Advanced Timetabling Tutorial to Enable *Real* Local/Express Running Using the Timetable Mod

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There is no Deutsch version at this time, sorry! If anyone would like to translate, please feel free to let me know.

[Blockierte Grafik: https://preview.redd.it/w8sbmtr0psb71.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d9ae3a8f1d082346287883dbfe2e6c690d1c1439]

Intro

For many years people have attempted to implement local/express (slow/fast) train running on a single line in Transport Fever, with less than ideal outcomes. Although stations and passing loops can allow trains to overtake, there is no guarantee that an express train will not be slowed down by a slow train ahead. Quadruple tracks solve this, but it is a solution that is both costly and unrealistic. Finally, with the game-changing Timetables mod by celmi, we can now achieve reliable local/express running on double track lines in Transport Fever 2.

We found that there have not been any guides here addressing the complex topic of timetabling, so we decided to create the first guide on how to run timetabled local/express trains Transport Fever 2, using lines from our own “Peninsulas” map as case studies, which are some of the first lines created in Transport Fever 2 featuring high-frequency local/express running that we know of. (You can watch our High-Speed Rail cab ride video here)

The timetable mod allows you to assign pairs of arrival time and departure time to stations. We will be referring to each pair as a timeslot. As this is an advanced tutorial, we are also not discussing how to use the mod or create simple timetables here.

Before we start, you should understand the constraints created by the game and the mod mechanism. The timetable mod controls only departure times by stopping trains that are early (before scheduled departure time). There is no way to make a delayed train run faster to catch up, so the only way to ensure a stable operation is to add additional time margin for delays at stops and terminals and stop the train so that it may depart at the departure time assigned by us. Any uncontained delay may cause the complete disruption of timetabled operations.

The train diagram (Bildfahrplan/"ダイヤ") is the best way to design and visualize a complex timetable. One axis represents distance on the line, with stations marked on it; while the other axis represents time. Each diagonal line represents a train. As shown below, on a double track line, no two lines representing trains travelling in the same direction may cross each other unless at a station with a passing loop. On a single-track line, no two lines representing trains (travelling in any direction) may cross each other unless at a station or signal stop where passing is possible.

[Blockierte Grafik: https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1706285476800333273/FC705FF7791FF4C836EE69A710A7602A7751B5E6/]

An excerpt from the timetable diagram of our High-Speed Rail line, showing complex local/express patterns with low headways

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The same timetable, showing only trains on one direction

Part 1 of 3

Basic steps (outline) of building a timetable

First, figure out and record the time it takes for any type of train to run between every 2 stops on the line. This includes stations the train stops and does not stop at. Use the ideal running condition with the train not being slowed by traffic to measure the benchmark time. Then you may want to add additional margin for delays.

Plot the express/most frequent/most important train into the timetable first. You want to establish the stopping time in stations based on the average load/upload time at that station, with longer times for large stations. Make sure to leave ample time margins for the trains to keep up with the schedule. Keep in mind: at line terminals, each arrival time slot should be paired with a departure time slot for the other direction, with ample turnaround time in between to absorb delays. Duplicate the schedule to add in the next departures according to your desired headway (preferably a factor of 60 minutes).

Then fill in the slow and less frequent trains as they can be played around a bit to prioritize the core service. This is the point where you decide at which stations are you going to allow slow trains to be overtaken by fast trains. There are normally 2 ways to achieve this: in [1], the slow train is overtaken by the fast train with the fast train not stopping. In [2] the slow train is overtaken by the fast train with them both stopping in a station (This is also known as local-express connection/緩急接続 in Japan and can be used to create frequent local/express services on double track lines with limited infrastructure).

[Blockierte Grafik: https://preview.redd.it/c4mvei8fpsb71.png?width=172&format=png&auto=webp&s=eaba677c538bae69774271c36e408903fac91a29]

Red trains overtaking black trains

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Red train overtaking pink train

In both cases, you want to leave ample time margins for the trains to keep up with the schedule, particularly at stations where overtaking is occurring you don't want the slow train to depart early before the fast train can overtake it, or to arrive too late to slow down the fast train behind it. You can attain an ideal timetable by extending stopping times of slow trains at stops.

It is best to enact a strict timetable on a brand new line. You need to control where and when to send a train into a line in order to put every train into the right slot in the timetable and get the line into the proper initial state. More micromanagement is needed if you are enacting a timetable on an existing line. You can't have more than one train occupying the same slot in the timetable. Note that at each and every station on a line, there should be the same number of time slots in timetable, which is also the maximum number of trains you can run on the line. Test run the service for a bit to shake out any potential timetable bugs.

Part 2 of 3

Some more tips

You need to simplify the process by using trains with the same performance on the same service.

Unless your service is long and frequent, usually a few stations for overtaking should suffice. Start from one such station and build the rest of your timetable outwards from it.

If you want to be realistic and conservative about rail infrastructure, you can figure out which stations would need passing loops by designing the timetable first.

Since the timetable mod runs in 60-minutes cycles, you should have headways in factors of 60 to avoid problems as the minutes loop around. If your services have the same headway, the timetable can also form repeating cycles that simplify its structure. If your services have different headways, for example 4 mins and 5 mins, the timetable can also have repeating cycles each 20 minutes.

There are some issues and quirks with the current mechanism of the timetable mod. For example, it matches a train to a timeslot in the timetable by finding out which arrival time is the closest to the current time. You might need to tweak the arrival time a bit in some cases to ensure no train gets mismatched. The mechanism will also have the train departing a couple seconds later than the departure time you specified in the timetable. Also, in the current version, when a saved game is reloaded, the departure times for stopped trains are lost and the train could be rematched to a wrong time slot based on the current time (a fix is not yet released). You should pay special attention to these issues at line terminals where the train stops for a long time.

The Timetable mod is the first step in making the game capable of simulating complex train operations resembling the real world. Timetabling is a topic of extreme complexity IRL and this guide only touched on the surface of it. Our own "Peninsulas" map currently features timetabled operations across the rail network, for subway and commuter rail, single track and mainline railway, and high-speed rail alike.

A limited stop service overtaking multiple slow trains on the high-speed rail is demonstrated by our cab view video (below). Now these trains always run on schedule and achieve the highest speed possible without delays. More videos showcasing the tremendous capabilities of timetabling on our own "Peninsulas" map will be coming soon. If you want to learn more about the secrets and tricks behind these operations, check out those videos, subscribe to the channel, and join our discord!

If you have more questions about timetabling, feel free to ask us here or discuss in our discord.

If this guide is helpful to you, please consider supporting us on Patreon!

Part 3 of 3