Rails/Tracks

## Introduction

Rails/Tracks are the lines in which you can allow trains to travel on between train stations. Rails are important in the travel of goods. Rails allow for the flow of goods, but in Realistic Mode can only have one train on the in use rail at a time. When building rails, any Earthworks, Tunnels, and Bridges that need to be created to incorporate how the Map is shaped to make a traversable rail for the trains.

When constructing Rails, you are able to be as meticulous or as careless as you wish, most of the time the AI is decent at pathing direct routes to specified locations. When a rail is being constructed, it must have at least two Track Points. Track Points are green, or yellow cones that allow you to change portions of a track. Green Track Points are in the middle of a track while yellow Track Points mark the End of a Track.

Rails have building restrictions to ensure that it is possible for the train to travel on them like it would in real life. If when constructing a rail, a portion of the rail is highlighted in red, there is a discrepancy with this selection of the track. Read more to find out about what can prevent you from building a rail.

## Placing Rail

When placing a rail, the easiest thing you can do is click your first point, followed by the second point to where your target destination is. The only problem is sometimes placing long stretches or complicate paths can make the rail expensive, or not possible to build. Instead of placing your second point at the end point, you can left click where you want track points to be on the way to your destination to change where the rail goes.

Editing a track you just planned, and are able to purchase is also something you can do if you don't like sections of your track. To add Track Points in the rail anywhere, simply left click the track and a point will be added. To move the track point, click and hold and move the point around until you've found the perfect location. To adjust the height of a track point, hover the track point with your cursor, press shift and use the scroll wheel up and down to get the desired height. Lastly, to remove a track point, simply hold shift and left click it.

## Rail Setup

Planning for which Station tracks you want to use now versus later is important to figure out where you want to place things like a Supply Tower or future stations. Organization is very important for logistical issues you may face once you start adding many more trains to your routes.

### Parallel Tracks

To help with organization, tracks can be built alongside each other if you desire. As an added bonus to it looking neat, the costs of constructing bridges, tunnels or Earth Works is drastically reduced if not eliminated. Sometimes things can prevent parallel tracks from being built such as bridges, tunnels, buildings, sharp bends, ect.... Read more to find out what can prevent you from building a parallel rail. Lastly, on top of parallel rails having lower building costs, on parallel rails supply towers will automatically fill to as many rails there are next to each other.

### Rail Restrictions

Rails follow restrictions when being constructed and cannot be any of the following.

1. A rail bend cannot be too sharp. The sharpest bend is the same circumference as a Rural Industry no construction Radius.
2. A rail elevation cannot be too steep. An elevation cannot exceed 20% (shown on the indicator).
3. Rail cannot collide with any Industries in a City.
4. Rails cannot pass through Stations (but can be connected to them).
5. Rails cannot pass through Rural Industry red zones.
6. Rails cannot be constructed in zones where you cannot construct. (Shown in a Red/Blue striped pattern)
7. Rails cannot cross other rails UNLESS the angle of approach allows for it.
8. Rails cannot cross through player-made buildings.
9. Wooden Bridges cannot have more than 2 tracks next to each other.
10. Metal Bridges cannot have any other bridges running parallel right next to them.
11. Tunnels cannot have more than 2 track running next to each other.

## Mechanics or Facts

5 miles of Track costs $2,816 (in a straight line)

## Strategies

There are a ton of strategies that Kalypso, , the AI, Youtubers and the community have created for laying track. here are a few below

* First of which (more as a rule than a Strat) if at all possible, do not build bridges or tunnels. They can shift the price of a track from 400,000 to 2 million! Always try to find alternate routes (doesn't matter if they're longer)
* Do not put passenger and freight lines on the same track. Freight trains are very slow, and can hinder express lines.

### Logistics Track Techniques

These are track techniques that are used to improve logistics on a line, some better and/or cheaper than others

* **Sidetracking:** it's a beginner's technique, where the parallel track is made to fit a train while it waits for another. This is extremely inefficient. The only time where I would recommend it is when you have an exceptionally long freight line, and double tracking is too expensive. (This is the first technique taught to you by the game).
* **Double Tracking:** By far the most popular method of track logistics. To do it you essentially create a parallel track across the entire length of the track. Then you add signals to both sides to create two paths by which a lot of trains can travel by.
	+ Double tracking usually costs a lot less due to the parallel track cost reduction, but all the same, long lines are expensive to double track.
* **Y Track:** In a Y track, a single track (usually ending at a station or warehouse), splits into 2 lines going to different locations. You add signals to the edges of the two tracks so they can wait for the other train. This is very good for freight trains that lead to warehouses or to stations.
	+ You should not Y track when the distance of the single track is very long; the waiting time for trains is enormous.
	+ You should not Y track if one of the resources is essential for an industry's production ( This line should directly enter the station). Only Y track if the resources are just in demand due to city growth, not industries.
	+ Y tracks can be double tracked
	+ Y tracks should not have more than 2 branches.

## Station and Warehouse Tracking Techniques.

These methods are used to make stations and Warehouses efficient. Note: Some of these are very complex.