Trains, just like cars and trucks, follow the shortest route. If your 'local line' is shorter than the 'express line' than trains will choose to use that one.

Try putting your train station(s) further away from the express line.

there no consistency. I've changed the tracks different combinations they randomly go where they want. I've even put tracks with no switches and they still switch. i'll just stick with double tracks. thanks
they need to somehow add this to 'TM:PE' as of now you can only restrict passenger/cargo. local/express restriction need to be added. i wouldn't even know how they would implement that.

Show us a screenshot of the problem spot, and we may get a better idea of what you are trying to do.

If the local line stops at the station, and it has many platforms, you can drag the stop so the train uses another platform.

As per Max, vehicles follow the shortest path.

Postat inițial de ᠌ ⁧⁧Tsubame ⭐:

Show us a screenshot of the problem spot, and we may get a better idea of what you are trying to do.

If the local line stops at the station, and it has many platforms, you can drag the stop so the train uses another platform.

As per Max, vehicles follow the shortest path.

both lines were doing whatever they wanted. i deleted the express line. it got to where one direction was: express and local was using proper track between stations but both were using local platform, on a double platform, to let passengers on/off. other direction: they would use proper platform to let passengers on/off but switch tracks between stations(local on express, express on local). and it can't be true, to an extent, 'shortest route'. then to lines traveling same destination should do exactly the same path. if anything, the express track would be shorter than local because local stations have an extended track to enter and exit stations...

Postat inițial de ♥♥♥♥♥♥:

.. they need to somehow add this to 'TM:PE'

As Max stated, trains (as do all vehicles) will opt for the shortest route. it is worth bearing in mind that speed also has an effect on route choices so shortest isn't always correct, perhaps described better as the quickest, which is usually the shortest if speed limits are equal.

If I have parallel train tracks I always set one just a little faster than the other so the express train will prefer that faster route and the local will take the slower because they have stations to stop at. That also adds a little more to realism as trains will gain and pass each other as opposed to travel precisely side by side until one turns off or stops at a station.

Speed can be set using TMPE in the normal way on both rail tracks and roads, as can give way/right of way etc. . Also, if needed, lane connectors can also be used on rail tracks but that's rarely something I do.

then whats the reasoning behind them switching opposite tracks between stations? they stop on the correct platforms but switch in travel. also, as i said before, local track is a little longer due to its curving into and out of a station. and a local train is an obstacle for the express. it has to wait behind the local.

Trains are a bit like cats. I know of no way to force them to do anything.

Have you tried putting your terminals on a bypass or a double bypass? That way trains only stop at places they are scheduled to and through traffic stays on the line.

Otherwise as Clunk has suggested about the only thing you can do is up the speed on your express line.

Postat inițial de Clunk:

Postat inițial de ♥♥♥♥♥♥:

.. they need to somehow add this to 'TM:PE'

As Max stated, trains (as do all vehicles) will opt for the shortest route. it is worth bearing in mind that speed also has an effect on route choices so shortest isn't always correct, perhaps described better as the quickest, which is usually the shortest if speed limits are equal.

If I have parallel train tracks I always set one just a little faster than the other so the express train will prefer that faster route and the local will take the slower because they have stations to stop at. That also adds a little more to realism as trains will gain and pass each other as opposed to travel precisely side by side until one turns off or stops at a station.

Speed can be set using TMPE in the normal way on both rail tracks and roads, as can give way/right of way etc. . Also, if needed, lane connectors can also be used on rail tracks but that's rarely something I do.

THANK YOU! I was losing my mind trying to get a small station (2 platforms, 2 bypass lanes) to work with a local and express; the express was just deciding without reason every other week to switch its route to run by the platforms instead of the middle tracks. Slowed the platform tracks down with TMPE and fixed.

don't blame bad track design to cover up bad code design. that's just another way of patting yourself on the back. gloating that you are better than the rest.

Postat inițial de Richie:

don't blame bad track design to cover up bad code design. that's just another way of patting yourself on the back. gloating that you are better than the rest.

The game's line manager and train AI do leave a lot to be desired, but unfortunately no updates are forthcoming - CS2 does a little better in this regards - so unfortunately you will have to work around that, either using bypass tracks, and/or fully segregating tracks.

there is everything wrong with the game.
if you are suggesting that we have to be perfect designers to appease the game then there is something wrong with the trains. explain why the trains switch from local to express and visa versa, yet the other side works fine... i'm glad you found the magical solution to the game but that doesn't mean that everybody else is incompetent.

Postat inițial de DD:

Trains are a bit like cats. I know of no way to force them to do anything.

Have you tried putting your terminals on a bypass or a double bypass? That way trains only stop at places they are scheduled to and through traffic stays on the line.

Otherwise as Clunk has suggested about the only thing you can do is up the speed on your express line.

Postat inițial de Challenger™:

I don't suggest that anyone is incompetent. Nor would I begin to attempt to explain why you seem to have issues that I have yet to personally observe. It's your game, your trains, and your post. If you truly want help that's fine. If you only want to complain, that's fine. It's your nickel. Spend it any way you like. :)

These are both the same person. Challenger™ is Just a newer account trolling this forum. So you are aware of who you are dealing with.

Postat inițial de Richie:

then whats the reasoning behind them switching opposite tracks between stations? they stop on the correct platforms but switch in travel. also, as i said before, local track is a little longer due to its curving into and out of a station. and a local train is an obstacle for the express. it has to wait behind the local.

I am speaking un-modded.
Train tracks are all at one speed limit so they operate by the "shortest route rule". A station's tracks for any train station asset is set a little slower. This helps make bypass tracks work properly. If you are experiencing trains using tracks you did not intend for them to use I would look at the traffic flow overlay for possible answers.
Trains just like any other vehicle will look over the map to choose their route. If you have two or more routes (in this case train tracks) the newly spawned train can't choose between which track to use for they are the same-ish length. So it will look to see if one of the tracks are more green in the congestion or flow overlay. It can be they are using the other track because path finding tells the train that the greener track is possibly faster for them do to less congestion. The agents or vehicles will use the congestion(flow overlay) to choose their route if the two or more routes equate to having the same length.

Postat inițial de Challenger™:

Postat inițial de OneJasonBradly:

I am speaking un-modded.
Train tracks are all at one speed limit so they operate by the "shortest route rule". A station's tracks for any train station asset is set a little slower. This helps make bypass tracks work properly. If you are experiencing trains using tracks you did not intend for them to use I would look at the traffic flow overlay for possible answers. Trains just like any other vehicle will look over the map to choose their route. If you have two or more routes (in this case train tracks) the newly spawned

What OJB fails to explain is that cargo trains are not just sent out looking for a moment of opportunity. They are dispatched to one particular destination. They do NOT stop at every terminal in their path. They do NOT switch tracks on a whim, willy-nilly. If they take an undesired path it is only because they are given no other choice.

Until you create a express line then at that point they do have a choice. I only describe if given a choice why they will choose the route they do. As well the destination is not in dispute here, you just need to read or comprehend the post/thread to see that. Cargo trains are no different then passenger trains in the regard of path finding. To further concrete this "ALL" vehicles are dispatched to a particular destinations. That is no vehicles travel willy-nilly in cities:skyline.

Postat inițial de Richie:

there no consistency. I've changed the tracks different combinations they randomly go where they want. I've even put tracks with no switches and they still switch. i'll just stick with double tracks. thanks

Trains and all vehicles (Agents), will always take the shortest route to their destination. But with tracks, you are limited on stations, so you can clog your tracks easily, since you can have very many stations.

There are up to only 4 outside connection available. I usually try to segregate the tracks when they get overloaded. I just cut off a track or make an over pass to bypass certain tracks to avoid the intersections. Stations have a limited capacity per second. With too many stations on a single route, the trains can backup quickly. also, the outside connection is a regular station, except it is in visible, so it can handle only a small number of trains per second too.

they need to somehow add this to 'TM:PE' as of now you can only restrict passenger/cargo. local/express restriction need to be added. i wouldn't even know how they would implement that.

Cargo trains have no lines. So you can't direct them where to go. So I usually segregate passenger tracks from freight tracks, as passenger tracks can be directed to specific station that you choose.

But all aspects of this game is to keep everything in balance. Maybe a half a dozen train stations per outside connection.

If you see trains with less than 100% capacity, then you will know you have too many stations on that outside connection.