RHW Interchange Guide - Moved To A New Home! (See the Child Board Above)

[gooper1]

Section 1.5: Compact Left Exit/Entrance Diamond Interchange with acceleration lanes

Here is a tutorial of a left-exit/entrance diamond utilizing FLUPs (though overpasses could be used also) and the RHW-6C>RHW-4 transition with center ramps. This allows for  (in fact it must have) an accel/decel lane (unlike the existing Left-exit/Entrance Diamond tutorial), and is also more compact than the existing tut.

Put down 2 FLUPs underground road ramps like this (1 tile apart):


Put down 2 more road ramps 1 tile away from the gap between the ramps placed earlier. It should look like this:


Put down a "RHW-6C>RHW-4 Transition with Center Ramps" puzzle piece (this is found with the MIS-ramps menu, not with the other transitions) as close as you can to the ramps you put down in the first step. Then drag your RHW-4's across the gap. When that's finished, it should look like the bottom picture.



Put down a 4-way FLUP junction in the gap between the two on/off ramps. I used a 4-way junction under a pedmall. Then, put two "Straight underground route under RHW-4" pieces (make sure the lines line up) in the remaining gaps between the 4-way junction and the ramps for the intersecting road to finish your interchange. A closeup of the finished interchange:

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[apeguy]

Excellent Tuturials here guys, I have already built a few diamonds and t-bones in my cities and completely replaced my maxis highways after I saw this thread. Also, I beleive I may have a new kind of cloverleaf, although it is probably better suited for lower capacities:



I can't think of a name for it, I guess it should be a simplified compact clover or something. It could be made smaller if you got rid of the accel/decel lanes or just made them shorter.

[Haljackey]

Nice job with your guide gooper1! It's been added to the list. I would recommend making future interchanges on level terrain from now on though.


apeguy: That is probably the largest cloverleaf I have ever seen. It's so big the weaving problem associated with cloverleafs has been avoided. Nice work!

[gooper1]

I can't think of a name for it, I guess it should be a simplified compact clover or something. It could be made smaller if you got rid of the accel/decel lanes or just made them shorter.

Compact?
Like Haljackey said, that is huge. For higher capacity, replace it with a cloverstack (see Section 11.1 above)-it will take up just as much land as your cloverleaf, at most.
Good job anyways. 

[Death50]

Good guides fellows.

Now it's time for mine, as I show you how to make a Hybrid Stack (name subject to change)

Step one, place the RHW-6C Piece and drag it out.

Do not forget to delete the starter piece. Now place the bridges, make sure to leave a one tile gap away from the freeway.

Add the elevated ramp parts, keeping one space away from the freeway again.

Drag the bridge across the freeway, then add the freeway ramps. Leaving one space away from the bridge.

Drag the ramps under the bridges. Sometimes you'll get a glitch peice. Don't worry about it, we'll take care of that in the next step.

First, add the ramps going up from the ramps we just dragged under the bridge. Make sure they're off the starters. Then add the Flex Flys (FF) from the elevated ramps. You should have something that looks like the above picture.



Drag from the starter piece to go under the bridge, and extend some to the right.

Place a "S" curve piece next to the FF, just make sure it's not to close or you'll have to tear it all apart.

Add the ramp.

And add the ramp connecting to the piece you dragged under the bridge.

Fill in the gap between the ramps and the FF with a "Filler Piece."

Fill in the gaps between the FF's by draging them together, or add a "Filer Piece."

If done correctly, you should have something that looks like this right now.


Place a starter piece inside the FF loop.

Drag from the starter piece like this. Don't worry about it transforming, drag far enough and it will change.

Add the ramp piece and drag to it.

Drag the elevated ramp from the FF over the newly draged ramp.

Then place a downward ramp piece (off starter) and add a smooth curve piece.

Then drag from the curve piece to the highway and add the 2 to 3 ramp piece.

Then go back to the otherside of the starter piece and drag it under the FF. Then add the RHW-4 Wide Ramp.

Now you should have something like this.

Almost done! Drag from this ramp.

Add a smooth curve piece.

Then the 3 to 2 ramp piece to connect it, and this should be the end result. Now lean up the left over construction pieces.

Finished!!


Here it is with some simple add-ons as well as trees.


Sorry for taking up so many post, but it seemed after I reach a point while typing in this box, it would glitch bouncing up and down making it impossible for me to type any more.  Hope you find my guide useful! I can also add about 5 more steps on to how to convert it to a very high capcity interchange for top and bottem and still be almost just as compact.


EDIT by Andreas: Postings merged

[gooper1]

That interchange would be called a cloverstack (or a clover-turbine). Nice tutorial, though you can combine the two ramps in the bottom picture into an RHW-4 and merge it with the RHW-6S...It would make your interchange a bit more efficient.

[Death50]

That interchange would be called a cloverstack (or a clover-turbine). Nice tutorial, though you can combine the two ramps in the bottom picture into an RHW-4 and merge it with the RHW-6S...It would make your interchange a bit more efficient.

Thank you, glad you liked it. Also, it's interesting you mention that... see this desgin was ment for the purpose of most traffic going thru and under the the freeway while the other route is more of an "expressway" with few cars, but simple edits can infact make them both high capcity interchanges. I'll post some pictures of that soon.

[Haljackey]

Now it's time for mine, as I show you how to make a Hybrid Stack (name subject to change)

Nice job death! Your section number will be 11.2. Try to leave some space between your text and images as well so it's easier to follow along.

Now we just need a name for your creation. I'm thinking Standard Clover-Turbine Interchange but I am open to suggestions!

I might get a moderator to stitch your posts together. That way it will be easier to link your guide to the table of contents. In addition double (in this case triple) posts are generally frowned upon.

Anyways great work! I've added some more diagrams to the sticky post as well. Check them out, and if you want to make a guide for them, send me a PM.

[JBSimio]

Sorry for taking up so many post, but it seemed after I reach a point while typing in this box, it would glitch bouncing up and down making it impossible for me to type any more.

I would have to guess that you're using the latest version of Internet Explorer.  Simply click on the "compatibilty view" button at the top of your screen and it should solve your problem.   

Oh yeah... nice interchange! 

JB

[GDO29Anagram]

Now it's time for mine, as I show you how to make a Hybrid Stack (name subject to change)

Now we just need a name for your creation. I'm thinking Standard Clover-Turbine Interchange but I am open to suggestions!

Really? I was thinking of "Two-Level Cloverfold Stack," due to the clover-folding. I managed to replicate that design recently (But with FA stuff and more ramps and WRCs, and a lot of eyecandy), and it... Works.

I also came up with a Diverging Stack Interchange... That's for the SUYI (Show Us Your Interchanges) Thread later on...

[Death50]

I was wondering what was causing my computer to bounce like that. Thanks for the tip JBS! And glad you liked it, thank you.

Thank you Hal, what an honnor, that my desgin will be looked at by others for use! Yes, I only posted so much from the bouncing problem, but now it's fixed thanks to JBS I think that problem will be solved. I took a crack at another interchange. Tell me what you think. I'm currently working on another.

[MandelSoft]

@Haljackey: I have to agree with GDO29Anagram, that's not a Clover-turbine, because one of the main features of the cloverturbine is that the turbine ramps are completely outside of the clover ramps, as shown in the diagram on top of your tutorial

I also have a interchange design where I like to show a tutorial about: a high-capacity clover-windmill:


And I also want to try to make a tutorial about this: a full turbine interchange:


Best,
Maarten

[gooper1]

I took a crack at another interchange. Tell me what you think. I'm currently working on another.

Nice job, I would think that would be a "diverging directional T" interchange (though IRL, I don't know if any exist). However, it is not free-flowing (due to the traffic light on the Diverging Diamond piece) and therefore has a relatively low capacity.

If you replace the diverging diamond piece with a bridge crossover, you would have a good, high-capacity interchange.

[Haljackey]

Andreas: Thanks for stitching Death50's guide together!

Death50: Funny, I made a junction like that not long ago:
-It's a 3-way DDI. Problem is some of the tuning lanes in the DDI avenue piece are pointless, unless you want to make a U-turn!


GDO29Anagram: Name changed! Thanks for the help!

mrtnrln: The clover-turbine looks good! Can you resize your second picture? It's stretching some monitors running lower resolutions.

[apeguy]

Section 4.4: Simple Elongated Cloverleaf Interchange.

Okay, this tutorial will be showing you how to build a somewhat unique kind of cloverleaf interchange, and probably the biggest type out of the examples shown here, as you can fit an entire maxis cloverleaf inside one of the leaves. Although this junction, like all clovers, is free-flowing and is full access from all directions, this is relatively low-capacity due to the unique design of the slip roads. So this would probably suit a rural area, where two low-capacity highways meet and need full access in all directions, and space isn't an issue.

So, let's build this thing. Start off by dragging two highways across each other. I've used RHW-4 because it's the easiest to work with. In this example I have use EL-RHW4 for the overpass because you can build the slip lanes closer together than if you used hole digging lots to create a smooth, gentle slope. Although it's less realistic, this time we're going for simplicity.




The next step is to build 8 RHW4 style B ramps, as shown in the image below. It is best to build them all the same distance from where the two highways cross, in this case, 10 tiles.




Next you need to extend the MIS ramps out from the ramps. Make sure that you extend all the ramps out the same distance. Here you can see that I have dragged the MIS until there is four tiles between it and the highway. This is the bare minimum. You will see why later on.




Next, place an RHW2 Splitter style A at the end of every MIS ramp, With the RHW2 end at a right angle to the main highway. Next drag the other part of the splitter ramp up to the highway and then turn 90 degrees. Now you can see why you had to extend the diagonal MIS out at least four tiles from the highway. This makes sure that there is enough room for the other MIS to make that 90-degree turn. Any smaller and it wouldn't create that smooth 90-degree turn.




This should be your finished result. Now you can see its design is starting to differ from that of a standard cloverleaf.




Next you just need to add some RHW4 style A ramps to connect the remaining MIS ramps up. You're nearly finished now.




The final step is to just drag some standard RHW2 between the splitter ramps and you're done! You have a fully functional Simple Elongated Cloverleaf!




You can easily customize your clover, for example adding smoother curves to the slip lanes, or even adding accel/decel lanes, but this will require you to increase the overall size of the interchange, if it wasn't already big enough as it is. As mentioned before, this suits a more rural setting due to its low capacity, and as far as I know, no real-life versions of this clover exists. If someone can find one, that would be interesting to see.

[MandelSoft]

Section Twelve: Turbine Interchanges

Turbine diagram from Wikimedia Commons:


Turbine interchange in Tampa, USA.


Turbine interchanges are large high-speed and high capacity RHWxRHW interchanges. They take up lots of space and cost a lot of money, but are still cheaper than stack interchanges. This is one of the most efficient interchanges that exist. So let's recreate one in SC4.



Section 12.1: Standard Turbine Interchange.

1. Here's our location for our interchange, where two RHWs meet. I left the middle intentionally blank.


2. Next we make some helper stretches of RHW. These helpers are in-line with one stretch of the RHW and will be demolished later, but they can help with getting the dimensions right.


3. Next we lay 1x1 road stubs of 12 tiles long at either side of the helper stretch. Note that these tiles are in-line with the other RHW.


4. Now use a hole digger to make a tunnel entrance slope. Place these hole diggers one tile away from the 1x1 stubs.


5. Now place a A-wide or a FARHW-ramp at the flat section before the tunnel entrance.


6. Demolish a 2x1 area of the stubs and lay some RHW there. Connect the MIS ramp with a B-style RHW-4 ramp.


7. Now place a RHW-4 Smooth Outer curve. Don't worry about the stubs now...


8. ... because we demolish the curve right afterwards, leaving the stubs.


9. Drag out the RHW-4 from the stubs (re-drag the curve if it doesn't work immediately)...


10. ... and place the Smooth Curve again.


11. Connect the RHW-4 Ramp with the main RHW.


12. Repeat Step 4 to 11 at the opposite side of the interchange.


13. Demolish a 2x2 section of the stubs and drag a stretch of RHW on tile away from the other RHW-4 ramp. If it's right, you'll now have an area of 2x9 tiles of road stubs.


14. Demolish the helper RHW-stretch and replace it by stubs like this. It will mark an area of 20x20 tiles.


15. Place RHW stretches at each end.


16. Connect the other two main stretches of the main RHWs to the turbine.


17.


18.


19. Connect the inner stretch of RHW from one quarter with the outer RHW stretch of another quarter. Make sure the curve radius is just large enough to place smooth curves.


20.


21. Use hole diggers to make some OWR-tunnels. MAKE SURE NO ROAD TILES SURROUND THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE! Otherwise they will be demolished and can't be build on these locations again.


22. Connect the RHW with the tunnels.


23. Repeat step 19 to 22 a few times and connect the RHW ends from the other ends of the OWR tunnel to the main RHW. As you can see, this interchange barely fits in a small city tile, giving you the idea how large this interchange is.


24. Now we lower the center like this with hole diggers.


25. For one of the RHWs we make an overpass. You can do this by sinking one of the RHWs even further or when it can't be done (in this case, because I would be building under sea level) raise one of the RHWs like this.


26. We create an onslope RHW overpass.


27. Drag out the stretches of RHW from the overpass and drag a RHW-4 underneath it:


28. The following step can be tricky and doesn't always work out that well. Connect the RHWs in the middle to the main RHWs on the outside with Avenue tunnels. Now here's the tricky part: the OWR-tunnels might disappear. When this happens, flatten the tunnel entrance ramps for these tunnels and repeat step 19 to 23. This happened to me when I was making this guide. Anyway, the end result looks like this:


That will do for this interchange.

Best,
Maarten

[JoeST]

for the inner crossover, would it not be better for the lower road to go even lower, rather than a roller-coaster-ride for the upper road?

[jdenm8]

25. For one of the RHWs we make an overpass. You can do this by sinking one of the RHWs even further or when it can't be done (in this case, because I would be building under sea level) raise one of the RHWs like this.

[Terring7]

I tried to build a Volleyball Interchange



Please gimme some time to make a tutorial and solve this problem...

[MandelSoft]

Looks great, Elias, although I would make a few changes:
- I would use OWR FLUPs instead of overpasses.
- I also would use a ERHW-4 overpass instead of an avenue overpass.
- Just for a finishing touch I would use FARHW-4 ramps instead of MIS-ramps.

And have you send a PM to Haljackey? He likes to be informed before you post it in this topic, you know