Railroad Fetch Trick

[DerivePi]

So you're building a railroad to a future mining outpost at some distance from your base and you run out of material.
Not a problem! Just place a railroad station marker and rename it "FETCH" and in a little bit of time, your supply train will arrive with all the needed material for you to continue building away from the base.
Here's how it works:
- At your main base, provide a dedicated railroad loop and station marker named "SUPPLY" - Setup this loop to automatically supply your train that's parked there with supply items (RR-Straight, RR-Curved, Walls, Big Electric Poles, Lasers, Signals, etc...)
- Create an inaccessible railroad spur (this can be done by branching off of a one way RR in the wrong direction) and add a Station marker named "FETCH"
- Schedule the train at "SUPPLY" to travel to "FETCH"
- When the train tries to go to "FETCH" it should signal a "No Path" problem because it can't reach the inaccessible "FETCH" station.
- The "No Path" problem goes away when you provide a future accessible "FETCH" station.

When the supply train arrives, turn the auto off so it doesn't leave until you are ready. Grab all the supplies you need. Create a circle so the train can return to "SUPPLY" and then turn the auto on again. Once the train has left, mine the station marker for "FETCH" so that you can use it again further up the line.

[Marbles]

I think that would actually work, and it'd be pretty handy. Good idea, I'm gonna try this sometime

[Boogieman14]

Pure genius! Why did I never think of that before???

[n9103]

Is there a significantly increased cycle cost from the constant pathfind the train is doing?

There's no need for a spur btw. Just set up a track and a station that aren't even attached to any other rail. Like in the middle of that loop for instance.

I imagine you could also set up something that uses station cloning to accomplish this as well, though not as easily in terms of setup.

[DerivePi]

Is there a significantly increased cycle cost from the constant pathfind the train is doing?

I didn't notice any hardware issues. I would imagine the path finding routine is fairly simple.

There's no need for a spur btw. Just set up a track and a station that aren't even attached to any other rail. Like in the middle of that loop for instance.

Or you could just put the station marker facing the wrong way on the same loop - when I tried it I used the spur though.

One thing to note though, once the train "departs" for the "no path" station, it no longer accepts any loading even though it is still sitting there.

[Mangledpork]

Awesome! I think I'll do a video on that! As well as use it in all my future bases.

[sbroadbent]

While it sounds like an interesting trick, I think I'd prefer to use The FAT Controller. When you add a train to the Controller, you can send the camera to the train, following it where ever it goes. In addition, you can select the train and add or remove stations as though you clicked on it normally even if it is on the other side of the map, including stopping and starting it or sending it to a specific station.

[DerivePi]

... I think I'd prefer to use The FAT Controller.

Have yet to use FAT Controller, but I have used F-mod. Specifically, I have used the wireless remote bot to configure my supply train without having to run back and forth between bases. In either case, you still need to set up a new station and have a supply train to send to it. I suppose I could have the remote bot run the train manually and that would alleviate the need to install a new RR Station Marker. I kinda like the idea of just dropping a Station Marker, renaming it and then having a train arrive to serve me.

At some point, I will try the Auto Rail Train Mod, but for now I have a taste for vanilla again.

[n9103]

FAT's great, but this is a tip that's still useful in stock.
I'm a convert, but I can see people playing without FAT, since it is a bit powerful with the altered viewpoints and train control from anywhere.

[ssilk]

I'm not sure, but I believe that the game will change in a way, that it is not possible to control it without such tools.

[Boogieman14]

The one big downside of FAT is that it currently doesn't scroll, group or filter, so I run out of screen real-estate. That alone currently still makes this trick valuable to me

[Trepidati0n]

Want to necro this. With the new changes to trains this becomes much more viable now since the train remembers the stations it was using. Thus, you can move the station to wherever you are and there the train goes. When finished the supply train goes home and waits until the next time you place the station. A a few logistic bots is more than enough to keep your supply train topped up (e..g rails, insertions, miners, cards, etc)

[HerrJoebob]

The concept is strong and the need for remote resupply is real, but what we're really talking about is global logistics. The 'bots are a much more natural fit for this than trains, and would probably be easier to balance...

So maybe an Amazon-style drone robot that can fill your logistic slots anywhere on the map?

[n9103]

Want to necro this. With the new changes to trains this becomes much more viable now since the train remembers the stations it was using. Thus, you can move the station to wherever you are and there the train goes. When finished the supply train goes home and waits until the next time you place the station. A a few logistic bots is more than enough to keep your supply train topped up (e..g rails, insertions, miners, cards, etc)

Oooo.. very nice. I hadn't considered this implication with the latest news.

[Gammro]

So maybe an Amazon-style drone robot that can fill your logistic slots anywhere on the map?

I think being able to call in a missile with resources would be much cooler(and possibly faster) for an end-game far away logistics request.

[HerrJoebob]

So maybe an Amazon-style drone robot that can fill your logistic slots anywhere on the map?

I think being able to call in a missile with resources would be much cooler(and possibly faster) for an end-game far away logistics request.

Great suggestion!

[ssilk]

A missile or Pneumatic delivery.