The Cities Unlimited Archives: Railways

This Cities Unlimited archive looks at how to implement railways, a subject near and dear to many city sim players (In fact, building model railroads is probably about the closest non-game analogue to playing Sim City, short of being an actual urban planner.) Commentary below the main article.

Railways

a Conceptual article by tr0ub1es0me & Moneyman2010mn

#16732 tr0ub1e

(author & contributors: bensonosis, blooftar, canadave, cityplanner145, confusedguy, Daisycutter, danielches, djvandrake, Henry Midfields, Lord David, mad_genius, Moneyman2010mn, Pix, rctshack, soltan gris, The Yeti, tr0ub1es0me, Ynhockey)

Links to relevant CitiesXL.com discussion threads:

• Naming Railway Networks/Stations
• Trains
• Another Railroad Idea
• Subway Lines
• Commuter Rail
• Types of Monorail
• Tram-trains
• Maglev

In SimCity 4 (and the Rush Hour expansion pack) we were given the option to use four different kinds of rail mass transit: railways, elevated rail, subways, and monorails. This provided enough to build most cities, but they would not always function accurately and the way some aspects would appear visually was unrealistic.

With CITIES XL, I would like to see all of the types of rail networks from SimCity 4: Rush Hour included, along with the additional Steam Rail Line (for historical and less advanced train lines using steam trains), Light Rail (also known as trams, trolleys, and streetcars), High-Speed Rail (or bullet trains), and the Maglev (magnetic levitation trains). Elevated Rail has been left out of this article as this aspect is covered by allowing "raised" transport networks (see the Concepts article "Overpasses/Underpasses & Raised Networks").

The maglev and high speed trains are mostly used for long-distance commuting across a region or nation and perhaps should be funded by a regional or national budget. Another interesting point I would raise is that these trains would be a great alternative to aeroplanes for trips across countries like the U.S., Australia, Japan, China, and many others. Instead of passengers losing two hours in the airports, and then making a journey of an hour or more to the nearest city, you could just take the maglev or high speed train. It will save an enormous amount of money and time to the people. Of course, somebody in the government has to have the visionary desire to spend the funding on the building, operation, and maintenance of the trains and tracks. Therefore, despite having the new additional rail networks available, each city and suburb cannot all have a maglev or high speed train. That's very unrealistic. Only the utmost successful of all the regions or nations of cities could afford it.

Both the new and old railway options must be realistically displayed as they are in real life in order to reach their full potential in terms of aesthetics and functionality within the game. The failure to make each railway realistic may result in similar outcomes to SimCity 4 where, for example, rail lines do not climb mountainous terrain in a practical style. Realistic bends with a larger radius are also needed - even if we are still restricted to laying rails at diagonals and straights, I would like to see the more gradual bends taking up more space.

Rail lines could unrealistically run up hills that were way too steep. This needs to be corrected so that all the different types of rail lines available in CITIES XL can only run along more gradual slopes. If the player tries to draw a new rail line up a steep hill then the game should create a long gradual incline along the entire approach to the peak. SimCity 4 did this, but the slopes were still too steep. If there isn't enough space to put the gradual incline in place (e.g. up the side of a mountain or a high cliff-face), then the player will have to find another route for the rail line.

If there is an "auto-levelling" option available in CITIES XL (see the Concepts article Auto-Levelling" Tool for Transport Networks), where the player can draw a transport network along rough terrain with dips and mounds and the game will automatically flatten the terrain under the rail-line to one constant level while automatically adding raised or lowered banking slopes either side of the line where necessary, then this will also remedy the problem of a bumpy uneven railway line. Instead, the rail line will be perfectly smooth while the terrain beside conforms to that.

Types of Rail Network

• Ground Rail - the standard type of rail.
• Subways - a slower type of rail which usually runs underground. It has a higher maintenance and construction cost than ground rail, but does not take up real estate space above ground.
• Monorail - a faster type of rail seen in modern cities. It is quieter with higher desirability than ground rail, but a lot more expensive with higher passenger fares.
• Light Rail - the slowest type of rail line. It is quieter with higher desirability than ground rail, and the cheapest to construct and maintain with lowest fares.
• High-Speed Rail - the fastest trains to run on a normal rail line. These can reach speeds up to 200mph, but only where there is a long distance between stopping points at stations. These should only be used for long commuting between distant cities or across an entire region or nation, otherwise the full speed potential will not be reached and it would be cheaper to use a normal rail line. These are more expensive than standard rail with higher passenger fares.
• Maglev - the fastest train available, with speeds up to 300mph. Unlike high-speed rail the speed can be reached very quickly compared to a high-speed train, and the speed can also decrease extremely quickly. Although, the deceleration/acceleration should still be restricted to a realistic and safe rate. It is the most expensive to build and maintain with higher fares for passengers, and so construction of a maglev network could only be afforded by cities or regions with a very healthy regular profit already coming into the budget before investing in this. There should be no faster transport option available in CITIES XL, other than travelling by air.

Network Type: Ground Rail

Rail lines need to have more gradual bends, with an immensely greater radius than in SimCity 4. This is because trains cannot take a sharp turn safely at high speeds. If we have a variety of longer and gradual bends available in CITIES XL (see the Concepts article "Bends of Varying Radius"), this would take care of the problem. Rail lines should not be able to make instantaneous 45 degree turns like they do with SimCity 4.

Overhead power cables also should be included along the rail lines for this standard rail type. Ground rail lines would not only be used by passenger trains, but freight trains as well. Lastly, for those who wish to take their normal rail lines to the underground level and use subway stations for their normal train lines (like those in Australia), there should be an option to take the standard rail lines beneath the surface and create underground networks of normal rail using the underground (subway) stations - but not allowing the player to connect underground rail lines directly with the subway network type which, if used, has different rail tracks and trains (with different costs, speeds and capacities).

Network Type: Subways

Subway trains run at high enough speeds for more gradual turns to be required like with normal ground rail. Perhaps the turns can be a bit sharper because the speed is not as great, but they shouldn't be instant 45 degree turns like SimCity 4’s. So long as we have the various radius bends in CITIES XL (see the Concepts article "Bends of Varying Radius"), then the player can choose how sharp or gradual a bend is themselves.

Subways are rail lines too. A player should not be able to make 90 degree turns or connect subways at 90 degree right-angles like streets and roads, but instead connect them like rail lines in SimCity 4, with proper junctions and sets of points. When viewing the underground layer of a city, the subway lines should appear with full detail just like rail lines do above ground, to assist the player with creating the layout, including visually seeing trains and stations underground.

Although subways use rail lines, they are slower than ground rail lines and usually have a completely different type of track. They are not simply a ground rail line passing through a tunnel. The two networks should not be able to connect directly together running the same types of train crossing stretches of both types of network. However, we should still be able to bring a subway line above ground - just not to a standard ground rail line (like was possible in SimCity 2000), nor to an elevated rail line (like was possible in SimCity 4). It should still be a subway rail line, but simply above ground.

The vast majority of subway systems around the world use a third-rail for powering the trains, between the other two rails. This makes the rail lines highly dangerous. Whenever a subway line is brought above ground, fencing should be added along either side of the rail line(s) just like there would be in reality, even when the line is elevated.

Subways are mostly used for transportation within cities, and not so much for commuting between two different cities. Therefore, they should be designed to function in such a way where it is convenient for people to take the subway while in the city, instead of using other transport options with their associated problems such as congested roads. Likewise, the opposite should apply where people are travelling long distances between cities, even if subways do exist. If there are faster options such as a highway, ground rail, bullet trains, or sea and air travel, then one of these options would be used for the journey. The alternative option used may depend on the distance and purpose of the journey, and wealth of the commuter. This will greatly improve the subway system compared to that in SimCity 4, and boost the efficiency of commuting calculations performed by the traffic simulator.

Network Type: Monorail

Monorails are networks of railway that can be found in many modern cities. In CITIES XL, they should be a faster type of rail transportation than ground rail, but at the same time more expensive to build and maintain, and charge higher fares for commuters. Turns should be gradual and drawn out, like all other types of rail lines, but to a greater extent than ground rail because of the higher speeds. Monorail should also not be restricted to elevated tracks like they are in SimCity 4. They should be on the ground, with elevation as an extra option (see the Concepts article "Overpasses/Underpasses & Raised Networks").

Network Type: Steam Rail Line

This would be a rail line used by old-fashioned steam engines. Many rail lines like this still exist around the world and would be good to have these available in CITIES XL. Although we had steam engines in SimCIty 4, they were using the same lines as electric trains and were only used for freight. This was not a very realistic setup. Instead, we should be able to lay steam rail lines which are only used by steam engines. It should be possible to use these trains for both passengers and freight. Unlike normal rail lines, these would not have or need overhead power cables.

Network Type: Light Rail (Trams)

Light Rail, or more commonly known as trams, didn't even exist in SimCity 4 until some members of Simtropolis (www.simtropolis.com) attempted to make a modification for them.

Trams are needed for adding character to a city especially as they exist in real life. They would be needed for a recreation of San Francisco in the U.S. which heavily depends on the system, or for Pittsburgh during the 1960s. The services offered by light rail should be the slowest out of all the types of rail network, but a lot cheaper and provide higher desirability. Because of the slower speeds, trams should be able to make tighter bends, but still not quite as tight as the instant 45 degree bends in SimCity 4.

Implementing light rail realistically will mean that the rail can be attached or detached from running directly along the pavement, sidewalk, or median of roads networks; run through pedestrian areas such as plazas or walkways; and through open green areas too. These options should be covered in CITIES XL. There also needs to be different styles of cars/carriages available from antique to modern.

Network Type: High-Speed Rail

Wikipedia article

This is a high-speed rail line with everyday speeds up to 200mph (like the older Shinkansen in Japan; France's TGV; or the Eurostar between London, U.K. and Paris, France), though the current speed record of the TGV in France is 357mph. Passenger benefits are much greater and more worthwhile travelling long distances without regular stations to stop at along the line, as a higher speed can be reached and maintained. The bends on high-speed rail lines must be restricted to being even more gradual than normal ground rail's, by quite a large amount. Like normal ground rail, overhead power cables should also be included high-speed rail lines.

Network Type: Maglev

Wikipedia article

A high-tech city deserves a high-tech rail-line. The Maglev uses magnets to propel a small train with its own electromagnets down a track up to (a current speed record of) 361mph! Some examples are newly proposed maglev Shinkansen in the far east, or Germany's Transrapid. This technology allows for the rapid acceleration and deceleration of trains, but comes at an extremely high cost. As with high-speed rail, the bends must be the most gradual of all rail types.

Stations

Stations for many types of rail network need to be lengthened to a realistic proportion to accurately represent their accommodation for having longer trains on their line. In SimCity 4, the default Maxis station was only two tiles wide! The trains were short too, but not that short. We also need different architecture styles from small brick stations to large historical stations with grand brick architecture, to modern stations with a unique construction; and varying sizes of stations servicing anything from a single (push-and-pull) rail line with just one platform, up to one or two dozen different rail lines each with their own platforms.

The lengths of station available should vary too from one station to another (or perhaps all stations should include the option to have the platforms lengthened further, at a cost) to allow for different maximum lengths of train to use them. Having longer platforms would make a station more expensive to build, but allow longer trains to use them effectively. Having trains running which are longer than the stations the player has built will restrict the capacity of the trains to a lower amount, and increase congestion on the trains and at stations, which will increase commute times.

While some stations should have several exits, especially the larger ones, all stations for any type of rail network running along the ground should have the option to raise/lower the exits by incrementing the height of the station entrance/exit buildings and any stairways or footbridges to and between different platforms and the entrance/exit. This way, we can make the entrance/exit connect directly onto the sidewalks of elevated road networks (for example, where there is a small road bridge over the rail network and beside a station - see the Concepts article "Overpasses, Underpasses & Raised Networks").

Major stations should also have several of the different types of rail network served by a single station. In this respect, perhaps when stations are placed there should be no rail lines already running through them - so that a player could perhaps draw a rail line though between two platforms, and a subway line (above-ground) through between another two platforms.

If the player wishes, it should be possible to connect underground stations with above-ground stations too, rather than the underground station having its own independent entrance/exit above ground. Stairways and escalators would automatically be placed between the two stations. Entrances/exist of the station on the street will serve both the above and below ground stations.

Carriage Cars & Freight Trucks

Normal ground rail trains should generally be longer than in SimCity 4 to add realism. In an unmodified SimCity 4, the longer passenger trains serving a metropolis were far too short. Quieter areas and lines serving small stations in less populated rural areas may only have 1 or 2 carriages; but long-distance intercity trains have many more, as do local trains in urban areas. In the U.K., London's shortest ground rail trains are around 4 carriages (off-peak times) and 8 or 16 carriages at rush hour (and peak times).

The length of passenger trains for all rail types would be determined by the capacity required, within that line's budget, and so there should also be a realistic number of carriages - bearing in mind that the different types of rail networks will also each be restricted to a different maximum number of carriages.

Freight trains should also be a lot longer than SimCity 4’s when there is a high volume of goods being transported by rail in our cities. However, the longest freight trains should still be restricted to a realistic length as well.

Individual Rail Lines

For more advanced options (see the Concepts article Difficulty / Complexity Options), each line of a rail mass transit network should be able to modify with higher investment from the player's budget to suit its needs in terms of capacity and style. The player should be able to mark out rail lines in a similar fashion to naming roads and marking out routes (see the Concepts article Roads & Highways), by highlighting the different stretches of rail that are covered by a given line, and naming it if they wish. If there are great delays in travel times, higher investment from the player's transportation budget into a specific line would result in more regular services and longer trains would be directed to that route to give relief. The ability to invest more of the budget into specific rail lines on any network should allow the line to have higher capacity and better quality trains in order to handle more people and give a better, more reliable service. There should also be different types and styles of each train carriage to create a new look and fit with the level of invested cash from the transportation budget. If the trains are upgraded like this, then speeds and capacity can also be improved. For players that do not wish to dip into the transport budget for individual rail lines, they can just adjust the main budget slider (like in SimCity 4 - rather than the individual funding levels) with all lines recieving equal funding level.

Train Service Yards, Train Sidings, and Roundhouses

SimCity pretends we are in one constant state of movement. Where do the trains get stored? Where do they get maintained? I would like to see this realistically handled in CITIES XL. Each rail line should have its own sidings or roundhouses for parking trains when not in use, and servicing yards for train vehicle maintenance. Without these, the train lines will not become operative. The busier lines will require more yards and sidings/roundhouses (or larger, more expensive ones) situated somewhere along them to enable increasing service frequency and alleviate congestion. Perhaps when any rail line reaches or near maximum capacity, the player will receive an advisor message in the corner of a window asking in they wish to build new or expand the existing yards and sidings/roundhouses.

External Sources

Post any other comments, suggestions, additions, or adjustments here too.

#16733 toyfaces

vote 5! this is a very important feature to me. I'd love to have variety of transports in my city. ~absolute support~!

(sofa!)

#16734 g314

When you don't rely on the asphalt, it's time for rails! Either City Life and SimCity Societies lack of this important transport. You regrouped the whole rail concept with subways, monorails and Maglev as well. Well done tr0ub1e and SCC staff! +Karma to you! ;)

5 - Very Important. These features are a must-have! (100%)

P.S.: Maybe you can make a good article on seaports and airports.

#16737 SleepyHollow

5.. rail transportation should be given a fair chance in this game, in some of the SimCity games there was no reward for building rail, but most cities in real life do have rail connections, so they do serve many special purposes.

#16743 ToeJam

5 -i also think building costs should be at least realistic by standard for the construction of each type.

#16746 tr0ub1e

P.S.: Maybe you can make a good article on seaports and airports.

off-topic but i had to answer!

i can do my best :p for seaports and general waterfront features, there are a lot of aspects to be included in the intended article. SimCity 4's options were not great at all...

i had scrapped the idea to create one for airports as most of their problems were covered in the Scale & Proportion article - but i suppose there should be a dedicated article for airports/airfields as the size was not the only problem with them.

#16751 Joe2102001

5. Cant stress that enough! :)

#16753 Ad_Astra

This is a 5 for sure! SimCity has always been far too involved with cars.

In reality, in the big cities that we strive to create, traveling by car is much less convenient than using the subway or above-ground rail system. I especially love the mag-lev system as an alternative to airports.

#16765 Molybdane

I like diversity, but before I vote 5 on this, what is your take on realism? Maglev trains have the capacity for quick acceleration and deceleration, but the passengers probably need to be strapped in the chairs with some very effective seat belts. Also, these trains produce a lot of noise. Do you think in-game maglev trains should suffer from these disadvantages as well?

#16766 SleepyHollow

come on Moly.. you're just speculating, because in reality these trains are already opperating and nobody's wearing a seatbelt.

They gently accelerate of course to these high speeds, there's no need to go from 0 to 250 instantly of course :D

http://www....com/v/y-54gBLwK3s&rel=1

and as far as noise is concerned, it is LOWER than TGV and ICE at the same speed, and only slightly louder at top speed (but a different type of sound which some say is less audible).

To learn some more about maglevs check out this forum: International Maglev Board

#16769 tr0ub1e

Molybdane wrote:

I like diversity, but before I vote 5 on this, what is your take on realism? Maglev trains have the capacity for quick acceleration and deceleration, but the passengers probably need to be strapped in the chairs with some very effective seat belts. Also, these trains produce a lot of noise. Do you think in-game maglev trains should suffer from these disadvantages as well?

absolutely - all the different rail transportation methods should comes with their real-world advantages and disadvantages (from cost, to effeciency, to safety, to noise pollution, and so on). as SleepyHollow said, they are in existance and they are successful (but mighty expensive!). if i can i will work a couple more of these kind of details into the article regarding the advantages/disadvantages of maglev. ;)

#16770 bensonosis

5 - but I think Subways need to be able to merge with ground rail. Not all cities have an independent subway system - eg Sydney & Melbourne in Australia use "ground rail" in their small subway systems.

#16772 tr0ub1e

bensonosis wrote:

5 - but I think Subways need to be able to merge with ground rail. Not all cities have an independent subway system - eg Sydney & Melbourne in Australia use "ground rail" in their small subway systems.

are you positive about this? do the ground-rail lines which use subway systems & stations use EXACTLY the same trains and tracks as other ground-rail lines in Australia where there are no subway sections?

i'm not saying it's not true. i've just never heard of it and connecting subways to ground rail had been heavily debated at simcitycentral.net a long time ago. with all subway system that i am personally familiar with (USA's, UK's, European) subway lines use different tracks and different trains to ground rail. the only time rail on the ground can connect to subway is when a subway line comes above ground - but it's still a subway rail-line above ground being used, not a normal rail.

i would still not like to be able to connect the two networks, even if this does happen in Australia - but would prefer to ability to take ground rail to the underground level and use subway stations with it. i don't want to physically connect the two networks of subway and ground rail as this will destroy the mechanics of the two systems allowing the very different subway style trains and ground rail style trains to mix in the game on the same lines...

to do what you say you have in Austrlia, i would much prefer to have the ability to take ground rail to an underground level instead. :)

(oh and maglev should possibly be able to travel underground too, with underground versions of the stations - if this happens with some of the real maglev systems. i would need clarification on that though)

#16774 The Yeti

tr0uble wrote:

are you positive about this? do the ground-rail lines which use subway systems & stations use EXACTLY the same trains and tracks as other ground-rail lines in Australia where there are no subway sections?

This definitely happens in Melbourne, not sure about Sydney as I only been there once. Commuter rail and State/Interstate rail use different trains but they do all use the same track. I've been waiting at a platform late at night and seen freight trains come hurtling through the station on the same track as the commuter train I'm waiting for.

#16779 Pedro Rodrigues

Great example movie SleepyHollow!

I'll give this a SUPER 5! No doubt! CU needs these features! They are a must-have! ;)