10 OpenTTD Train & Railways Tips

This series will take you through how to play OpenTTD. Enjoy!
• MasterHellish.net/HellishPlaces ◄ Steaming Places, Video Locations, Social Media, Contact, In Game and more
• www.MasterHellish.net ◄ News, Events, Schedule, Info, Downloads ect
• MasterHellish.net/ViewerPlus ◄ Viewer+, Giveaways, Game servers, Chats, Extra Videos and more
► Series Playlist: • OpenTTD Quick Start Tu...
► Game Download Link: www.openttd.org
0:00 - Intro
0:23 - Do not turn twice on a train length
2:12 - Depots of Main line
2:55 - Use Long Stations
3:59 - Leave 1 train length between junction blocks
4:35 - Prioritize Reliability
5:48 - Use waypoints to split platforms
7:10 - Use Tunnels
7:48 - Ro-Ro Stations
8:49 - Double depots
9:29 - Use depots before junctions
10:13 - Outro
OpenTTD is a business simulation game in which players try to earn money via transporting passengers and freight by road, rail, water and air. It is an open-source remake and expansion of the 1995 Chris Sawyer video game Transport Tycoon Deluxe.
OpenTTD duplicates most features of Transport Tycoon Deluxe and has many additions, including a range of map sizes, support for many languages, custom (user-made) artificial intelligence (AI), downloadable customisations, ports for several widely used operating systems, and a more user-friendly interface. OpenTTD also supports local area network (LAN) and Internet multiplayer, co-operative and competitive, for up to 255 players.
OpenTTD is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License version 2.0 and is under ongoing development. According to a study of the 61,154 open-source projects on SourceForge in the period between 1999 and 2005, OpenTTD ranked 8th most active open-source project to receive patches and contributions. In 2003 or 2004, development moved to their own server. Since 2018, the project uses GitHub for its source repository and bug tracker.
Intro: "Welcome to the Show" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Brand NEW OpenTTD Series 10 let's play now available, check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipmplKOca5ucj68

[@Anomynous]

I never knew how to use the "waypoints". That is a golden tip :-) Reliability is not issue above 80% if you're obeying a couple of rules. If you choose reliable but slow and LONG trains with 'full load in station' set, you'll end up running a disaster. Choose speed, if not enough power double them, don't make them TOO long so they don't sit in the station for too long. Trains only break down when they drive, so after sitting waiting for loading in a station and they leave, they break down because the service interval has been exceeded. Be ready for it to break down A LOT on a single trip to the depot! Even highly reliable trains will break down when they exceed their service interval.

[@trainrover]

waypoints are most useful in busy and busily complex networks -- they happen to ease calculations performed by the pathfinder for long journeys, otherwise my networks become sluggish from unneccessarily long pauses at clearing Danger aspects

[@thatepicperson5208]

Master hellish: talks about reliability as it makes trains not break down as much Me who has random breakdowns turned off: I have no such weakness

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I understand how some people find breakdowns annoying. However I find it part of the challenge of the game and rewarding to overcome it.

[@quantamdefender]

I've taken to double-heading my trains. It costs more but the extra power does a lot to boost acceleration or even top speed for longer trains in particular (depending on the setting). It's particularly handy for busier lines where if a train stops for a signal of breaks down it gets moving a lot quicker and doesn't cause as much of a queue behind it. I also personally tend to use isolated networks rather than mulii-purpose main lines. If you have plenty of mines/forests or whatever going to one place than the lines get crowded enough as it is and I tend to use different sets of platforms to split it up depending on the direction the cargo is coming from and try and reduce congestion on particular lines even further.

[@thedumgamer2046]

gr you forgot the 1 tip for high capacity lines: NEVER HAVE FLAT JUNCTIONS! (Basically use bridges or tunnels in junctions so trains can cross without blocking other trains)

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

This is a good tip, not sure I would call it the number 1 tip as it has little impact on low use lines. However, a good one to include in the future if I do another.

[@lukasmaxim8965]

@Jack Brian yup, have been watching on instaflixxer for years myself :D

[@stangneshakon]

When you build a station you MUST place a few bus stops, and while doing so hold down the control button, than click up in the corner click the station you just buildt. Than all the houses near the bus stops and the station can go to your station, more passangers=more money

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

This is true. We call it "spread stations". This technique is usually discouraged as it's usually considered exploiting a game mechanic.

[@whackedoutpoobrain]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming What would be a good compromise or rule to follow so that it isn't considered exploitative? How about a rule where all sets of contiguous station tiles must be serviced by at least one vehicle?

[@RustyWalker]

Great general tips there MH. Depot tip 1 and 2 work well together on busy lines when you have the room - double depots on a slip. As a train leaves depot 1, an arriving train can enter depot 2.

[@CGA111]

Splitting a station with waypoints is an absolutely brilliant idea.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

It's basicaly platform selection in OpenTTD

[@landsgevaer]

Alternatively, build one half of the station, and then ctrl-build the second half as a separate station even though the tracks are adjacent. Advantage: you don't need waypoints; disadvantage: is is less easy to see which tracks belong to which station.

[@GodotWorld]

@@landsgevaer Sweet. This might be a slightly better solution to my issue with transferring goods.

[@landsgevaer]

Perhaps. I later realized that your catchment area is smaller and found that if you want to extend that by joining a lorry station, then you may need to extend both halfs of the train station with a separate lorry station. Gets ugly, but that is my autistic tendency speaking.

[@wikingagresor]

My take on the terminal station is if you are using a one way tracks combined into the track highway it is good to put a signal from the platform out to before the junction.

[@grahamturner2640]

At junctions, the design and size play a role in efficiency. With junctions, have as few intersections as possible as to reduce the effects of breakdowns on the junction and increase traffic flow through the junction.

[@ajinxpatil]

Usually every line that I build between 2 points has atleast 1 terminal station with a depot. I always put "Go to depot" order on the terminal station depot after cargo is unloaded and train is empty. This way you rarely have to put a depot in middle of a line. Its a bit more realistic e.g. passenger train unloads passengers at terminal station, goes to depot empty, come back in the direction it wants to go and picks up new passengers. We don't want passengers during train servicing, do we? A depot order ensures your train doesn't wander off to some other depot. It will only go to the depot in order when maintenance is due.

[@joehelland1635]

You can make a terminus station almost as good as a roro by deconflicting the incoming and exiting lines. This makes it so only a full bay at the station is blocked by a train exiting, (itself) to do this you dont have x crossovers at the station, instead handle this out from the station with bridges or tunnels, added benefit is you have a waiting bay for every two station bays and can keep the station accepting a train into one or the other bay almost as fast as the trains can move into the bays.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I think this is a design I often use these days

[@elboletaire]

With path signals you can have terminus stations with multiple trains on them. Simply use a one-way path signal at the entrance, before the crossing. If you want to use both sides of the terminus station, you can add two-way path signals just before the station (after the crossing). In total, three signals (x1 one-way & x2 two-way) for each side on a x2 terminus station allow you to have trains coming from both directions and stopping or using whichever side is empty in that moment.

[@MadocComadrin]

If you have the patience, a good non-blocking terminus design can often outweigh the downsides of a both a ro-ro and a plain terminus.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Yep, would have to be a very good good non-blocking terminus design.

[@dasy2k1]

I often use 4 or 6 platform passenger terminal stations that are designed so that each departure blocks at most 1 other platform When playing with cargodist on and having a large bus or tram feeder to your station you can easily have thousands of pax waiting, so 12long trains are not uncommon in my games Roro for 12 length trains is not often easy with a big city

[@jaymkay7211]

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR REFITS. I'm forever forgetting to do them 🙈.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

A good thing to remember

[@mart1ch]

Why do I feel like this video is personally attacking me ?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

haha, how so?

[@mart1ch]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming I'm currently doing everything you're advising not to do ahah

[@followingtheroe1952]

Because this game has a ton of replayability and you can more or less follow your own rules.

[@bertatohundred6194]

You have small catchment area energy

[@secondhandsmoke10]

Is this video some sort of r e f e r e n c e to me not being married?

[@tangentfox4677]

Now if only I could remember these in the time it takes me to start a new game..

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

haha, it's just practice

[@vicescano2877]

Thanks for the tips. The 10th one was one of my biggest problems when making a railway and since I saw this video it helped me alot in making a railway

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Glad it helped!

[@Adam-xr6fj]

Make a tutorial on competitor AI. Downloading recommendations etc...

[@dudeguy8351]

yes please

[@ivanalaskevich4736]

Tip for breakdowns at mainline and reability: Just turn breakdowns off, they completely useless.

[@Mark240]

Breakdowns are part of the game, learning to manage them is the trick, having multiple lines with crossovers gives them an alternative route.

[@ivanalaskevich4736]

You need to learn about OpenTTDCOOP. These noobs play without breakdowns! So... 2k trains in one netwok without jams…

[@galliman123]

After many years playing openTTD and tackling with the absurdity that is reliability I too turned it off so could focus on everything else

[@galliman123]

The automatic routing for trains to depots also can mess things up big time

[@AllrightNOR]

Agree. And then pick the fastest train . Rest og the tips were good though.

[@mikaruyami]

8:45 I often have the no-turn around for trains turn on, so I primarily use one way stations Tend to use raised tracks and have the a tunnel go back underneath the stations.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Yes if you've got no turn around for trains then you're going to have a lot of ro-ro stations I presume

[@Mark240]

re depots I always route a depot into the trains orders, saves on the random trips to find a depot, for passenger lines, i tend to use a terminus at the end of the line and put a depot after the station, so the train enters the station on platform 1 unloads only, then through a route signal to a depot, then service and exit straight to platform 2, i find this to be the most efficient for passengers but for goods ro ro are 100% better, with the depot placed before the station as trains will wait in the depot if the station is full, while on the subject of goods ro ro's you only want to use 3 platforms for every line you have coming in so a train can be entering leaving and loading at the same time.

[@nojachi_6829]

Uhhh, the game i have played far to long while studying. Look, i have a disorder that doesnt allow me to focus properly, so i have to multitask. It makes maths in school easier but english harder dough. So i decided to study english while playing this wonderful masterpiece. Seeing someone talking about it is great :D

[@jamesgrames3777]

Instead of building enormous stations in small towns I add a buss station or truck station that is linked with train station to cover bigger area. The other solution is to use road vehicles that unload only on train station, but I'm not sure if its good idea yet, still testing.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Interesting thought, let me know if you find out any more.

[@mortenfrosthansen84]

Yeah I do the same. Always have the passenger/post combo and hold ctrl to link them together. Or if it's already a bigger city, you can make another combo set, and move people across. Another tip; When a bank has been build and you get the news... Immediately build a lorry station where only the corner covers the bank, but it accepts valuables. One on each corner. You can probably build one on every corner, but can't confirm that. But one on each side of the bank, and then just have a truck going back and forth. It works for some reason

[@wizardbrandon3544]

Spreadstations makes it so you cant make a station bigger than 12. Related tip: Stations shorter than the train length makes the train fill A LOT slower than useal (i wonder if the reverse is oposite) also i tend to buy the newest train because the stats are better, though early game better reliability is probably better i have also heard tunnels have a better speed when compaired to bridges Question: a ro-ro is better most of the time right? Question: using tip two couldnt you make the junction at 9:50 way more efficent?

[@EdwardOttaBR]

Old video, but i don't know if other people do this: I recently discovered that it's possible to build bus stops linked to your train station to increase it's catch area into the city. There are some limitations on distance, but i've done as many as 6 bus stops linked to a single train station and it puts LOTS of passagers and cargo into it, much more than the buses would do transporting people beetween the stop and the station. Again, i imagine other people already do that, i am not thinking like i've discovered the gunpowder or anything, but is very interesting for me how that works.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

This is called a spread station. Some people consider it cheating and some do not. The maximum distance it can be done is set in the game settings and by default is 12 if I recall correctly. Thanks for the comment.

[@EdwardOttaBR]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming As a great friend of mine like to say, "If it is in the game is not cheating".

[@stephaneggy]

Wow you couldn't be more clear on those tips!

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Have any questions?

[@Brandonvilches0721]

You should do a tutorial on programmable pre signals. (Also I subscribe!)

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I should. One day I will get round to it.

[@linuxgaming69]

Use separate stations for input and output. Using the same station and waypoints is total madness.

[@lucency]

Aaand now I want to play OpenTTD again.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Always play OpenTTD

[@SpectraPrime]

Your last tip seems to conflict with your keeping depots of the mainline tip near the start

[@DaryxFox]

I generally put a depot in the trains' orders mainly to make sure it doesn't maintain when loaded. I've never really tested and calculated what the in-transit time save earns me, but I do it anyway. Is there any benefit to putting depots before junctions and letting them choose vs before pickup stations and setting an order?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I would do them before junctions and before stations

[@ajinxpatil]

Usually every line that I build between 2 points has atleast 1 terminal station with a depot. I always put "Go to depot" order on the terminal station depot after cargo is unloaded and train is empty. This way you rarely have to put a depot in middle of a line. Its a bit more realistic e.g. passenger train unloads passengers at terminal station, goes to depot empty, come back in the direction it wants to go and picks up new passengers. We don't want passengers during train servicing, do we? A depot order ensures your train doesn't wander off to some other depot. It will only go to the depot in order when maintenance is due.

[@leighmenzie5904]

I like the introduction music

[@GodotWorld]

Do you have any videos on tips for good transferring? For example I have valuables in a town constructed after my train station. I can't get a station near by without having to destroy half the city. The way I have been solving this is to build a second station as close as I can on the outskirts. A train will come from one town with valuables, unload at one station and leave empty, then go to the second station and pick up valuables to take back. I always put a truck stop and bus station at train stations near a city. So then I'll have an Armour car pick up at the station a train deposits at take it's load to the station near the bank and drop/load, then it goes to the station where trains pickup and deposits the load and back to the other station for pickup. I really hate the setup, but it's the only way I've thought to solve the issue with a train basically picking up goods it's just deposited before trucks can move the goods. There are lots of similar scenarios I run into this transfer problem where a train can't quite get close enough to a drop and goods need to be transferred for "the last mile" by truck or boat. I really wish I could tell a train to unload, then take goods it did not just unload.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Sounds like you got a way of doing it there. The only other way would be to move your station close enough or use a spread station to try and reach it

[@triffmugurel1063]

all and all some nice tips, BUT u can change some options in settings and u wount have some problems that u raised here :) . im useing original psyhics in my game so when a train meets a curve he has the same speed, ofc it reduces my usage of bridges but i use more tunnels :)

[@Phaetonultra]

Nice 'bridges' in the final shot ;)

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Did I say I have to folow my own tips? ;)

[@claudetheclaudeqc6600]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming well, when train is slower than the highest speed bridge, then it's fine, since they are lower than the max speed of the bridge, the only cases that happens (yet when having quite a long distance whit water and few money only, a bridge is way more cost effective that even if it is a bit slower compared to normal tracks whit elevated terrain.) is when you have the last malgev engine vehicule (which go at 650kmph if i remember, compare to the last bridge (grey silicon tube), having 635kmph)

[@KL53986]

L turns if very sharp are very bad especially on high speed lines. S Bands as long as the train doesnt cross 2 simultaneously it wont get slowed.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

The way I always say it is: "If a train turns in the same direction more than once within its train length then it's speed may be reduced"

[@BadassRockets]

I didn't understand when it is good to have a train loop or when it is good to have just go in reverse

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

As a general rule the loop or ro ro ones are more efficient. However they take up more space so if you want a city to grow around your station for good catchment you might want to let the trains reverse at a terminus station.

[@findstr.s-hi-c._w]

not a tip,but a addition,city's grow,also a reason bigger is better.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Ya. Get your city growing early. Lots of fab passengers and mail

[@charleygibbs5900]

Use road stations to increase catchment area.

[@trainrover]

all I've learned is this fellow's train operation preferences

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

The tutorial might be more helpful for you the

[@chrissant6277]

Hey nice video. I was just wondering.. I'm playing on a world,, I got a nice cashflow going.. but I'm in the 2100's and I still don't have an engine.. Is my game bugged or was it something I did? I'm fairly sure I should have that by now. I have other train parts, like livestock, steel, grain, etc.. but no engine.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

What climate are you playing on. The train engines get released on a certain date and are only available for so long before they get discontinued. I would guess that you are playing the game in a date where are all the trains have become discontinued because you are too far in the future. I recommend starting a game in the 1925 1950 or 1975.

[@chrissant6277]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming Oh I forgot about this comment lol.. yeah I figured it out. Thank you though! I'm trying to get into more complex train systems and I'm looking at your tutorial playlist, really helpful stuff. Hope you had a nice Christmas btw haha

[@ec8451]

Meanwhile... His washing machine goes nuts in the background!

[@airlinetransportationtycoo5252]

@ Master Hellish - Gaming How do we contact you in regards to doing a beta test or a review for our game?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Hi there. You can find contact details here... masterhellish.net/hellishplaces

[@airlinetransportationtycoo5252]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming Thanks, if you have discord this is the link discord.gg/4v2Mmg9

[@willblox_]

Build separate stations for pickup and drop off

[@nandu2968]

Hello.. Bro.. In my open ttd.. Trian engine is not showin in the depot. I cant buy train engine.. Please reply what to do? ❤❤❤

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Check what stating year trains are available in you game, there is info about this on the wiki. If you need OpenTTD help you can either go to one of the following places; You can check out my tutorial series (kzbin.info/www/bejne/eX67d4Cgj9proJo) or come along to my Discord where there is an OpenTTD Help channel (discord.gg/Dy7YWkXUsX). Alternately you could try the OpenTTD wiki (wiki.openttd.org/en), forum (www.tt-forums.net) or Discord (discordapp.com/invite/0nQXSRX64lIL1zk4)

[@tinnapobkbs]

What happend if I put the train depot at the end of the track?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

That can work too

[@kevinduliesco5468]

can you tell me what is the graphics grf?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

This video was recorded using the z-based graphics pack

[@cyberdaemon]

I have always been lazy player, so i always make a completely separate train line for each train and keep them separate. Even use bridges and tunnels, to make sure no train ever uses same tracks.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I think you would struggle to get enough trains moving to shift the large quantities that can be available in the late game with that technique

[@cyberdaemon]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming You can always play in smaller world lol

[@NickyDekker89]

@@cyberdaemon Yeah but isn't a large part of the fun figuring out how to do it the most efficient way? I'm new to this game and still suck at designing proper railway systems but having dedicated lines for each train sounds boring to me, too easy.

[@cyberdaemon]

@@NickyDekker89 It would be far more motivating, if cost of building was much higher and roads actually took time to complete, instead of just magically teleporting in already completed form. You know, like in those old RTS games, where it took time to construct buildings.

[@NickyDekker89]

@@cyberdaemon The original game came out in 1994. But I'm sure there are mods for OpenTTD that increase the costs of buildings. I know there is for landscaping so probably for building cost as well.

[@ruthpayot6683]

hi, what GRF will remove an existing industries? please help.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I am not away of a GRF which remove industries from your game. However, if you just want to remove a specific industry you can do this with the cheat menu.

[@ruthpayot6683]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming i don't mean to use cheat though, but i'll keep that in mind thanks.

[@nyksiss]

3rd minute - Does longer stations also cause faster loading?

[@sylvaintasiaux6690]

Not in vanilla, same load speed AFAIK

[@crazoatmeal1854]

No, but the opposite is true - if the train is even a little bit longer than the station, there's a massive penalty to loading time.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Craz is correct. Longer does not = faster. But too small makes it slower

[@nyksiss]

Thank you both for answering. :-)

[@AdamMcCannon]

Where Do you get a brake van?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

There isn't one in the vanilla game. You might be able to find a mod that includes this

[@purpleish_OwO]

9:29 depot at main line. wtf? just hide your depot into a side line, add order that require train to enter side line using waypoint.

[@purpleish_OwO]

also, that using original accelerate model to speed train in and out of depot

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

This tip is not about how to connect depots but where.

[@purpleish_OwO]

I understand that placement, probably should add silpline before junction. it won't fit into my massive train network.

[@lordwunglerbeckett]

gamer

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Hello?

[@lordwunglerbeckett]

Oh god, the man of gaming himself has shed the words of wisdom upon me

[@shayan8472]

How we buy train

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Build depot and then buy train in there

[@fergus247]

how can i avoid bottle necks?

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

That depends on where your bottleneck is in your network

[@fergus247]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming im having trouble when trains are leaving the station :) im just trying different things rn

[@KL53986]

My problem with game is how unbalanced it can be, i like to one day rebalance this game, for example i would add acceleration instead of power for faster trains to discourage them to be used on freight transport with Goods being exception as this type of Cargo Express exist. So your SH 40 will be relevant even if T.I.M or Asiastar becomes available.

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

I might have a look at the game code sometime to work out exactly how this is calculated

[@KL53986]

@@MasterHellish-Gaming Horsepower determines the acceleration. Tractive effort if enabled is how strong the Locomotive is. if your close to 60s the Diesels have more than 2x the traction power than 1965s SH 30. This is caused by Diesels being heavier despite having lower horsepower they can carry heavy loads but dont accelerate fast unlike SH 30. But as we all know Horsepower is king in freight transport so it didnt mattered if you used the Diesel or aforementioned SH 30. Simply horsepower of T.I.M and Asiastar is combination since they are dual trains e.g. you have 2 locomotives. So if i would one day to start looking on how to rebalance fast trains then i would make it just so it can accelerate normally with Passeeger, Mail, Cargo but make it that they dont pull Freight any better if not worse than locomotives designed to carry heavy loads. At least this would make Manrel Morel the small diesel designed in 1955 more useful as good candidate for Steam trains

[@KL53986]

The Subarctic/Subtropic terrain has visible class of these trains as Turbo actually isnt that strong to pull stuff. Centenial is exceptionally strong freight locomotive that can on its own hold the classic maximum of 13 cars of heavy load.

[@cooley987]

Reliability don't matter if you turn off breakdowns 😂

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

That is a tip there

[@paul2k649]

Is openttd a dead game

[@MasterHellish-Gaming]

Nope

[@skeletonrowdie1768]

there's a LOT of multiplayer servers going 24/7. Just the twitch and youtube community is kind of small imo. It's very active on reddit. I hope it will grow and I have a hunch it will.