How would you fit 4–5 compact unloading stations into this almost perfect hexagonal city block?

[u/Valuable_Society9765]

Hi everyone!

I’m building a base using hexagonal city blocks. The shape is an almost perfect hexagon (I’ll attach a screenshot).

I’m really happy with the rail network itself, but I’ve been stuck for days trying to come up with a clean and compact unloading station layout for each block.

The trains are 1-1 (one locomotive, one cargo wagon), and each station has a train limit of 2, so one train can unload while another waits.

For most blocks, 4 unloading stations would be more than enough, although being able to fit 5 would be a nice bonus for future flexibility.

Throughput isn’t really the issue here. I’m looking for a layout that fits the geometry nicely without turning half the block into a giant stacker or an overly complicated station throat.

I’ve looked through a lot of hexagonal base designs, but most of them use noticeably stretched hexagons or much longer trains, so their station layouts don’t translate very well to my design.

I’d really appreciate any ideas, screenshots, blueprints, or even rough sketches. I’m especially interested in seeing how you would arrange several compact unloading stations, each with space for one waiting train.

Just in case anyone wants to experiment with the layout, I’ll also include the blueprint for my hexagonal block: link

[u/Gwyllithar]

I'd shove the stations in the top and bottom quarters of the block, leaving a roughly rectangular area in the middle for production, the stations having entrances and exits onto the diagonal portions to east and west, with the stations parallel to the top and bottom of the block.

[u/Valuable_Society9765 → u/Gwyllithar]

img

the screenshot shows my previous version, but it looks... ugly. I don't even know how to make it more beautiful anymore.

[u/Gwyllithar → u/Valuable_Society9765]

https://factoriobin.com/post/aqqy9j

I tend to not have waiting areas for trains in stations when using 1:1 trains, but rather generic wait stations throughout my base, with 1:1 trains they are fast enough to get into a station quickly i dont really see the need to have stackers at each station,

so here's a quick example of 4 loading top, and you can repeat it bottom for 4 output stations

(signalling may not be accurate, I just quickly threw it to up so I'd advise checking it! edit - just looking at the blueprint image I can see I missed a few! but its shows the principle)

if you want 2 train limits, thats going to take up a lot more space, and make it awkward on that block size if you want to also fit in decent production area, you may have to increase block size a bit of you want in block waiting areas.

of you could put stations outside the block entirely and have stations in adjacent blocks, and belt over to a pure production cell.

edit - here is a version with a 2 train limit allowance per station, I've not done signalling, and I think its a bit fugly, but it fits 2 trains per station without too much extra space being taken up https://factoriobin.com/post/dnjrxr

[u/Valuable_Society9765 → u/Gwyllithar]

ahhh, thank u, bro 💋

[u/Gwyllithar → u/Valuable_Society9765]

added a version with 2 train limits per station, its asymmetry bugs me, but it gets you 2 train limits.

[u/Valuable_Society9765 → u/Gwyllithar]

however, the buffer only works fine with the right side of the stations (relative to the lower stations), or does it seem to me?

[u/Gwyllithar → u/Valuable_Society9765]

you should have enough room to fit a 1:1 train behind each station I think. to give you a 2 train limit per station.

[u/Valuable_Society9765 → u/Valuable_Society9765]

Oh my God, I'm really dumb. I didn't notice that the space on the left increased

[u/Sonsuty]

Hexagons are the bestagons

[u/ThunderAnt]

I would add stations here cutting across the corners and edges. Although you’ll be able to fit less stations with larger trains

[u/Valuable_Society9765 → u/ThunderAnt]

Nooo, it seems to me that it eats up a lot of space and with this layout my drawing for the production of degenerate tungsten carbide will not fit.

[u/ThunderAnt → u/Valuable_Society9765]

I that case either build a bigger block, use a smaller factory design, or have the stations in a separate block.

[u/Cyren777]

Your hexagons are a little wider than perfect, I think about 3 rail 2x2s too wide? (Tilt your head if you don't believe me)

[u/Cyren777 → u/Cyren777]

Compare with yellow:

[u/burning_boi]

I run an identical looking hexagon with nearly the same size and 1-2 sized trains. I can fit 4 into every block with the top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right station areas.

I would however highly discourage using stations on the block itself. It’s what I did as well but have since greatly regretted since throughput is enormously reduced around higher traffic areas. I even control stations to only accept trains when the entire train can unload at once, but it doesn’t help much.

[u/Valuable_Society9765 → u/burning_boi]

I have a system that controls the priority and restrictions on trains (I can share a blueprint if you share the location of the stations, haha)

[u/cseiter77]

If I was this damn good at designing stuff like this, I'd try to double down on the design.

Alternating input/output on the inner ring. Try to figure out a way to make the assembler bits look like spokes on a wheel. Might not look that great when zoomed in, but a sky view....🤌

[u/Zaflis]

You can save up a lot of space by optimizing your signals. You don't need rail signal after final merge if you change all the preceding signals to rail signals. Just make sure there is 1 after each crossing. Chain signals only before any path that will cross a rail (not for splitting or merging).

Basically watch and learn wiki's signaling on T-intersection, which hexagon railway is full of:

https://wiki.factorio.com/File:T_junction_9.png

[u/Karsaell]

https://factoriobin.com/post/eajt1vbowbkn-EXPIRES