Start by building a siding (also called a passing lane). Choose a straight stretch of track, branch off from the main line, run a parallel track long enough to hold your longest train with a little extra room, then merge back in. After the rails are in place, open the Set direction tool and make each rail on the siding one-way, pointing in opposite directions. This turns the siding into a safe two-lane bypass, so neither train ever meets head-on.

Notice the forks at both ends have turned red. These are automatic no-stopping zones that keep trains from blocking in the intersections. If the siding is too short to fit an entire train, the game won’t route trains onto it at all, so be generous with length.

With the siding ready, open the depot and build a second train on the same line. For very long routes or higher demand, repeat the process and add more sidings. Each extra passing lane lets you add another train while keeping traffic fluid and construction costs low.

Adding more stations is very similar. Build a new station (1) and connect it to the main line (2). Then build at least one siding between the newly constructed station and the main line connection (3), so that it’s separated from it. Now you can build a new train that services this new station.

A <b>no-stopping zone</b> is a track section where trains are allowed to roll through but not completely stop and wait. A train can only enter a no-stopping zone if it can clear it.

While it is possible to design a train network where most intersections don't need no-stopping zones, there are cases where using them is vital to avoid trains getting stuck or waiting needlessly. For example, when overlapping tracks have different directions, like passing sidings on bi-directional tracks, no-stopping zones are needed for proper function.

There are also cases where adding an extra no-stopping zone can benefit traffic flow. For example, when you build a round-about, a small train may be able to stop and wait in the middle of it (1) while blocking traffic that could otherwise pass through (2).

When two train lines share a common track section and one branch backs-up (1), a no-stopping zone can help to keep the other one keep going (2).

Open <b>{0}</b> → <b>{1}</b> and place a <b>train station module</b> at the loading site. Pick the module that matches the product you want to move, for example <b>{2}</b> for bulk materials.

Build a <b>{0}</b> adjacent to the module. Click the loading module, assign it a product, and set its mode to <b>{1}</b>.