S train track

[JasonC]

I'd like an S shaped train track that can move a train over by 2 train grid squares, like this:



Since it's about 1.5 curved tracks in length it could take 6 stone, 6 iron sticks, and 6 steel plates to make. It should have 8 rotation orientations. It's OK that it only has horizontal/vertical ends, I don't think it needs diagonal orientations.

Currently there is no real easy way to accomplish this, you can do this, but it takes a lot of space, 4 curves, and a couple straight tracks:



Or you can use a pair of curves but it moves the train more than 2 grid squares:



I suppose an S track to move a train over 1 grid square might be fun, too, but I don't want to ask for too much (although you could combine two of them to get your 2 grid squares I guess, or even 3).

[Khaylain]

This probably won't be needed, as they're reworking rails and railway in 0.13 to only use straight rails, but with a sort of pathfinding algorithm, so that you click and hold on the point you want the track from, and then drag it to the point you want it to end, as far as I understand it. Anyhow they're getting rid of curved rails and doing something clever with the rest of it.

[ssilk]

Added to viewtopic.php?f=80&t=19953 New types of rails (curves, s-curves ...)

[JasonC]

This probably won't be needed, as they're reworking rails and railway in 0.13 to only use straight rails, but with a sort of pathfinding algorithm, so that you click and hold on the point you want the track from, and then drag it to the point you want it to end, as far as I understand it. Anyhow they're getting rid of curved rails and doing something clever with the rest of it.

If you're talking about http://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-113 (which will be pretty awesome), assuming that post is still an accurate description of what is coming, it still uses the current curved pieces, it just figures out where to put them for you. But you'd still never be able to move a track over by 2 squares without doing one of the above workarounds. So the S would still come in handy (and it might open up some good options for shorter paths with the path finding algorithm too, since it opens a new possibility that doesn't exist right now).

[The Phoenixian]

This probably won't be needed, as they're reworking rails and railway in 0.13 to only use straight rails, but with a sort of pathfinding algorithm, so that you click and hold on the point you want the track from, and then drag it to the point you want it to end, as far as I understand it. Anyhow they're getting rid of curved rails and doing something clever with the rest of it.

That's not quite right: What the devs are doing changes the placement of rails, but it doesn't affect the actual entities themselves. There's still two rail types, curved and straight, it's just that both forms are placed via using the rail inventory item in different ways.

An S-Curve would still be viable and useful for the same reasons but wouldn't need a specific factory to build it. If anything, that would make it more viable as it can exist without cluttering up the inventory or needing a specific recipe to produce it.

[Khaylain]

This probably won't be needed, as they're reworking rails and railway in 0.13 to only use straight rails, but with a sort of pathfinding algorithm, so that you click and hold on the point you want the track from, and then drag it to the point you want it to end, as far as I understand it. Anyhow they're getting rid of curved rails and doing something clever with the rest of it.

If you're talking about http://www.factorio.com/blog/post/fff-113 (which will be pretty awesome), assuming that post is still an accurate description of what is coming, it still uses the current curved pieces, it just figures out where to put them for you. But you'd still never be able to move a track over by 2 squares without doing one of the above workarounds. So the S would still come in handy (and it might open up some good options for shorter paths with the path finding algorithm too, since it opens a new possibility that doesn't exist right now).

I was thinking of that one, yes. I read it again, and in the post they mentioned S-rails for connecting close rails in one of the last paragraphs. So I have been slightly more enlightened by reading it again and having to process the information once more. The developers mentioned that it would be easier for them to add rail pieces, like the S-rail or some other clever idea they get with the new rail planner feature.

[zytukin]

ehh, forget the individual pieces that snap together.
Just convert to a flexible spline system :p

Then could have turns of any radius.

[JasonC]

ehh, forget the individual pieces that snap together.
Just convert to a flexible spline system :p

Then could have turns of any radius.

ehh, forget the flexible spline system.
Just convert to flying trains :p

(Might be another good use for rocket fuel)

[Koub]

What the devs have exactly said :

Removal of curved rail item

The goal of this task was to simplify the rail building, so instead of having straight rail item and curved rail item, it will be just a rail item from now on. Curved rail entity will be built by 4 rail items (by using the planner), so the player doesn't have to craft both rail item types. Rail item can be still used to build straight lines of rails as before (build and move/drag). The advantage of this approach is, that if we wanted specify other rail shapes (like the S for switching close lanes), we could do it without the need to have many different rail items to be understood by the player.

This way, it's more understandable than indirect partial quotes