owenrudge.net
Home Age of Empires DesktopShots FreeDOS GEM OSPlus Transport Tycoon Utility Base Visual Basic
Owen's Transport Tycoon Station
Owen's Transport Tycoon Station
 Home
   The Game
   Where To Get It
   About The Site
   Contact Me
   Guestbook
 
 Game Setup Guide
   Overview
   What You Need
   Installing OpenTTD
 
 Rail Building
   Fundamentals
   Stations
   3-Way Junctions
   4-Way Junctions
   Depots
   Check Points
 
 Rail Junctions
   Basic Junctions
   Double-cross Junctions
   T-Junctions
   Crossover Junctions
   Station Configuration
   Complex Junctions
   Realistic Track Configs
 
 Other Tips
   Towns
   Feeders
   Vehicle Usage
 
 Miscellaneous
   Vehicle List
 
 Downloads
   Saved Games
   Scenarios
   Music
   Saved Game Manager
   TTDAlter
   TTDX Editor
 
 Other Resources
   Links
   The TT Forums
   The Repository
   Locomotion Depot
   owenrudge.net




Rail Building
  Part 3: Three-Way Junctions

It's no good having fast trains and plans for a fancy network if trains get stuck at the junctions. This page will hopefully help you connect your trains well.

Line MergeLine Merge

This junction is only good for lines where the trains only want to go one direction, from a raw material industry to a production industry or a final industry, for example from a Iron Ore Mine to a Steel Mill or from a Coal Mine to a Power Station. Note that a tunnel was used instead of a bridge. This is because tunnels have no maximum speed. Speed is everything so if you have to build a bridge, build the fastest one you can. (Bridge speeds can be modified with TTDAlter).

Pros:

  • Cheap and easy to build
  • Can handle two trains at a time
  • No crossovers - replaced with a tunnel

Cons:

  • Trains must slow down to climb a slope
  • Lines can not be accessed from all directions

Basic 3-way JunctionBasic Three-Way Junction

This type of junction is terrible for all networks with more than two trains. Avoid it at all costs.

Pros:

  • Cheap and easy to build
  • Trains don't have to slow down to climb a slope

Cons:

  • Can only handle one train at a time
  • Can quickly cause traffic jams

Half CloverleafHalf Cloverleaf

The half cloverleaf is, as its name suggests, half a cloverleaf. It can handle a reasonable amount of traffic, but there are better options.

Pros:

  • Can handle a large number of trains at a time
  • Traffic jams less likely

Cons:

  • Costs more to build
  • Trains must slow down to climb a slope (can be 'fixed' with TTDPatch)
  • Trains must turn left to turn right. This could lead to trains getting lost. (Can be fixed by using checkpoints with TTDPatch)
  • Trains exit the main line before leaving. This could cause traffic problems.

Modified Half CloverleafModified Half Cloverleaf

This, in my opinion, is the best possible 3-way junction. It's best to make the distance between entrances and exits the length of your longest trains, plus two squares for signals. This way trains that are waiting at a red signal aren't preventing trains behind it from going down a different track. This is not shown in the picture to reduce download time. Also, it's best to expand it out to avoid the ninety degree bends that kill train speed.

Pros:

  • Can handle a large number of trains at a time
  • Traffic jams less likely
  • Exits from main line are before entrances, reducing the chance of traffic problems

Cons:

  • Costs more to build
  • Trains must slow down to climb a slope (can be fixed with TTDPatch)
  • Trains must turn left to turn right. This could lead to trains getting lost. (Can be fixed by using checkpoints with TTDPatch)

 
Rudge HQ


Copyright © Owen Rudge 1999-2023. All Rights Reserved. Portions copyright © Adam Trevorrow 2001-2002.
Transport Tycoon is a trademark of 31x Ltd. Transport Tycoon graphics: copyright © 31x Ltd. 1994-2013.