Transport Fever 3 Guides, Mods & Vehicles | TF3 Field Guide

FIELD NOTES / START HERE
Thirteen illustrated guides explain the steps, operating decisions, and checks behind a working network—from the first bus to production chains, vehicles, and mods.
Build stations → earn money → get a town working. Then explore cargo, railways, vehicle selection, mods, and planning tools.
Three practical questions to start with
Separate a Steam branch change from save-file compatibility. Back up userdata, retain older saves, distinguish mod failures and recover campaign unlock state carefully.
Read line frequency, rate, station delays and warehouse stocks, then use cargo, passenger and traffic layers to investigate the right part of your network.
Find TF3 save files in userdata for Steam, GOG and Epic on desktop. Separate save_maps, .sav data and thumbnails, then back up before trying a copy-back.
Open the TF3 map editor, import PNG heightmaps, generate towns and roads, then save or share a map. Includes editor limits and the documented Mod Hub workflow.
Level a TF3 building site with the Flatten tool. Learn how starting height sets the plane, why occupied ground stays put, and when to use Smooth instead.
Use the TF3 bulldozer, remove station modules safely, avoid deleting road stops with streets, and understand overbuilding, the eraser and terrain restoration.
What the missing electric tracks message checks in Transport Fever 3, how to add catenary to track, station modules and tram station entrances, and what to verify before buying the fleet.
Troubleshoot TF3 startup crashes with official file verification, settings reset and shader cache guidance. Back up userdata and preserve crash logs first.
How Transport Fever 3 traffic lights work with the Crossing tool, what the phase window shows, when a light makes a junction worse, and how to remove one safely.
How TF3 cargo specialization works: the four families, the loading speed percentage, platform length, terminal assignment and how to test one cargo stop.
How TF3 subsidy contracts work: the four types and their completion tests, what failure costs, the two settings that change the terms, and the mission 6 star thresholds.
Build TF3 bridges and tunnels that keep their speed limit and still let ships pass: height offset, fixed incline, model speeds, Underground Mode and the layers that verify the result.
Why a TF3 factory closes even with inputs arriving, what counts as activity, how the 730-day warning works, and which gameplay settings control industry spawning and density.
Set line priority in the TF3 line manager, test it with two trains, and recognize the deadlocks that priority cannot fix. Includes a repeatable check and common mistakes.
Diagnose why workers never reach an industry in TF3: demand, stop coverage, passenger line setup, transfers, frequency and walking distance. Includes a minimal test.
Every TF3 map setting explained from the official manual: sizes and ratios, seed reproduction, terrain, town and industry density, start year, and the settings.lua experimental flag.
Desert Adventure is TF3 campaign mission 3 in Wadi Rum. Complete the excavations, recover the remains, and keep trucks alive for the three-star result.
Compare cargo transfers, town management, fleet controls and mod requirements before choosing Transport Fever 3 or keeping your TF2 setup.
Diagnose a TF3 train or vehicle with no path by checking depot access, consecutive stops, terminal choices and one-way signals in a controlled order.
Use a repeatable paused-versus-running test to investigate TF3 low FPS, graphics load and late-game slowdown before changing hardware or deleting a save.
Trace late TF3 cargo through loading, travel, transfers and final delivery, then compare one targeted change without confusing income with town growth.
Check TF3 vehicle condition and maintenance coverage before rerouting or replacing a fleet, then compare recovery with the full cost of the change.
Compare TF3 Standard, Deluxe and the separate Deluxe Upgrade, check the extras you actually want, and calculate the difference using your storefront prices.
Install TF3 mods through Mod Hub or an author package, activate them for your world, resolve dependencies, and check that the content actually works.
Diagnose TF3 mod failures by checking activation, dependencies, duplicate packages, save compatibility and logs before reinstalling or removing content.
Find an installed TF3 mod by checking world activation, content type, vehicle availability, manual package structure and duplicate mod identifiers.
Troubleshoot failed TF3 mod downloads with sign-in, service, storage and folder checks, and separate connection errors from crashes when opening Mod Hub.
Find the TF3 manual mod folder for Steam, GOG and Epic on Windows, macOS and Linux, and distinguish userdata from Mod Hub downloads and staging files.
Check TF3 mod compatibility across game versions, TF2 ports, dependency revisions, desktop and console support, duplicate IDs and existing saves.
A practical first-hour route through map choice, station construction, your first bus and cargo services, operating costs, and a town that can use them.
Build a passenger stop, cargo station, or railway station from the construction menu, connect its access, assign a line, and extend it when demand grows.
Build a modest bus or cargo business, diagnose expensive empty runs, compare operating periods, and manage loans without confusing cash with profit.
Connect commuting, shopping, deliveries, and intercity travel, then diagnose supply gaps, traffic delays, noise, and the weakest town rating.
Plan a useful passenger trip, place stops, connect a depot, assign buses, inspect boarding, and decide whether the next fix is coverage or capacity.
Work backward from demand, inspect production inputs and output stocks, choose compatible vehicles, configure pickup, and validate every stage of a cargo chain.
Locate the first failed stage: production, pickup, unloading, storage, or onward delivery. Diagnose empty vehicles, partia