Freight Consists

[Werewolf13]

Been a really long time since I playe RRT2. Got RRT3 off Steam. Still loads of fun

That said I have a question about freight consists.

Here's what I want to do:

1. Load for sake of example at station A 2 cotton.
2. Load at station B 2 cotton
3. Load at station C 2 cotton
4. Sell 6 cotton at station D
5. Return to station A with just a caboose and start over.

I set the consist at A to min 2, max 2 with caboose and add 2 more cotton at stations B and C.

Here's what happens.

1. 2 cotton picked up at A
2. 2 cotton sold at B 4 cotton picked up. Vallue of cotton is now 0
3. 4 cotton sold at C 6 cotton picked u. value of cotton is now all 0
4. Train arrives at D. Drops off worthless cotton and returns to A with just caboose

Seems silly. Why are the cotton loads sold at B and C where cotton should be picked up and not sold?

How do I make the consist pick up freight in A, B and C without selling and only sell in D?

Thanks for your help.

[Hawk]

RT3 is not like RT2 in that aspect. What you want to do can't be done in RT3 like you could in RT2.

[OilCan]

RT3 forces a train to completely unload at every station it stops at: cargo, passengers, everything. It is wired into the game code and it can't be changed. It is frustrating at times. RT3 has some great features, but the stationmasters could be a little more understanding.

For your example, you will need three trains. One train from A to D, one from B to D and one from C to D.

[Werewolf13]

Thanks Guys...

That's what I was afraid of.

I do have a work around but it is very inefficient.

Using the original example I can do what I want by setting the destination station as route station 1 then 1st pickup as route 2 return to drop off as route 3 then to 2nd pickup then to destination then to pickup 3 which loops back to route 1 for drop off.

Works but inefficient, costly and more time consuming to both setup and to complete pickup of freight.

Annoying but for $9.99 off of Steam RRT3 is a lot of bang for the buck or pound sterling.

[nedfumpkin]

This is something that got sort of got fixed with 1.06 and TM, which allows you to ship at a loss.

Keep in mind that every stations has a buy price, and a sell price for cotton depending on demand. If there is a mill at D, which is where you want to bring the cotton, then depending on how much cotton is already there, the price will fluctuate. On a train such as the one you suggest, I run those all the time and I don't pay attention to their profit because I am usually supplying a mill that I own.

Something to consider when playing RT3 is that you may want to own industry where you control the supply. This is one of the best ways to ensure a steady revenue to get you through the hard times. In every scenario I start, I usually try to find an industry that is cheap, papermills are my favourite! and then try to supply it. Sometimes I am relegated to buying a mine or two. Then I work my rail to accomodatemy industry. This is how to sustain your first routes until they become profitable and you have more than one train paying out twice a year. Sometimes, a meat packing plant will be available but cargo is on its way to it, in which case I'll put all my money into the meat plant which will give me 200K in profits in no time, and then I start laying track. Sometimes, a train isn't necessary since the cargo is moving along invisible roads or along rivers.

Only supply industry that isn't yours if you need their product as an input into yours, or if you are making a killing off shipping their product. But also keep an eye on the individual trains' revenue stats. You may find that even though you aren't making money on some parts of the route, overall the train is bringing in wads of dough.

[Hawk]

This is something that got sort of got fixed with 1.06 and TM, which allows you to ship at a loss.

If you do decide to install the 1.06 patch or TM, check this thread out about multiple installs.

viewtopic.php?f=82&t=2363

[RayofSunshine]

The system of supply hauls is lacking in comparison with that of RT2, with its 'flags' to determine the destination haul. I miss that in RT3. But having gotten involved with the TMs Railway Structures, some of that RT2 programming can be realized. Although I run into commodities which don't have that benefit. Well, not unless it can be incorporated into one of the 'structures', of which does not mention that specific commodity. Then again, those TMs are an enhancement to play. But then, a user creator has to include them to be of any use.

e.g. A particular scenario had 3 supply farms extensively spread out. The demand destination depot was "across" the map, so without a "silo", the haul was of little value for maximum profit.

However, the scenario itself had great concept of challenges, and the addition of the silo would have enhanced play. But was of little benefit of the overall concept, and is a very enjoyable scenario.

[j7n]

I have recently found that if A, B and C is are reasonably close, cargo from A and B might slowly make its way to C for pickup over invisible third party rail. Subsidizing a textile mill in the middle among those farms could turn to be cheaper than running trains with 2 cotton cars from each farm.

Without depots, certain cargo types and industries just can't be connected unless the player can sustain losing money from them. I'm thinking primarily of complex industry like an Auto Plant, or an assymetrical one where little cargo comes out. In RT2, a thermal power plant was an example of this (3 loads of fuel converted to 1 load of waste that can't be shipped at profit). In RT3 Recycling has taken its place.

In the Northeast North America scenario, for example, there are both these types of cargo strings: very little rubber, which is essential to make money from autos, comes in from ports spread out at the east coast, there are also two thermal power plants, and a demand for uranium. Auto plants and Landfills for waste disposal are deep inland. With depots, I am collecting the waste and rubber into two special stations for quick pickup with an express train, and bring back autos and uranium (3 autos can be made from one load of rubber, with steel available locally). (The ports around the lake in the south appeared recently, and they make no logical sense as means of export.)

Now my power plants, supplying an electric line near them are also environmentally friendly, which is the least I can do for the country with my millions of dollars, and the waste train is about breaking even financially. In RT3's economy the waste would get dumped (stolen, lost) somewhere in Appalachian mountains. And if it did find its way to a destination, it would take a decade.