I'm trying to visualize the rail transportation system of a new region that I am planning to create and based on my planning, I think I have to choose whether to plan for a Monorail system or an Elevated Railway system. Assuming money isn't an issue (yes, I will use that money park lots ;) ), is there any significant advantages and disadvantages between the two (I know elevated rail can connect to a subway but let's assume that is not a factor). Please let me know your thoughts....

Well, here are my thoughts:

Turning:
When two lines of each meet up they both can turn just as sharp on to one another to create a T or an X intersection.

Cost:
Each one costs about the same. I would check that but opening Sim City 4 whith Netscape could kill this computer.

Intersections:
When it intersects other things they are different. When crossing a freeway it has to be a ground freeway. Niether can cross an elevaded freeway. If you do not want tl make it a ground freeway or you do not have the space the elevaded rail can simply go underground and then pop up again. Monorail line would just have to stop. When you cross a long distance of water both have to have a good amount of space so they can become elevaded enough for a ferry to go under (if you need a ferry). Again, Elevaded Rail can just go underground and ferrys are free to pass and then come back up. Monorail has to cross it, if you need it to. Or you can just have it stop and put a subway line and they can transfer.

In the game it says that Monorail is the fastest intercity transit. Not intracity. If you need to go long distances (say a region commuter system) then Monorail may be the way to go for you. If you are going to have a few large employment centers then you may want Monorail to get people from far away there and then might want to use some Elevaded Rail to ship them around inside of that "CBD."

If you are going to have lots of small downtowns then you may want to go with Elevaded Rail since it is good for lots of short distances.

Just some of my thoughts! :)

A mix of both is best though I do not do it.

Hmm. Interesting. So basically, I can do this...

1) Extend the monorail for the whole region to serve the suburbs
2) In the main city, have a network of elevated railway connected with the subway which will be under the CBD
3) Construct a monorail station and an elevated railway station beside each other

So the Sims living in a suburb and who work in the CBD can take the monorail, transfer to the elevated station to get to his office?

Originally posted by queetz
So the Sims living in a suburb and who work in the CBD can take the monorail, transfer to the elevated station to get to his office?


Yes. :)

Though that may add on to their commute time which is bad! ;)

I would suggest that you try to keep the monorail going as far into the CBD as possible.

i think monorail looks Waay better and it is faster but the elevate rail way is easyer to use... it can shange to subway if needed and like stuff while monorail can not do that

I think it's easier and cheaper with elevated rail, and you can change it to subway. Though, monorail looks better :)

Actually, tests done by numerous gamers have revealed that regular at-grade rail is the fastest means of transporting Sims over long haul intercity distances (so long as the at-grade rail is segregated from the street grid as much as possible). There is apparently some sort fo glitch that leads to this.

The advantage of monorail over at-grade rail is the higher station capacity, segragated ROW (no intersections with roads or rail to congest traffic) and a smaller footprint.

Personally, I wouldn't use monorail at all, as my own experience with it has been lackluster as well. I replaced a couple surface rail lines with monorail in my region and ridership went down, even though a couple decades had passed to allow Sims to adjust.

In the game's currently limited form, I don't think that Monorail is worth selecting over elevated rail in any situation except long distances, at which point someone should be using at-grade rail anyways. I feel that Maxis needs to include some tweaking of the monorail format (and mass transit in general) in thier next patch.

How do you get Monorail etc. I've just got the game so am I going to have to play it for a few 'years'.

monorail is avalable on the Rush hour expansion pack. As well as other goodies see my reply to yourself in the Some questions to simcity 4 thread. If you havn't got rush hour stop right now don't lay another stretch of rd go out and buy it as it adds a lot to the gameplay.

In a medium sized city ,which do you use?

Surface Rail ,Subway ,Elevated Rail or Monorail?

One of my cities have all of them.It is good?

Originally posted by redstone

In a medium sized city ,which do you use?

Surface Rail ,Subway ,Elevated Rail or Monorail?

One of my cities have all of them.It is good?


For a medium size?

You could use the subway. With that, you will have more space.:)

Elevated rail seems pointless to me, subway is cheaper and takes up less space.

The elev. rail carries at same no. of sims as the subway?

I just started playing and I'm too lazy to check, but can't you connect subways to elevated rail?

Yes, you can, Nap.

Originally posted by Style Cost:
Each one costs about the same. I would check that but opening Sim City 4 whith Netscape could kill this computer.

Netscape?? :ohno:

Even Internet Explorer is better than Netscape, IMHO.

You might want to check out Opera (http://www.opera.com), if you want a real browser :p.

Heh, sorry for the off-topic post.

how do u get the rail of monorail or the elevated rail to connect with their stations.. they dont seem to connect in my game..
dunno why

If there is road right next to the station and there is also an elevation difference then it will not work. Also, any large elevation difference on a large hill will make it not possible. Both have to be placed on ground that is kind of flat (can have some slope to it).

1st off, netscape's better than IE :D

In a medium sized city ,which do you use?

Surface Rail ,Subway ,Elevated Rail or Monorail?

One of my cities have all of them.It is good?The more forms of mass transit, the better esp when using high density zoning. Subway lines are like roads in the sense that they become clogged after a while.

I mainly use elevated rail to allow for commuters from far outside the CBD to commute in, then I connect it w/ the subway system. After that I use elevated rail again in my CBD.

I hardly use monorail just because it can't connect up with any other mode of transit. The same with normal rail. I got some BAT stations for normal rail and I put it into my new city...I shall see how I like it.


I put subway into the main city where density is much more and also have elevaded rail. The density is so high that both are well used forms of transit. Out in the suburbs I might have a few lines of subway depending on the density of the suburb (and if the city next to it would benifit from having a spur) and then put in elevaded rail. I have been trying to make development around elevaded rail stations better and make it so theu use the rail. I also am trying to make people that do not live within walking distance can use their car or bus (since I find many people do not use parking decks....).


Just some more of my thoughts!

Isn't there an intermodal bous station, that can hook everything together?

I see that there's some grayed out bonus station on the rail tab, but I'v enever been awarded it. I have plenty of busy mass transit though. Hmmm...

I think that is jsut a larger rail station. I have yet to get it....:(


There was one on the BAT exchange I saw. All in one! :D

I have found the monorail to be useless. I tend to flood my cities with a bus network and a commuter rail system to connect to neighbour cities. As the population rises I than add subways to the busiest routes until eventually every road has a subway line. This usually happens when my cities population is in the 100,000 - 150,000 range. The use of my elevated lines has at best been laclustre.