Followup: how to best use railroads with many stops?

[LeifInge]

In the thread "how do you organize your network" there is so many discussions allready, so I make this a new thread.

How do you guys do to make multiple stop railroads? Mine either seem to lose money or leave some of the stops crowded...

[vilvoh]

with multiple stop railroads you mean rail hubs or multiplatform stations, don't you?

[The Hood]

I think he means lines that go A-B-C-...-N rather than just A-B

[LeifInge]

Multiple stops on one line... like four-five-six different towns

[jamespetts]

Always make them double-track unless they're very lightly used (that is, one track for each direction, with signals).

[Severous]

Ive not used railways before Ragoland..and I've not got that set up.  But I think I'm experiencing a similar thing with buses.

Rather than all on the same line/stopping pattern I've ended up with a mixture of bus lines on the same road.

A mix of express buses and stopping/semi stopping
A>B>C>D>C>B>A
A>D>A
A>D>C>B

Need an overtaking method. The stopping service stops out of the way of the express in order to let it pass.?

[mwoodburn81]

I have a tendency to start out with larger/more populated maps than you do,  which makes it easier to justify the expense of a large passenger rail lines.   The simple solution for when you have overcrowding at some stations, and not overcrowding at other stations is to simply make an express line that stops at only the overcrowded stations.

Also, basically do the same thing with buses.  Usually if their is a shopping center or steel mill in town, I will start out with the steel mill as just a normal stop on a line, but as demand for travel to the steel mill or shopping center increases, I usually start a new direct shuttle line from the city main terminal to the steel mill to take off pressure from the regular multi-stop line.   

As far as double track and single tracks go, depending on how long the line is, by the time I get a 3rd or 4th train on the line, I upgrade to a double track.  By the time I am mucking around with adding an express service, I usually have already upgraded to double tracks. 

[wing044]

I always find it difficult to start the first rail line. To save money, I think it's best to start with single track line. When passenger number increases, add passing loops, eventually double the tracks. But only do so if you have money.

If you are losing money whilst some stations are crowded, you should analyse the travel pattern of passengers. Put more of your trains into a express schedule passing through unprofitable stations non-stop.