Rail Usage

[Mehring]

Rail usage along the yellow double track from Smela to 1 hex NW of Aleksandriya is 5416.
Aleksandriya is 5367.
The next two hexes are 5279
Usage in Pyatikhatki is back to 5416
Moving south from Pyatikhatki to Krivio Rog, usage is
4836
2415
4804
2402
10833
Usage from Znamenka to Krivoi Rog is
8549
9057
9219
4526
4788
8501
4237
10833
How can you account for the sometimes drastic fluctuations of rail usage from hex to contiguous hex?
The usage in the hex SE of Dolinskaya, for example, is around two times that of the rail hexes on either side, but the traffic could have come from nowhere else.

In another instance east of Velikie Luki I cannot evidence, rail repair began and extended from a rail hex adjacent to, but not connected to another. Rail usage subsequently registered in a number of repaired rail hexes not connected to the grid.

[carlkay58]

There is a random effect put into the rail usage calculation in each hex. I am not sure of its swing, but every unit that draws supply can draw it up to four times (based on its supply priority level) each using the rail capacity so even a small random number could be a large difference in the long run.

[Mehring]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

There is a random effect put into the rail usage calculation in each hex. I am not sure of its swing, but every unit that draws supply can draw it up to four times (based on its supply priority level) each using the rail capacity so even a small random number could be a large difference in the long run.

Any idea as to the rationale behind that?

[Joel Billings]

Not only is there a random element in each hex each turn (IIRC having to do with how much usage is reduced), partisan attacks impact individual hexes by adding usage. I can't tell you why Gary added randomness to each hex, but it was something he added during development of the system.

[carlkay58]

I have ridden trains before. There is always something that can come up and change the efficiency of the train and track. So the random element reflects that. Or so I would think.

[Mehring]

ORIGINAL: carlkay58

I have ridden trains before. There is always something that can come up and change the efficiency of the train and track. So the random element reflects that. Or so I would think.

True. I suggest an explanation in the manual though.

Is there any explanation for rail usage in unconnected repaired rail?