with terrain) in both directions with stop signals. I lay down the blueprinted structure in enough spacing and connect them to each other.

So, you designed them like pillars, where the double-tracks are laying on and connect two blueprints? So, in your case, the tracks are "flying in the air"?

I see, you just posted screenshots. Thank you for the work. I will have a look into it.

[turvarya]

Between the blueprinted structures, they are mostly in the air, yes.
To avoid that, you would need to lay down foundations. which honestly is just too much work for the huge distances I am building tracks for

[la merde]

Originally posted by turvarya:

which honestly is just too much work for the huge distances I am building tracks for

Yes, this is exactly the issue I am currently dealing with.

Laying down conveyor pillars is not the only problem itself. But connecting this with each other with belts is the nasty part from my point of view.

[turvarya]

Originally posted by la merde:

Originally posted by turvarya:

which honestly is just too much work for the huge distances I am building tracks for

Yes, this is exactly the issue I am currently dealing with.

Laying down conveyor pillars is not the only problem itself. But connecting this with each other with belts is the nasty part from my point of view.

Not sure, what you mean by conveyor pillars. Do you mean stackable conveyor poles?
I did that a lot before we had trains in EA. Often 4 stacked for different materials(AI Splitter become handy, so you don't have to do that anymore). Sometimes different directions(so 2 for in-materials, 2 for out-materials)
When you get into the routine, it is faster done, then you would expect. Also snapping improved since that times. But yeah, I like trains just much more. They are also handy, when your recipes change, so e.g. you get the recipe to use Plastic instead of Copper Sheets for AI Limiter. You just send Plastic to that train station, instead of Sheets, that could come from a completely different Outpost.

[la merde]

True, I haven't thought about that. So, e.g., having one belt with 120 capacity and migrating two 60 belts and at my main base I use a smart splitter to split them up again?

Thank you for that hint.

[turvarya]

Yeah, you put e.g. Rods and Plates on one long belt and just split it where you need it.
But with such system, you should always have one output of the smart splitter at Overflow and Sink it. Otherwise e.g. your Rods not being processed also blocks your Plates

[SCORP10N2000]

Yeah i'm up to the point i "have to" build train tracks and this will take some time next time i'm free from work i'll get to it ^^
i love figure out this sort of stuff(i do some times look at YouTuber's for inspiration).

Good luck to all fellow factory pioneers!

[turvarya]

If your belt has enough capacity, you can also put as many items(A, B, C, D, E, ...) on it, as you like with setting Smart Splitters in series
That would look like this:
Smart Splitter 1: Output 1: A, Output 2: B, Output 3: Overflow to Smart Splitter 2
Smart Splitter 2: Output 1: C, Output 2: D, Output 3: Overflow to Smart Splitter 3
...
Smart Splitter X: Output 1: Y, Output 2: Z, Output 3: Overflow to Sink

[la merde]

Originally posted by SCORP10N2000:

Yeah i'm up to the point i "have to" build train tracks and this will take some time next time i'm free from work i'll get to it ^^
i love figure out this sort of stuff(i do some times look at YouTuber's for inspiration).

Good luck to all fellow factory pioneers!

Mostly my problem is within the design. I want a nice immersive looking object. But I am not that talented in designing. I don't just want a plain concrete thing with the track; it must look kind of "realistic".

[la merde]

This is, what I have figured out. I don't need to say, that I am a bit disappointed with these blueprints.
Because, if I lay down the tracks on the entire foundation, it does not connect, just as it is with in the conveyor belts. Sad, so there is extra work in connecting the parts (and they don't count as "blueprint-object").

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3339299590

And ... the only thing I hear is this space-giraffe laughing all the time.

[ThanatosX]

It gives you a snap point at least, going across the terrain without any foundation is rough. I went from the northern part of the rocky desert down to the western oilfields along the ground, definitely made me want them to give the rail system some attention and QOL.

[Man's Best Friend]

For me, spurs are largely directly on the ground, main lines elevated with prefabricated pillars. Building out over the water for the main line was a challenge as the water quickly gets too deep to place a reference object to build the pillars on. Ultimately what I did there was to go to the last pillar I built, zoop out 10-20 foundations, and find where the track could go to manually build a pillar there. After placing the tracks, delete the intermediate foundations. Keep going until I need to turn, then use the fine rotation option of foundations to pick a new direction.

It was... tedious, but it works. I'm sure it's not the prettiest train line, but again, it works. Also my tracks have a full foundation between them, making the pillars 3 foundations wide. Overkill, yes, but it provides far more leeway for not placing pillars correctly around corners. An individual pillar can be twisted significantly without the tracks becoming too close to use at the same time.