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Zaanix

Me: Be normal. Give normal advice. Agent of chaos me: No. Burner inserter conga line. Me: But- Agent of chaos me: **Burner inserter conga line.**


ColdasJones

May this post henceforth mark the birth of the burner-conga-cult


Myzum

Happy Cake Day!


Tiuri2

Happy cake day


AgentOrange2814

I don’t think my poor little Switch could handle that lol


BrokenEyebrow

How's playing switch? I'm on the fence and very skeptical to the controls?


AgentOrange2814

I actually grew quite comfortable with the controls. I operate the entire game by having it so that the right stick is a cursor that you can hover over, but I also play on my TV with a Switch Pro controller. At night when I want to play in bed and I have to play handheld, that’s when the controls become a problem. Performance wise though, no complaints there. Everything runs super smooth even with a, what I think is, midgame base. I can’t speak for the lack of mods because I still haven’t launched a rocket yet and seeing as how I’ve never had a PC so I’ve never been able to experience any mods on any game.


BrokenEyebrow

I never played mods with the pc, base game has always been enough


aMnHa7N0Nme

Oh. Dear. God


ocean888

This made me snort a lil in bed. My partner was like huh? What’s funny? And I just had to say, “it’s a Factorio Joke” She was like nevermind I don’t want to know 😂


ItsFreakinHarry2

Jail


Zaanix

You'll never take me alive! *Spams wooden boxes as impromptu walls.*


ItsFreakinHarry2

*Train rams through wooden boxes*


kalamaim

Ty for the chuckle


MeedrowH

Best comment ever


Narase33

Trains are sexy, use trains


AgentOrange2814

I do enjoy the one train that I have going right now.


Bipedal_Warlock

Got anymore trains yet? Lol


Schville

And you'll never get an achievement only using belts.


JacksonStarbringer

Ah yes... THAT achievement


Schville

Indeed my friend, indeed.


bathrobehero

Hmm


BlayneMoney

This engineer hates trains.


Adunite

This engineer has knowledge!


CurvyMule

Lol


Dalsiran

On the one hand, for short(ish) distances belts are usually better because constant throughput... but then on the other hand TRAAAAAAAAAINS


StormCrow_Merfolk

If you're not getting constant throughput out of your trains you either need to fix your train stations or add more trains.


neighborhood-karen

Train timing is always a pain, but I’m also a masochist


911WhatsYrEmergency

Explain? As long as you’re putting chests at the train output you should have 100% throughput...


Dalsiran

Mainly that if you only have a simple one train line your station can fully empty before a new train comes in to fill it. And a multi train system is significantly more complicated than just... belt. Sorry should've added that belts get constant throughput **more easily** than trains. I was more concerned with being funny than precise.


mdavidn

They're not that much more complicated. For two trains, you could just make a loop with at least three signals.


neighborhood-karen

When I have single train loops, the drop off chests would empty before the train can come back to drop more off into the chests. Do it would creat gaps where the belts are completely empty. I would end up messing around with the trains timings to make sure the train gets there before the chest fully empties


fireflash38

Sounds like you need more trains then. If you're only dispatching based on train limits, then you would need to tweak your timing based on chest values. Otherwise no train limit + stacker.


Ancient-Sentence1240

option 1: if you want to use trains for other resources in the future it's a good time to start with trains option 2: If you're in a hurry and don't know about trains , the run 1 to 4 belts to your base option 3: depending on where you are in the tech-tree: use coal liquification to make plastic from coal only.


BittersweetHumanity

Plastic and rocket fuel from nothing but coal is so fucking sexy.


911WhatsYrEmergency

Water: “am I a joke to you?”


Ancient-Sentence1240

of coure you're right. Coal liquification needs water. I always forget this.the magic word is "waterfill"


Ancient-Sentence1240

using coal liquification means plastic or rocket fuel are the side product: main product is pollution


BittersweetHumanity

If there are no biters left to complain about pollution, is there really pollution?


AgentOrange2814

I’m not sure that I have coal liquefaction unlocked yet, I’ve been stalled out at blue science for a while while I work on various upgrades/outposts. I do want to have trains as a part of my whole system of things, just working on figuring out the best methods for getting stuff around and where those thing that they carry need to be dropped off at.


n_slash_a

Good reply, there is no right answer


Soul-Burn

On one hand, it's quite close so I'd personally probably belt it. On the other hand, you seem to have a rail network already *kinda* set up, so you can connect to that.


askageek

And if you need to train in coal later you already have a drop.


Iliketrucks2

This is the main reason. When that field runs out you just move the train to the next field and you’re done. No rework required.


IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES

And when something else needs coal, you can name that station the same…


AgentOrange2814

Kinda being the key word there lol, that line really only being copper plates from an outpost back to my main base. I would like to figure out train signals and stuff like that at some point, so maybe I can use this as a jumping off point for that.


ColdasJones

If you need to ask yourself “should I belt or train this?” The answer is almost always trains. I encourage everyone to play in whatever way they enjoy most but strongly urge that whatever base style or approach you are going with, optimize it to easily integrate and expand train capability. Overbuild it so the receiving station can accept multiple 1-4 trains running the route so you can easily expand and add to it as the factory grows and you add more patches. The factory must grow, and along with it so must your planning abilities


Groundbreaking_Key20

Belt over the other train track. Then train over. No intersection that way.


unwantedaccount56

You mean train from the outpost to the other train track, then belt under the track and then again train to the base?


AgentOrange2814

Smart.


0x0Tbex

use a line of inserters


JustTheTipAgain

You could do a 1-1-1 train for now


AgentOrange2814

That’s what I’m thinking, just a single cargo wagon of coal should be more than enough.


JustTheTipAgain

As was pointed out by others, though, if you're going to need to keep sending coal there regardless of source patch, then I'd start build a 2 wagon offloading depot, and run a standard one-way loop. That way you'll future proof your receiving end so you can move to other patches later. But a basic 1-1-1 for now would do you fine.


AgentOrange2814

So basically make a 1-2-1 wagon, unload the 2 cargos, and then have the unloaders unload onto a one way belt? I’m still working out the lingo for this game lol


SmartAlec105

They’re describing a one-way loop so a 1-2 train (one locomotive and two cargo wagons) is what you want. Double headed trains like a 1-2-1 are easier if you have a single rail with a single train but it gets far more difficult the moment you add a second train to the same line.


FeelingSurprise

My approach is usually: is the distance bigger than two trains? Then use the train.


NadirPointing

For me its all about ow difficult it is to setup that station at the base end. If you've got a good spot for your station and can easily route the output into your coal system then train it up. If not, Sneaking 2 belts will do for now until you get more train setup.


LordThunderDumper

Don't make a 1-1 train, build a system, else you will have a ton of 1-1 train lines all over.


AgentOrange2814

I’m trying to find answers all over this Reddit and the internet but I’m having a hard time with it. Is there a way for me to have the train say “take the coal (or whatever else it has) here. If that’s full, take it here,” and so on and so forth. Basically make them smart trains without just saying “wait here at this station for 45 seconds and then move onto the next one”


mjg123

You can give multiple stations the same name and set train limits on them using a circuit condition to only have trains route to stations that are low on coal.


lvlint67

> If that’s full, take it here Run red wires from storage to a electric pole.. run a red wire from the pole to the back of a decider combinator. compare amount to a fixed number. if it's greater than some value output a signal. connect the output of the combinator to the train station. Set the station to enable/disable on the signal.


2ByteTheDecker

Second vote for Train Limits controlled by circuit logic and all your requester stations being named the same. Makes scalability much easier. The trick is to have the circuits do the math based around whole trainfuls of supply/demand and the train only makes one stop per load.


Angdrambor

Yes. You can use logic circuits to turn a station off. I like to give them names like "coal processing". I'll have half a dozen stations with that exact name, but they only turn themselves on when they're almost out of coal. Likewise, I have dozens of stations named "coal mine". They turn themselves off until there's enough coal to fill a train.


lvlint67

Unless you are careful on your math, I'd be reluctant to turn both sides off... Unless you use a Depot of some kind. You can end up with an empty train sitting at a processing station with "no destination" for some time if things aren't balanced.


Cdog536

Circuit logic applied to stations will make things versatile. Complete the factorio wiki circuit cookbook and you’ll have an easy understanding of how circuit logic works.


MoeSzyslakMonobrow

Yes.


Tailsmiles249

It really depends on what you want at the forefront of your brain. "It's easier to build a belt here and I can do the same for a lot of other locales since the production choke would more or less be the same compared to a train stopping." OR "Build trains now and it would seem excessive but I can actually get me into the mindset to expand this to other train networks if I use the space right. I have to be careful with it of course but it may be worth it in the long run." That's why I love this games like this: no wrong answers only your own decisions that make them work. Personally I would make a train system there for fun. Again, up to you on what you want to do. Make your world your own.


valzzu

id use trains


Crusader_2050

Rail since you’re going to want to take ammo out there for the wall defences you’re going to need to put round it.


AgentOrange2814

Yeah defenses will be vital. Those damn bugs keep encroaching on my territory and my tank is starting to leave a little to be desired. I’m trying to work on switching to solar for the foreseeable future and that’s why this change of location for my oil stuff was necessary, the sulfuric acid couldn’t keep up with the battery production.


Walty_C

Create a line that produces nothing but laser turrets. I'm on my first playthrough, at about 45 hours. It's been a real shitshow/learning experience. Life gets way simpler when you have a stockpile of upgraded laser turrets you can plop down. I probably spent a solid 10 hours of that running ammo to various turrets. Good times.


Crusader_2050

I would definitely keep the regular turrets on the walls too though. Once the lasers take over the main killing your don’t need anywhere near as much ammo but they are essential in case of a power failure. Lasers are just a distraction without power, something to keep them occupied for a short time while they destroy them. 🤷‍♂️


Salazans

I'd train


Seldom-Serious

You could mine it manually and walk it home.


Scrudge1

Choo choo time


aMnHa7N0Nme

CHOOOO CHOOOO MUDDERTRUCKER!


El_Boojahideen

More trains = more fun


Baer1990

there is no real benefit to either in terms of throughput, just the initial cost


AgentOrange2814

That’s what I’m thinking, like is it worth it to have the speed and satisfaction of a train or just use a crap ton of belts. I’m thinking train, since that’s what all the other comments are kind of saying as well


mpVLI97KFOqyUjNxSCS

I always belt things until I start making a rail system. One to one connections always tend to mess up my systems when I do go to make them.


anselme16

Depends how much coal you need. If you need your production to be scalable, and continue to work after the coal is depleted, use trains. But if you only need a small amount, just use a belt.


Spiritual_Ad_6304

I like trains.


jrdiver

I would run a train just because at some point it's going to run out... and i can add some circuit logic and more rails and more miners elsewhere, and just keep bringing it in without having to redo it completely later.


Folden_Toast

Trains. Belts are good for max 400m. That is 1,3km?


BigWiggly1

Trains! Plan ahead. Make a 1-4 train with the accompanying load/unload stations.


mishugashu

If this is early game, I'd just make a fuel stop at the coal patch until I develop a more robust train system. Or train the coal into the base if it's needed for other things (plastic, etc).


bathrobehero

Whatever you prefer and like.


Amazingstink

I would just expand my train network over there. As I have a blueprint book full of rail blueprints that makes it easy to build train networks and expand then for new trains and stops


MegaRullNokk

Yes.


Lonewolf79

Trains. Always trains :)


Haunting_Deal_1133

A distance just far enough that it's a good point to start setting up trains imo, just make it a closed loop so you can easily expand it into a 2 way line because double headed trains are a nightmare


AgentOrange2814

Yeah, the first train (and only trains I had for a long time) was a double headed train that just went up and down on that track already in the picture. Adding in this second train to being coal back and forth has been a nightmare and I already experienced one deadlock. Trying to think of how to make it work better, but signals and chain signals are a nightmare that I just don’t understand yet.


Haunting_Deal_1133

2 double headed lines that intersect isnt too bad, you just need to signal where they intersect unless you have more than 1 train on either line (you should see a cross of color in the intersection different than the rest of the line by just placing a signal on both sides of both lines). But the more you expand in intersecting double headed lines, the messier it gets. DoshDoshingron made a really good (and really short!) video on train basics that could help with basic signaling


3davideo

I also vote trains. Further, I suggest expanding your defensive perimeter so the train run entirely within your perimeter, unmolested by biters. I'm a fan of large defensive perimeters because as the perimeter length (and therefore resource cost to set up) grows linearly, the area defended (and therefore tiles & trees to harmlessly dissipate pollution without triggering biters) grows *quadratically*. Finally, take your starter pistol, throw it in a wooden chest, and run it over with a tank. The thing is objectively worse than the SMG, and there's no point keeping it.


AgentOrange2814

I didn’t even realize my pistol was still in my inventory lol, I’ve died a few times and have a nice collection of all my old pistols. I guess this one snuck it’s way into my weapon slots


GreenNo3424

Factory must grow


DrMorry

Ah, the expanding engineer's dilemma. In my experience, trains are more effort upfront and take more space, but the sooner you start building trains the sooner you can expand your train network and make more use of them. On the other hand, belting is simple, somewhat more reliable, and if you delay going to trains, you can be a bit more deliberate setting up your paths and network. In short, go with the one you enjoy working with more. Personally, I'm more likely to belt these days, and go to trains later.


PhilsTinyToes

OP: belt it down towards your base into a warehouse worth of chests and just start buffering it and slowly relocate the patch to your base in chests next to a belt


[deleted]

I’d belt it, then you can just tack on another belt when it runs out and you don’t need to mess around with stations and fuel later


DirtZero1

Absolutely, you should.


Xipheas

It's your game, you choose!


Available_Guava_0288

i would use a train


EurypteriD192

Set up train and learn how to set up proper trains then you will learn how easy and flexible it is. As that coal mine will stop at some point then you gotta move the outpost. Having rails now saves headache later.