Thank Grog It’s Firday!!
It has really been “one of those weeks.” Ok…if I am honest, it has been “one of those months.” As part of my “real life business” I provide news servers for tons of broadcasters across the country. And the news…well…like I said...it’s been “one of those months.”
So…
I AM SOOOOOO HAPPY to get more monorail station(s). Not sure why I wrote it like that, as you can’t get more station. But you could get another station, or more stations. I guess I was just being lazy. But, I digress…
The fact is, as I have stated many times before, I think the monorail(s) is the single most exciting, best-ever, development in TSTO. OK. So I did it again. I don’t think you can have monorails…as mono implies a single rail. But can you have more than one monorail? Of course! And with the addition of the new station(s), it is time to make some serious monorail redesign(s) decision(s)!!
The primary monorail question is…
ONE HUGE Monorail loop? One even huge(r) monorail system that isn’t looped? Or how about many individual monorail systems within the your layout? It’s the kind of question(s) that can drive a train-nut like myself even nuttier!
This is much like some of the municipal projects we have in Eugene. It took them over a decade to decide on a plan for the “rapid transit bus line” in Eugene. It took them another decade to build it (gotta love main thoroughfares being gutted and diverted), and now that it is finished…hardly anyone rides it. Because it’s Eugene…and our “rush hour” lasts about 25 minutes. But, I digress…again…
Let’s take a look at the option(s)…
The first option is a complete closed loop. This is more of a traditional “model train set” loop, and is the way that the original Springfield monorail was laid out in “Marge -vs- The Monorail” (S4E12). As you can see from the original model being sold by Lyle Lanley, it was a simple loop. In reality, as we saw from the control tower, the loop was actually much more complex, even at 180 MPH while it was flying around out of control.
The primary advantage to this system, is that the train is optimized for size (as long a you are using enough track), and it will make a nice, gentle stop at every station on your layout. The disadvantage? It only runs one direction until you close the session…and it is a much shorter “round trip” run. The longest I have had a closed loop run, is a little more than 4 minutes.
Of course, “loop” is a pretty malleable term, as the track can run any number of directions, including through the tunnels to and from Springfield Heights, meandering any place the track can be placed (including beach property) and even across water (not the ocean).
But if you really want to maximize the run time(s) of your monorail(s), you can choose…
Option 2- Non-Loop-Open-Layout or NLOL for short.
The fun part of this, is that you can take your track anywhere you choose…and because you don’t have to worry about a plan that actually ends up tying all of the loose ends together into a closed loop, the train will go from point A to point Z, reverse, and go backward over the entire layout. This is actually more how real municipal monorails run. It is more efficient…and a route can service the same areas, both front and back, without someone having to run the entire rout to get from station to station.
The NLOL is my current layout option, and it means that running from station A to station Z and back again, can take as long as 9 minutes…round trip. Pretty cool.
It meanders through almost all of my layout…in some capacity or other. But it is still just ONE long stretch of track, which is different than those who chose…
OPTION 3- Multi-Service-Route or MSR, has been employed by a great number of my neighbors. I have seen some closed loops, running side-by-side with some short-line routes (one or two stations with train running back and forth), as well as some extensive NLOL layouts running in tandem, and then splitting off into different sectors of their Springfield(s) and Springfield Heights(s).
With the addition of the two latest station(s), I said two…because I didn’t have the Krusty Station before and bought them both…I am seriously considering a very large monorail(s) overhaul! It is time to shake things up…and nothing (except for Nuking a town) shakes things up more than jack-hammering your entire monorail system, and starting over from scratch. I know…with the news these days, “Nuking” is not exactly a popular term. But, the great thing about the Monorail…is that it is NEVER FINISHED, and offers new track (as well as bonus donuts) every week and is a GREAT diversion from real life Nuking threats in the news! Good luck on using all of that track…but I’m gonna give it a try!
HOW DO YOU LAY OUT YOUR MONORAIL(S)??? What do you do to make your layout unique and fun? We want to know!
I love the Monorail, Monorail, Monorail. I started playing TSTO just before the original Monorail event in 2015. I was pretty fortunate because I got Ray Patterson and Sebastian Cobb for free. Every time I read ‘Monorail’, I hear Lyle Langley singing Monorail, Monorail, Monorail. I craft monorail track every week so I have loads of extra pieces and no reason to complain about not having enough straight pieces. After the release of the tunnels, I expanded my track into SH. I still don’t have a station there. I was hoping to get the North Pole Station last year. I saved the donuts to buy it outright, but alas it was in a mystery box and fate would not allow me to have it. I even moved all my Christmas decorations to SH so I would have a place for it.
I have a single loop going around my entire Springfield near the outer extremities. I expand by loops when my Springfield grows so its like a squiggly square with an extended loop in the southeast corner. I’ll probably build a loop in the northeast corner when I finish buying the land there. I still enjoy riding the rail. I would love to have a working steam locomotive in my Western area though. As it stands, I only have the original three stations; Springfield Central near the school and Town Hall(of course), Mall-O-Rail near the coast and the Las Vegas/Atlantic City area and the Tetanus Terminal In my Western area. I will get the other three eventually, but Halloween is just around the bend.
You, like me…and a lot of others…have all of our Christmas stuff in SH. I think it makes sense…as it is about as far “North” as you can go (presuming that North is left). I have the “correct” station there as well. And as far as I’m concerned…anywhere there is a North Pole station is North. So…there ya go!
Off topic question
I’ve got 1,291 Smart Devices in my heights storage. Now I’m stuck to a daily challenge of collecting 15 of them. The only way would be to endless spend them on fountains, 5 SD for each fountain until storage drops below 300… No. Way. !!!.
Now I’ve seen that while harvesting my characters/buildings I seem to have collected 2 SD. Which would explain the enormous amount of SD. (Lefty the Salesman: Hey, would you like some… Smart… Devices? Ernie: SMART??? Lefty: pshhhht!)
Question is: who or what ist the silent producer?
You can’t make more at the plex?
😁 I’m always short of cash – no Googolplex, KEM instead.
You are awarded 2 Smart Devices every time you play the Drone Scan game. That’s the least useful Springfield Heights currency.
That’s it! 😘
I play the Drone Scan as often as i can ’cause it fills up my trash pile above the storage limit of 2,000. A good start for the next monorail-5D-run on Tuesday. Didn’t notice though the SD. For they are the least useful S-H currency 😃
Just cancel the daily challenge. You’ll probably get a different challenge for a Donut. Sometimes even for 6.
This was my 2nd chance, the first one was $.
The cancels run on a timer – though I’ve never timed it out – I know for sure I have one sitting right now that I’ve cancelled twice trying to get a donut. Sometimes letting them stack to 3 for a chance to get a donut is worth it.
I just got the Krusty station. Are the other pieces – stairs, platforms, etc. – available? I don’t see them snywher3 in inventory or in the store.
As long as we are having a monorail revisit, please EA, may we have a Bitey the possum NPC? Tap her and she plays dead?
I would LOVE that 🐭
I’ve got HUNDREDS of monorail track pieces in inventory. I wish the game would allow us to sell them, give them to neighbors, or just dump them. I only complete the tasks to earn the donuts. They’re useless to me.
I would at least like to be able to swap them for different track… the straight one’s are the hardest to get. I’d trade 15 curves for one straight.
I have every monorail station, and extensive loops for each one, with lots of parallel runs. Each station has 2-3 tracks to it (only one stops, the others pass by). Anyone have use for >400 curves, btw?
I’ve said it before: my Springfield is just a decoration for the monorail.
Spoken like a model railroad enthusiast!
I WORK for the railroad for a living!
Well, I am quite behind in revamping my city after several events, but my plan is still the same – several miniloops I know it will be a bit useless as a train system, but I now have the basic station in a loop around the “normal springfield area” with tetanus terminal in the “shabby area”. The north pole station (got it while trying to get Sophie from the christmas box) will be around, yeah you guessed it, north pole/christmasy area.
Mall-o-rail is planned to be in springfield height, and it will make use of the tunnels to peek to “the other side” (but without a stop, cause those fancy people wouldn’t want to have anything to do with the lowlifes, obvi). So it will be sort of a sightseeing train, rather than transporting one.
Actually…you are kind of describing my current layout… each section of my town has the appropriate rail station. Makes sense to me!
I am also a huge monorail fan… But I have to have mine in a continuous loop or I get twitchy! After I nuked I was able to design the monorail in a figure of 8 that loops around my entire town. Each time new land is added I extend the loop.
I don’t do the rail yard tasks anymore as I was lucky enough to get the replication glitch last year and made a ton of track in my inventory.
I would really like a haunted station for my Halloween area! 🚝🎃
Great suggestion!
For me…the best part of the monorail, is that there really aren’t any restrictions…it is really open to individual creativity.
It’s a fun addition to the game for sure 😊
https://media.giphy.com/media/SLmFBX1gWpJIc/giphy.gif
I have one big loop and I really love the way it turned out 🙂
I’ve been playing for about 5 months and I delayed starting the monorail in favor of quests, events and stockpiling cash. I’m just starting my design, so this post is immensely helpful. Thank you! I had just assumed I’d make a loop, but am now leaning towards an NLOL.
About how long did it take/how much track is required to have sufficient track to cover Springfield Heights and a sizable portion of Springfield? Did I miss some huge amount of track awarded during the Monorail events (or just a lot of time to get weekly prizes)?
Unrelated but would love to know: Can anyone confirm Crook and Ladder actually triggered for them? I’ve read conflicting information.
In my huge (soon to be huger) layout, I think I have close to 700 pieces of track. But a ton of those are the short pieces that act as parts of a long straight stretch. I replace those with regular straights as I earn them (take three shorts to equal one long). You will earn new track weekly…and my suggesting, is to build something you like now…but keep the options on the top and right sides of your layout open for expansion as you add land.
I really appreciate the feedback! I hadn’t even thought about the need to keep options open for land expansions (probably partially because I’m still buying land), but will definitely do that. For now, I only have Springfield Central in place and just keep trying to earn straight track (and the short ones) to build my way up the coast past my Homerpalozza/other entertainment venue district. It’s going to be a long labor of love!
I’m a designer in TSTO….been a slow process rebuilding my town….as far as monorail goes…love it, and started immediately with lining up the tunnels because of that debacle….
As for where, what, and how much? Well…I have the loop through my SH, that tunnels back to SF proper….as for SF proper, haven’t decided….initially thought one big loop,but I find your blog this time round to be inspiration for possible tandem inner and outer loops possibly…
One thing about my monorail will NEVER change though. One simple rule: no rails in the road..
So far I’ve successfully managed to keep my pieces on grass, water, or sidewalk. No roads allowed.
If you’d like to add me for slow progression of a design heavy town lemme know!
Interesting…
It’s your call, completely….but, your “no rails on the roads” rule is pretty limiting…and in my experience, not realistic. If you go to any city that is serviced by an actual monorail….like Seattle…you will see that it very much cuts over the top of roads, just like the overhead railroads do in Chicago or New York. It also allows for city commuter platforms. Otherwise…you are left with the people of your Springfield having to park and ride…and no cars can actually move in Springfield!
I’ve actually not had any issues w/ keeping my rails off the roads…. Just have to be crafty using short and long rails, and occasionally the curved rail to place the foot of the track piece on someplace that’s not road….
I don’t mind sidewalk, and everywhere else is fine….but I dunno…just don’t like em on the roads.
I pretty much ignore anything to do with monorails. I don’t really like how they look, and I feel like they take away from my Springfield’s charm. :'( Its how I feel about tall buildings too, so I generally just pop those into storage.
Ah… a small town charm kinda builder. That’s cool…a monorail would look silly in some small rural town…like say…Springfield. LOL! But, I get it.
My biggest issue at first with the Monorail was that it was kinda intrusive and blocked out a lot of buildings. But I was able to design my way out of that and have what I think is a pretty nice monorail line. Got the Mall o Rail inbetween my mall and casino strip, the Central terminal up top by the mountains, not too far from city hall and France as it turns out, and then Cletus terminal by my woods and now my farm area. So basically I have option 2 working pretty good for me.
Been debating what to do. Not going to get the Krusty station, too many donuts that can be better spent on Halloween. But the Magic station is a toss up. I think it can fit in great if we get a magical THOH event. But I tried to find a way to connect it to Cletus and just not a fan of how it would look since I’d need to run the track right through my spooky forest. A closed loop idea just with the magic station could be an idea. Hmmmm …. decisions.
Well….I purposely have kept available land free on the perimeters of my town(s), which allow me to circle the areas, much like the Disneyland monorail does. It is a great way to “see the layout” without being intrusive.
That might be what I end up doing with the new one. Build a track that circles the perimeter and leads to where my THOH stuff is going to be.
When I did a major redesign earlier this year I built it with the monorail in mind to give it space to run through town. Basically I gave the tracks their own little road to pass through. Nothing’s blocked and it flows quite nicely.
My game has updated but everyone seems to be doing some space thing. But my game don’t do it. Anyone help?
Some mini events have returned for those that didn’t finish them in the past, but you have to be level 60 or higher.
https://tstoaddicts.com/2017/09/28/returning-content-magic-monorail-possible-halloween-teaser/
Ok thank u x
Love the monorail and I was often thinking about nuking my springfield, building the monorail system first and rebuilding the whole town afterwards. But as I am a (mostly) freemium player that only buys premium items when there are characters involved, there aren‘t enough stations in my game.
Hence the new offering?
I didn’t hesitate…and bought them both.
I too just bought the Magic Station and Krusty Burger Station today. But I’m wondering something…it’s possible the new Magic Station has pieces missing but we don’t know yet however the current deal for Krusty Station seems to be missing 2 or 3 pieces (stairs and Krusty sign). What gives?
I think these discounted versions are sans signs and additions. For me…it’s really about function…so I’m not that bummed. I’m going to put mine next to the bus stop for Krustyland and Krustylu studios.
okay so, question: my game has literally redownloaded this latest update several times. It plays well and doesn’t really delete progress when it does this, but I have to relogin and redownload the entire update; basically everyday it does this. Why is that? What should I do?
Also: is Deep Space Homer a filler? I thought it already happened, but it’s playing as a mini event in my Springfield right now. So is it just for people that missed it the first go around as a filler until Halloween hits? Or is it in everyone’s game?
Space issue. Clear some stuff off your device, clear your cache, and fully reinstall. Always fixes it for me.
Do you load the game from notifications? I had this issue and not do not load via notification and it works fine.. I’m on Galaxy S6
i don’t have notifications on for the game, but thanks. i’ll clear some stuff and clear the cache!!
Reply for TSTO addict. I have no interest in the monorail. My 4 stations are shoved up in an unused corner of my 2 towns & yes you still earn monorail points, tracks, & donuts despite not having the track enabled.
My reasons for not liking the monorail are that they cause lags when I visit friend’s towns & don’t want that inconvenience to other visitors in either town of mine.
Also; I’m just not an engineer & after losing all my premium characters due to the “can’t place over the water/ river tiles” debacle & glitch- when monorail was new – It really turned me off the whole monorail thing. I just go for the donuts. Never use the tracks or stations (& only keep the stations out for the XP factor) I hope my answer has been of some help!
So…you are not a fan of the monorail?
No Patric; I’m not a fan of the monorail. My late father, who passed away recently was a train buff. Made & hand painted buildings & etc for other’s layouts in the real world. But I’m not even sure I’d feel kindly about trains in my Springfields if they caused lagging while visiting neighbours!
It may not only be the monorail that causes lagging in large towns; Sometimes it’s flying things like the drones; airplanes; Arnie & fairy Kodos etc. I deliberately keep those characters off such tasks in respect for my visitors. I’ve also noticed recent lagging in nuked towns with little there in the past few weeks!
Like the other Chris here, I have my stations all as independent lines; however, each line then meets with another station, so that nearly every station (except Mall Station for now) becomes a “transfer” station between 2 independent lines, done by having track run flush behind the station (to give the appearance the station platform serves two separate lines, even though only the station’s “actual” train will physically come to a stop there. Elsewhere, using the station extension pieces and stairs, I have created the look of additional station platforms… Of course the trains never physically stop there in the game animation, but in “my Springfield reality” those are express stops; so the trains only stop there under certain conditions (in my mind’s narrative, that is!)
Love this!! You get it!
I have been working on my monorail almost forever and with the new station I now have a layout that has all 6 stations and tracks contained within the heights (and nothing else there). It does go through the tunnel and right back in.
That said it takes 7 and a half minutes to do the entire loop.
If anyone wants to go for a ride feel free to try adding me tmichaeltx as a friend. I have a large set on white houses and an area for KEM farming so rarely visit friends but wouldn’t mind showing off my crazy layout.
Another monorailist! Woot! Woot!
Mine runs in a big loop around my entire town. I have been thinking about redesigning it though, because since I built it, the town expanded. If I make the loop bigger, the monorail-less middle becomes larger. Star shape would be nice, but you cannot connect several lines in the middle, or at a central station. Maybe I’ll do it like they did in Paris or London, with several separate stations, but I don’t really have the space right now. Back to the drawing board…
And I am also still miffed that I got locked out of redoing the weekly monorail challenge because I finished to soon.
Some of my neighbors have had two or even three stations together, with long trunk lines that run from the “central station” area. It’s pretty cool…
The other option is to have one of the other station tracks end up on the backside of the primary station. It would give the appearance and function of more than one train coming into the station at the same time…but heading out to different routes…much like real trains do.
I love the monorail! I have two separate loops, one in Springfield, and one in Springfield Heights. The one in the Heights goes through my mountain and right back through again. I’m still on the fence about the Magic Station. Just when I have enough donuts to buy the school band leader and liquor store, something else..like the Magic Station tempts me. Now that we can earn donuts through the sanitation station repeatedly, I kind of want the band leader because he helps get glass and trash. What do you think I should do? I have 157 donuts. Magic Station or Band Leader/liquor store?
Funny… I still haven’t bought either of the two you mentioned…but bought the two stations immediately. So…I guess I am a true monorailahaulic!
l know.. I love the monorail too! It’s my favorite part of the game. I redesigned my track layout constantly as I acquire more land. The only reason I’m on the fence is because I thought the bandleader would help me go through the trash tasks faster, earning me more donuts and track pieces. But..I’m leaning towards the magic station… Gotta make my mind as its going away soon.. Oh heck.. I’m buying the station!
I knew if I just waited…LOL! The bandleader really isn’t that much of a help for anything.
I just picked up the magic station because I’m a bit of a Harry Potter fan, so now I need a monorail overhaul. Mine used to be a small-ish closed loop, I expanded it a little bit a few events ago, and now expanded more with the new station. I think I’m finally going to have to figure out how to get a station to fit in SH so I can use my tunnels.
I love your avatar! 😎
If you do…I suggest that you build backward…and do your loop in SH…with both ends going through the tunnels…and build the rest from there…outward. You’ll be glad you did…as you will likely avoid the dreaded “I can’t make the ends meet at the tunnel” mess that many face. When I added the tunnels…I literally ended up moving…piece by piece…over 700 rail pieces…ONE CLICK OVER…to make it meet at the right spot. Any redesign of my main route will start with the tunnel track that come out of SH.
I’ll definitely take this advice when I rearrange again. I’ve had the two tunnels sitting and have been dreading figuring out how to connect them to my existing setup. But if I start in SH, it might not be such a hair-pulling event 😄
I have a closed “loop” that twists thru my 3 stations. I have random buildings and decorations from events to create various tableaus for riders to look at. That way I get to use the weird stuff I earn without my town becoming ridiculous looking.
PERFECT…and agreed!! I have some random places as well…where I place a lot of my “junk and clutter” in a way that works as part of the overall “ride” that is my monorail.
Huge monorail fan. I have a large loop with an interior shuttle and two small loops feeding SH and my strip. Two stations handle three lines each (I just have tracks and platforms behind it to make it look like there’s multiple tracks). If it’s timed right I can have three trains at a station at once.
I’ve spent waaaaay too much time thinking about my monorail set-up.
That is SOOOOO cool!!
I’d love to see that… do you have room for neighbors? What’s your username…I’ll add you.
Awesome, please add me: cberry77500 — I also borrowed your design for a sweet golf course
I’ve had a small closed loop for a while. It starts with the mall station in Springfield Heights, goes through the tunnel, encircles my casino district with a stop at the main station before heading back to the start. Picked up the Krustyburger station which I’ll use to make a loop around a kids’ district. Can’t stand the “trash” station and would have been tempted by the magic station if it had additions for it.
I have a complete closed loop going all the way around my Springfield, but it’s not a symmetrical loop. There are a lot of curves and diversions in the loop. I want to make sure that my Springfielders can see as much of the town as possible on their tour. 😉
Oddball question, which may or may not be obvious. If you choose the fourth option if y’know, no monorail at all (Not saying I’d do this, just hypothetical) can you still do the earning tracks thing at the dump for bonuts, or must you at least have the inniital starter monorail visible in town?
I think so, but dont know for sure. So someone else may be better suited to give you an answer
I don’t have any stations out yet still make track and get my five donuts every week
I had everything in storage and was doing the tasks most weeks to get enough straight bits to cover my town once I finish rearranging the stuff I squashed together to cope with events and build lots of repeatables to boost earning power.
Now I’ve got 3 basic stations pretty much side by side, no extensions or stairs and whatnot but at least they earn and I don’t forget to include space in the rebuild – so can’t comment if the tasks loop without a hint of monorail
i wonder how popular the monorail is. maybe, if it’s popular enough, ea can see it’s way to make a railroad builder game. call it “empire builder” or “rail baron”.
Have you ever played the board game “Ticket to Ride?” I’m not sure if there’s an electronic version.
I always thought a railroad would be a great addition to my town…almost every town has railroad tracks and at least a freight depot. Running tracks thru my town is a lot more appealing that the monorail towers…don’t know why…maybe a little more old school, like me.😆
I would love to see railroad depots that are themed to all the different parts of my Springfield, since the monorail doesn’t really go well with the 300 different castles (I might have exaggerated a little there), my Halloween area or the Old West stuff. Probably dreaming, but it would certainly liven up the game🚂😁.
I used to play Railroad Tycoon by Microprose on a Commodore Amiga way back when (posting this makes me feel as old as I sound !!)
You’re not the only one… I liked the early aera best, beginning in England.