Topic: Boarding/unloading instructions for lines/convoys

[Ves]

Moderator note: I have split this from "Question: Is waiting time used for cargo as well?" as this suggestion is somewhat separate and deserves its own topic.

Interesting reading to get a little insight in how the  brilliant simutrans-machine works! Though I still don't understand it
I have also had thoughts about getting more control in the freight-management, so I hope you dont mind me writing in this thread but
 I just have to ask, while on subject:

In the Real World, a train, a truck or a boat would not just pick up whatever is on the platform and throw it of at random places, it would know exactly what and when to transport and even have lots if paperwork on it!

I understand that complete control is way too much to ask for, but maybe a simpler model could be of interest?
As I don't know how to code I have no idea what have to be done to realize this but here it goes:

When you are creating a new line, a little button could appear next to every single stop in the line-creator-window. Pressing the button opens a new window where you can see all available goods (and pax and mail) in the pakset. Next to every single good-entry you can check "Loading: - forward/both/reverse/don't load", "Unloading: - forward/both/reverse/don't unload" and lastly: "Force unload"

By default the checkmarks would be on "both" and "force unload" unchecked.
this would give the player the choice to deny certain goods to be transported on some routes or to make sure that the pax boarding will not use the intercity bus as a local bus.
Also other types of lines would benefit from such rules where you could force all passengers to get of a train if the train reaches a terminus and continue as an other circle (still in the same line) but are ordered by the schedule to wait for a long time. The passengers on the train misses then opportunities to take another (and maybe faster) train. 

The idea is then that the rules one create with the checkboxes is applied at the same "level" as the initial route finding.
But as stated, I don't have a clue about the work to do nor if you would like such rules in experimental?


Keep up the good work!
Happy new year!


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[jamespetts]

This is an interesting idea, and it has briefly been discussed some time ago. I have split this topic from the other topic to facilitate discussion of these specific suggestions.

What you suggest is, broadly at least, probably feasible, and might well be a good idea. This does happen at times in reality, even with passenger services (for example, express trains from London up the West Coast main line sometimes stop at Watford for boarding passengers only, and on the way back for alighting passengers only, preventing the express trains becoming crowded with London to Watford local passengers). This is (probably - I will need to check the code in more detail to make sure; it is just possible that it is not feasible to restrict alighting, although it is very likely to be possible to restrict boarding) feasible because accommodating this would mean only relatively small changes in the building of the data for connexions between stops: certain lines could simply be ignored if they did not allow boarding at the origin or alighting at the destination stop.

I should be very interested in others' views on this proposal. I should note, however, that there is a fairly substantial backlog of work, so, even if I do decide to implement it, it might be rather a while before it is included, unless somebody else decides to add it. The idea can, however, be refined and developed in the meantime.

Thank you for your suggestion!

[Ves]

James, thanks for splitting the post, I should have started a new thread of cause:-p

But Wow, that sounds great if you are interested!

To ad up some reasons this "is needed" ( ) by adding to your own example:

The train from far away probably also have considered higher loading time than a local train, and stopping at the last stop before it's terminal could then risk to add a very high time penalty when the train is invaded with local passengers.

Also with the same function you could create an authentic airport-bus/train service. (Allowing people only to get on the bus towards the airport and only off in the other direction)

Maybe you have some train lines traveling with different kinds of piece goods. Assigning different lines with for instance different piece goods could make you force some goods through if you for instance have problems with large quantity hubs or problems with goods running on sightseeing trips...

And also the "force unload" could be useful, if you for some reason wants the goods/passengers, to go of the train at hubs for instance and recalculate the route finding process instead of just sitting on the train and maybe miss a faster service.

Thank you for your time!


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[jamespetts]

Interesting ideas indeed! As noted above, this is not likely to happen soon, but any further input would be appreciated. Thank you for the suggestion!

[Jando]

Sounds great! It could avoid what I call the "clay pit dilemna".

Everyone doing cargo in Simutrans probably knows the effect. There's a clay pit somewhere and the clay pit has more than one customer. With establishing a line from the clay pit to more than one customer (say to a brickworks, a pottery and a cement works in different cities) the player currently has also established a general bulk goods service between these three cities -  with all sorts of bulk cargo using the lines that were only intended to bring clay to a few factories.

[asaphxiix]

definitely a great idea to allow for much better capacity control.