How to build a switchback

When you are constructing tracks in a mountainous setting like the Andes or Great Lakes DLC's, you might find that some direct paths to your destinations will be too expensive to construct a tunnel, too steep, or curves too tight to climb up or down a mountain side. To fix that, I recommend a switchback, and if you don't know what a switchback is, it's a piece of track that trains use to climb up a steep grade by going backwards or forwards at the end of track via switch. Meaning if the train is going forward, the train will reverse up the switchback to gain height without expensive earthworks, steep grades, or tight curves. Although the trains can't reverse, the switchback can help you out in a tight spot. Here's a quick tutorial on how to construct one.

Tutorial

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1299800601927348215/16D0239C1C26A3FDB2BDB4280129530929B4934B/?imw=256&&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

1. Here we have Harrisburg from the Pennsylvania Railroad Scenario, and a logging camp is nearby. We want to transport logs from the camp to Harrisburg. Thing is, the camp is on a mountain, while the town is on flat land. So we'll need to build a switchback to make it less expensive to build and space consuming as we might expand later nearby.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1299800601927348465/855568CF1CDDFE371C5C36454D995E75E19E9502/?imw=256&&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

2. For our first step, find some flat land to build our station near the logging camp, flat land is often a more realistic approach to stations, but you can build it anywhere as long as it's close to a town or industry.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1299800601927348665/50C6DE6D0EBAD9817C39B4F76762076C2B5EE1C4/?imw=256&&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

Next, we add 2 warehouse stations, and renamed them Switchback-A and Switchback-B. (Important: Make sure they aren't accepting goods, in this case, logs.) Now, following the red line, we'll travel from the camp, towards the first switchback, then down to the other switchback, before entering the mainline to Harrisburg, and making the return trip via the blue line.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1299800601927348895/C0B9719D6625A35463D7E9D9FE6B3C29A6ECB137/?imw=256&&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false

This is how the final route should be planned, once you set a engine to that line, it will automatically stop at the switchbacks and travel to Harrisburg without tight curves, steep grades, and expensive track laying. Hope this tutorial helps you build a less complicated route over mountains, and makes your railroad a little more special.

[stoked_toker]

Hey, thanks for the heads up, just used this technique on the Gold Rush map. Connected S.F. to Sacto, used it to get altitude to build a tunnel under the Sierra Nevada from Sacto to Carson City, then used it again to climb out of L,A. / San Diego. Works like a charm! I don't know if it was cheaper then building without, but certainly helps with the speed of the trains in the long run.

[Lateralus]

It's a small file size (low quality). Check the original screen shot file. It should have been better than that.

[HeavyPootisMan2]

@lateralus

Is there a tutorial of doing that?

[Lateralus]

This looks interesting but the photos are really small. Can you try up loading them differently?

[john]

JUST BOUGHT ,LEARNING,LOVING GAME. 5/12/20

[WalkyTalky1000]

Interesting! Could you post a screenshot to illustrate the plan, please.

[DeBoosh]

Did not know about these. Thanks