Rail traffic is backed up trying to leave my city. Is there anything I can do?

Solution 1:

I've found the best way to prevent this happening is to:

• Keep cargo and passenger train lines separate
• Don't connect your passenger train lines to the external world connections

The first really just enables the second (because you do want your cargo lines connected to the world, so they'll have to be separate). The second prevents trains coming in from outside brining in tourists - of which you seem to get way too many that go on to clog everything up.

If you want to still get visitors coming in by train from the outside world, then connect the world train line to a station next to a transport hub of some kind, let the tourists transfer onto you local line, metro, buses, etc.

In terms of rail network construction, avoid compact rail track t-junctions; three trains can deadlock in this situation (which unsurprisingly causes all manner of problems). Ideally the links should be at least a train length apart.