Give your route
a clear job.
A practical observation checklist, not an in-game calculator. No production numbers or profitability estimates are assumed.
When a checklist step fails
Tick a step after observing it in your save, not just after building the line. If a check fails, use the matching guide below, change one part of the route, and watch another operating cycle.
| Check | Next guide | What to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| goal | Choose a route’s job | Start with the first-network guide if you have not chosen what the line should carry. |
| source | Check production and demand | Trace the cargo from its source to the industry or town that needs that product. |
| destination | Cargo cannot be unloaded | Check the actual cargo, compatible destination, terminal and pickup filters in that order. |
| transfer | Plan warehouse handoffs | Review the intermediate storage and onward service before increasing the fleet. |
| stops | Choose vehicles and stops | Compare the line’s cargo and capacity needs with the vehicle before adding units. |
| cycle | Inspect road bottlenecks | If traffic is the constraint, inspect the junction and street controls before expanding. |
| compare | Check the money-making plan | Use the observed service and costs to choose the next change; no profit figure is assumed. |
This is an editorial inspection workflow, not a reproduced benchmark or a guarantee that every route is profitable. The individual guides link the official manual sections behind each check.