How growth works

Towns progress through 18 levels, from Small Hamlet to Large Metropolis. Passenger and cargo deliveries award raw growth experience when they reach their final town destination. The applied result is influenced by the town’s ratings and other conditions.

Growth appears as new or expanded buildings when utilization, land value and accessibility support it. Public transport and cargo supply contribute, but no single delivery guarantees an immediate level increase.

Read the three districts

Residential districts contain homes and are sensitive to noise. Commercial districts provide shopping and demand end products. Industrial districts provide jobs and also demand cargo. Use the land-use view to see which area a stop or delivery point actually serves.

A station near a town name is not necessarily useful to all three districts. Build local connections that link homes with jobs and shopping, and place cargo delivery where the demanding district falls inside catchment.

Supply ratings

The supplies rating combines passenger and cargo performance. The official manual notes that passenger line usage of 50 percent gives the maximum passenger supplies rating. Cargo supplies reflect how well district demands are met.

Towns begin with one commercial and one industrial cargo demand. Additional demands appear as the town reaches higher levels:

  • Level 5: second commercial demand.
  • Level 7: second industrial demand.
  • Level 9: third commercial demand.
  • Level 11: third industrial demand.

Plan for the network to change. A route that fully served a small town may cover only part of the needs of a larger city.

Growth audit

  1. Open the town window and read current progress.
  2. Compare passenger and cargo supply ratings.
  3. Check which district or demand is weakest.
  4. Inspect accessibility and land-use coverage.
  5. Find noise or traffic problems near residential areas.
  6. Improve the weakest constraint rather than adding random service.

Avoid self-created limits

Fast growth can produce traffic and station congestion. Protect space for road upgrades, additional platforms and feeder stops. Keep noisy freight corridors away from residential districts when practical. A town that grows around one overloaded intersection can become more expensive to repair later.

Measure the result

After adding a service, watch the relevant rating and actual line use. If the rating does not change, verify that the delivery reaches its final destination and that the route serves the intended district. More vehicles do not help when the existing service has spare capacity or incomplete access.