Yes. My vote is sand, and keep the Electronics cargo chain simple without trying to represent silicon. Silicon is for chips and they were invented in the 1960s, but before a meaningful amount was used we probably need to fast forward to the 1980s. So use Glass in the recipe. Plastic can also be used when it is available. We should probably be thinking about the uses for Plastic, as we are planning to remove the demand from the T&D. Glass demand could disappear at some stage in the mid- to late 1900s.Blackhawk wrote:There could also be the change from crystals to sand/silica.
On the subject of Waste, if it is kept, Glass and Plastic are probably better outputs at the Recycling Plant than Steel and Aluminum, especially since Waste in the game seems to be domestic (produced mainly at houses). 3 outputs was always a problem for the Recycling Plant, but don't know if this is worth changing. Like you said, Waste could be replaced as it does very little for the game. I am not convinced about the need for Luxury Goods or Consumer Goods, mainly because it is too difficult to keep Goods at a factory to be combined with another cargo.
Fair enough, good idea to keep things simple. Is there a limit on how long industry names can be? For example, is Industrial Manufacturing Plant too long?Blackhawk wrote:I don't think really want to create multiple industries to do the same thing. I'd rather just use some other name like Factory, Manufacturing Plant, Manufactory, or Industrial Plant instead to avoid the issue of Assembly Plants not appearing until the 1880s.
I am thinking some more, there may be some use in keeping the Assembly Line especially if the current Aluminum introduction date is kept. (BTW, an Assembly Line sounds like the right place for Parts/ToolsDies/ForgedMetal to be demanded.) This depends on something else, i.e. how many different combinations of Lumber, Glass, and Parts/ToolsDies/ForgedMetal do we want in the original industry that replaces the Toy Factory (be it called Factory, Manufacturing Plant. etc.)? It may be good to introduce a second industry (Assembly Line) in 1910 when Aluminum and Electronics are introduced. If we are wanting to include these new cargoes in any combinations with Lumber, Glass, or Parts/ToolsDies/ForgedMetal we may need more room to display those conversions or it may simply be wise to keep some of them separate due to the price differences of some of the input cargoes. However, this also depends on what the output of the T&D is called and should Aluminum be used in it? I am leaning towards no. That's why I was trying to clarify in my mind at least what it is that the T&D will be doing, to help decide how it should be used in any subsequent industries.
What is the problem with the footprint of TM's Industrial Assembly Line? If I remember right it is the same as the Auto Plant, as they both extend a lot when upgraded. Do they become too big to fit on one cell?
Ok, yes, forget some of the complication I posted about switching things over (such as the early Ingots->Goods idea). I forgot that the reason for this late introduction was the appearance of Oil.Blackhawk wrote:A 1.07 Machine Shop could have an earlier date than 1860. One of it's main ingredients would be the cargo from the T&D so it could appear as early as when the T&D appears most likely.
(1880 was a more realistic introduction date for Oil, should it be moved back to 1880 as in 1.05?) While I am not 100% sure about the conversion from Iron->ToolsDies, putting an Iron demand at the Machine Shop would make it too easy to produce. So this will work out ok, which is nice. 
I tend to play RT3 in binges, with breaks between. TBH I haven't played it since earlier this year, and have been busy with other things. That means there has been no progress on locomotive fixes.
Something else to include in our "bandaid"- adjusted weights for Caboose and Diner. I've edited them down to match Passenger cars for each era, 3-7-13-27 tons. No way they should be the weight of a loaded freight car. 
Sounds like you're not interested in doing it.