How to build track

All trains in NIMBY Rails must run on track, and stations are constructed from track sections that are designated as platforms.

Tracks menu overview

Tracks menu.

All tools for creating and modifying track are found under the Tracks menu, accessed at the top left (default hotkey: F2). It contains several tools:

Move, delete, and edit tracks (default hotkey M)

Select and edit track with the mouse cursor

Append to tracks or create new ones (default hotkey N)

Create new track with the mouse

Create new track branches (default hotkey B)

Create junctions / switches with the mouse

Split and tape tools

Opens a new submenu with advanced tools

Create stations (default hotkey T)

Create new stations, or add platforms to an existing station

Create new buildings (default hotkey U)

Create buildings, either freestanding or attached to a track

Move, delete, and edit signals (default hotkey K)

Select and edit signals with the mouse

Create new signals (default hotkey L)

Create new signals with the mouse

Most of these tools include additional settings, controlled by buttons displayed at the bottom of the menu, and new menus to the side. The most common additional button is Double track mode (default hotkey J).

Laying track

New track is created with the create track tool (default hotkey N).

Creating an unconnected track section

A newly created track section.

Click once on the map to place the first control point, defining the start of the track section. The other end will follow your mouse until you click a second time to create a second control point, ending the section. While laying, the length of the two halves of the new section will be shown, with the length of the half nearest the mouse highlighted in white.

After creating a section, and with the create track tool still selected, the newly created section will:

• Be shown in blue, indicating it is still in blueprint mode
• Be divided into two halves, with the midpoint shown by a small grey bar
• Have two connection points at either end, corresponding to the unconnected control points.
• Show the track's speed limit in km/h, inside small white circles
• Have the length of the two halves shown in m

(Some of this information will not be visible when zoomed out)

Extending with a new track section

Two track sections, forming a curve. The track type normally allows 160km/h, but the curve is limited to 70km/h.

An invalid track section, which has too tight a curve. This track cannot be built.

To extend the track with a new section, click on one of the two connection points. This will start laying a new section like before, but will now create a curve to connect the existing section to the new section being laid. While laying track, the curve radius will be shown as well as the track length, as well as an indicative circle - the curve will smoothly transition from straight track to a curve.

If the curve is too tight for the speed limit of the track, the speed limit will be reduced. Track types also have a minimum curve radius, and track that curves below this radius is invalid. Invalid track cannot be built.

To force the new section to be straight, hold down the Ctrl key.

To keep laying new track sections after finishing one section, hold down the Shift key.

Modifying track

Track that has been laid can be edited in the edit tracks tool. You can:

• Click and drag blueprinted track control points to move them
• Select control points by clicking on them
• Delete selected control points (default hotkey Delete)
• Modify the track type and various other properties
• Move the midpoint of a track section (indicated by a small grey bar), changing how curves behave, and where track types change

It is possible to select both blueprinted (unbuilt) and built track control points. However, only a few changes can be made to built track. It is possible to convert built track back to blueprints with the Insert hotkey - note that you will not be refunded the original build cost when doing this, and you will pay for the construction a second time when building!

Multiple control points can be selected at once. You can click and drag to draw a box around multiple control points at once, or shift-click to add control points to the current selection.

Changing track levels and types

Menus for selecting track levels (top) and track types (bottom).

Ground level track cannot be built across streams or roads at shallow angles.

Tracks pass over/under tracks at different levels, but intersect tracks at the same level.

Tunnel, ground, and viaduct tracks. Note that track types change at mid points.

Most of the track editing tools enable the track level and track type menus, which are displayed to the right of the tool buttons. These menus work together, and apply to newly created track, or modify selected track.

Track level menu

Track can be laid at ground level, above ground on viaducts, or below ground in tunnels. Tracks on different levels will pass over/under each other.

The Ground option lays track at ground level. This is the cheapest option, but has some limitations:

• Track cannot be laid across rivers, lakes, or seas
• Roads cannot be crossed diagonally (stations and some track types - e.g. the default tram track type - ignore this restriction)
• Streams cannot be crossed diagonally (stations ignore this restriction)

Viaducts are built with the +1, +2, and +3 options. The +2 option builds taller viaducts that can pass over tracks on the +1 level, and the +3 level is even higher. Two tracks that are built at the same level will intersect.

Tunnels are built and behave similarly, with the -1, -2, and -3 level.

The special Unlimited Height and Unlimited Depth (+∞ and -∞) levels create tracks that never intersect, not even with tracks on the same level.

Track levels are defined at each track control point, and always change at the midpoint between two control points.

When laying new track with the create track tool, you can place the first control point at one level, and then select a different level before placing the second control point. When connecting new track to existing control points, the track level of the existing point is never changed.

In the edit tracks tool, track levels can be changed for blueprinted track, and midpoints can be moved to change where track types change.

Track type menu

The track type menu consists of two sections:

• A favourites hotbar with 9 track types and level combinations, selected by the hotkeys 1-9
• The all tracks menu, allowing you to specify any track type, and redefine favourites

Track types behave very similarly to track levels.

The all tracks menu is hidden by default, and can be toggled by clicking the button. When open, you can select a track type from the list on the left, and a track level from the menu above. The track type will apply to new tracks being created, or to selected tracks being modified.

The combination of the track type and level selected can be saved to the favourites hotbar by selecting a slot in dropdown menu, replacing any existing favourite in the selected slot. If the combination is already favourited, the existing slot will become empty.

Additional track types can be added using mods, available in the Steam Workshop.