0.17 lets you build massive mall-fed construction/supply trains the moment you research rail.
There's two steps.
1. Low-tech Mall
It's modular and organized by technology level, so you can start building it the moment you research circuit networks.
Everything is brought out to one side for convenient pickup. Once you research locomotives, it's time to trainsition to the next stage.
2. Rail Construction Loader
Blueprints can include complex train schedules and wagons with detailed filters, so you only have to build something like this once:
Then you add whatever filters a particular supply train needs, copy the schedule from an existing one of the same length, and send it off.
You also want to order the mall to keep some materials in stock - send negative counts to the red wire, assemblers will keep inserting until chest contents match them.
The supply stacker has inaccessible stations. Drop down an enabled station with the same name, and a waiting train will go to it.
Eventually you'll research the logistic network. At that point you can move to a simple loader and a common bot-mall.
Changelog
- v0.0.2 simplify rail blueprints, mall is now separate from rail loader
- v0.0.1 deadlock fixes, splitting out loader & train stations
- v0.0.0 initial prototype