How do I Retain Cargo in a Consist?

[Canada]

I have this  situation - I have three corn farms along one line and would like to pick up two cars at each until I have a total of six, without selling off any of the corn at the second and the third stations.

In RRT II I would set station flags to "yellow" and ensure that the consist at the second station was four cars while that at the third station was six cars.

How do the same thing in RRT 3?

Thanks in advance.

[belbincolne]

You can't. In fact as the price at farm2 is unlikely to be higher than at 1 you may never pick anything up. You can try by setting only 2 cars on corn at farm1 4 at farm2 and 6 at farm3 but you'll be very lucky if it works. Best way (if you can't afford 3 cheap trains) iis to run the train with a minimum consist of 2 (max 8 if you like) F1 - destination - F2 - destn - F3 - destn.

[Canada]

Thanks for the help.  I just wanted to clarify your last suggestion ( min 2, max 8 ).

Am I correct in saying that the two cars from farm one will be sold at far two if I do this.  Please understand that I am not criticizing in any way and I really appreciate you generosity in contributing - I just was wondering, because this what would happen in RRT II if no yellow flag was set.

Thanks again.

[belbincolne]

The way it works is if F1 selling price is $5 and F2 $6 and F3 $7 with station wanting produce paying $10. Then F1 sells to F2 who sells to F3 who sells it all to Stn.  But this rarely if ever happens - all 3 F are likely to be $5 in which case F1 wont load because it doesn't know Stn will pay $10.  If it does happen then loads are on and off all the time which is why (if the distances are not too great) its just as quick to go F1-Stn-F2-Stn etc.

In early days I nearly always run trains this way if the trains are costing (say $100,000) a lot because there isn't normally much cargo and you can afford to run one train and have 3 stations and do pretty well - one reason AI's go bust is that they practically always start with 2 stations and 2 trains and run empty most of the time on a 0/4 consist.

[Canada]

Thanks a lot. I have begun to use your suggestions with little inexpensive shay's as the locos.

Really appreciate it!