Public transport lines.. loops, or linear?

[Norppis]

Just wanted to know, how do you plan your transport (especially rail incl. metro) lines? Do you make single long line with train line forth and back, or try to make them sooner or later into loops?

I usually start (at least with metros) as single line, as it's easier to extend from both ends), but try to make it a loop some point. Which brings me to another question.. if you have loops, do you make train lines both ways?

And often, when my city gets bigger, I like to make large figure 8, with one clockwise line circling city, and two smaller counterclockwise loops Any others doing like this?

And yet another question.. when city grows, do you just keep adding new lines, or sometimes totally reset them to build a new network?

 

[EthanZak]

I occasionally put a large loop around the centre of a city once it gets large enough (with trains going both ways), but usually i just create individual lines to connect areas as they grow large enough to require them. I never do a full reset of the subway network - it's far too much work to rebuild the whole thing, and I kind of like the organic chaos of a large network that's grown over time (like the London Underground).

 

[Fox_NS_CAN]

I mostly do lines with back and forth only. I sometimes do a large loop, with metro trains running both directions. It depends a bit on the layout of the city, and where things are. I did more loops in earlier cities than I do now. I find some of the longer lines end up with so many people at one or two stops, and there ends up huge waits and nobody can get on the full train. Multiple shorter ones seem to have less of that. I can compensate a bit now with Mass Transit, adding or removing trains from each line for better efficiency.

Latest city I have metro lines running every so many blocks, parallel to each other, and then monorail running perpendicular to them, with the stations adjacent to one another for easy switching. Seems to be working so far, but only just started with that in the latest city (Only 2 squares, 35k population at the moment).

 

[Doc Holladaze]

With my Metro lines, I try to have a main line running under my main Avenue that has heavy traffic, then from that line, I branch off separate lines that funnel ppl into the main line. I also try to have a point where several main lines converge to serve as a transit hub, usually that is a modular train station with built-in Metro stations.

I use a similar setup with my inter-city train stations where loops would not work. I use a central multi-track station that branches off to all major areas of my city, while using other mass transit services to supplement the train network as I do not use a lot of stations on an intercity train network.

 

[Rituro]

For bus lines, I definitely go linear; it's practical, effective and mirrors what you might see in a real-world transit network.

For metro lines, I start linear and transition to loops once my downtown and major centres are large enough to warrant widely available high-speed transit. I'll run loops in both directions, too, mostly because I want more people to get to my stadium for match day (cha-ching!).

 

[DrBolle]

I like to use a loopy layout due to the possibilities to connect stuff to them and using them to transport people around.
I never have only one way to come around.
That is goind to block the ones that like to travel a short distance by those who travel a long(er) distance.

Ususally nearby a trainstation I have a loopy tram line with clockwise and counter clockwise going trams in less dense areas connected to interfering buslines
In high density I only use metro for now.

I havnt experimented that much with monorails, cablecars and blimbs but I think monorails are also fine when it comes to high density because they have the best hubs (oh that monorail-train-metro-thingy )
Imo monorails arent that good for looping because they, as I have seen so far, are stronger bound onto a working rail setup. (Therefore I recommend using trams in lower densities, next to the fact that they cant handle that much - 70 vs 200? 250?)
There is not a great diversity of roads when it really comes to support high density. Monorails are almost blocking a good flow of traffic because two lanes cant handle that much traffic...


Imo cablecars are bound to straight lines.

Blimbs are very flexible but slow.
I think, they are one of the best choices for loopy lines between low density areas.


And I almost never reset any kind of public transport that needs a special roadtype and/or station.
That would go to messy after all.