Questions on routing

[lilleskut]

I would appreciate any help/suggestions with the following problem.

I have one printing works which has two book shops as customers.

To one of these book shops I am sending trucks directly, which works fine.

To the other book shop I have a route with three intermediate stations: truck-train-train-truck. This route does not work, i.e. books are not even loaded on the first truck.

My questions:

1. How long does it typically take before a new route for goods (e.g. books) is recognized?
2. Is there a limit to the number of intermediate stops that I can have in a route? Is 3 stops too many?
3. Is there a way to see whether a route (involving intermediate stops) is properly set up, i.e. whether books can be theoretically delivered to the destination via a number of intermediate stops?
4. As I have two book shops, at which point is a book associated with a destination (book shop A or book shop B)? When the book reaches my station, when the book is produced in the printing works and is in the store of the printing works or already at the time of production of raw materials (wood/paper, oil/ink)?

Not related to my problem, but an additional question:
5. If there are two alternative routes between two points, which one is chosen? The shorter, the quicker, the cheaper,...?

Thank you.

[Combuijs]

Hi lilleskut,

Welcome to the forum!

1. How long does it typically take before a new route for goods (e.g. books) is recognized?

Almost instantly

2. Is there a limit to the number of intermediate stops that I can have in a route? Is 3 stops too many?

Yes, there is a limit and that limit is configurable. I think the default it is 7, so I expect 3 is no problem.

3. Is there a way to see whether a route (involving intermediate stops) is properly set up, i.e. whether books can be theoretically delivered to the destination via a number of intermediate stops?

No there is not, other than the fact that nothing is loaded

4. As I have two book shops, at which point is a book associated with a destination (book shop A or book shop B)? When the book reaches my station, when the book is produced in the printing works and is in the store of the printing works or already at the time of production of raw materials (wood/paper, oil/ink)?

A book gets a destination when it is transferred from the factory to the station. That destination can not be changed.

5. If there are two alternative routes between two points, which one is chosen? The shorter, the quicker, the cheaper,...?

If you are playing standard Simutrans (so not Experimental), then the shortest is chosen, but there is a penalty for having to change at stations.



There could be a myriad of reasons why books are not loaded. One good reason might be that the intermediate stations are not enabled for handling goods. If you look at the station info, you will find icons in the upper left part of the window that indicate enabling for passengers, mail and/or goods.

Good luck in finding the solution to your problem!

[lilleskut]

Thank you for the quick reply.

One more thought, that might be a reason for the problem. The trains do not travel directly between the book pick up station and book drop of stations, but they have intermediate stations on their way (where they pick up/drop off passengers and mail). Are these intermediate stations counted in the limit of "7"?

[An_dz]

1. Generally immediately. Few seconds delay sometimes when the route is more complex.
2. The default is 8.
3. Just with your eyes.
4. Each factory have its contracts with other specific factories, if you have 2 book stores where both receive books from the same printing press, half of the productions will be sent to book store A and the other to B. No matter with there are 100 books in the station, if they need to go to book store A, they won't load on the train that send them to B.
5. On simutrans experimental the faster, on Simutrans standard the shortest.

The trains do not travel directly between the book pick up station and book drop of stations, but they have intermediate stations on their way (where they pick up/drop off passengers and mail). Are these intermediate stations counted in the limit of "7"?

The default is 8, and it's the max transfers, so the good can transfer of vehicle 8 times. One transfer is vehicle reach station, drop the goods on the station, second vehicle gets it.

What I think are the problems:
Are you sure this book store have contracts with this printing press?
You say that the route is truck-rail-truck, so it means the truck go to the train and then the train drop to the trucks. This route needs 4 stations, 1 on printing press, 1 on book store, 1 between first truck-train transfer, 1 on second train-truck transfer.

[lilleskut]

Solved now. I had forgotten to built some station facilities as my train stations consisted only of platforms which seems to work fine if you only move wares between two stations, but apparently not if you transfer stuff.

[Ters]

There is no need to build stations differently when transfering goods compared to loading/unloading at factories, except that when transfering between train and truck, you need both platforms a train and a loading bay for the trucks. But there are different types of platforms. Some just handle passengers and some just handle goods.

[lilleskut]

Yes, I had a passenger only platform.