TOPIC:

People are now known to make stations look like their being used when there not to trick admins into thinking that they are so they can expand to more industries. just recently i reported Shinre for rule breaking but before admin could acknowledge the request he fixed the problem. i have seen multiple accounts of players using the station tactic above to get away with things... it should be * any station slots that are unused should be demolished or something like that to prevent the sneakiness of players getting away with it. just simple message for awareness.

Well, we've already seen some players trying to bend the rules. It's known fact but it's impossible to admins being in all servers at all time. Hope you understand that ^^

When you spot a situation and you consider a server rules violation, call an admin, by placing a sign with "admin" or typing on chat !admin +reason
Admins have real lives and aren't here 24/7. If no admin acknowledge the call, take some screenshots (or a savegame), save the timestamp, upload them here or to a image online service (example imgur.com/). That way admins can take a look and judge, even after the event.

Best I can say and we can do

I hate when players violate the rule by joining non-touching stations into ONE huge station and they gain unfair and unrealistic coverage of area. This has really huge impact in some games... but on the other hand why you cant build a huge station and dont use some slots? If you have 2 farms nearby, you would make 2x7 station there to cover both, even if you "normally" build only 5-long stations.. there is no point in having a 5long main line with a feeder line from the second farm. (that makes sense, right? and it is not violating any rules). So imo, building 6x5 station and using only 3-4 slots is in my head quite similar. But I guess it also depends on the situation... sometimes it is just eyes striking violation and sometimes there is a just a slot waiting for further use.

I just read this and found it related closely to my strategy. When I start a new world (non CB), I build up a network of trains all leading to the one station. (Usually it is coal to a power station.) In order to accomodate my influx of trains to the unloading station, I always build it as a 6-width station right next to the drop-off industry, then when I connect my lines up, I then connect each line up to a different platform, meaning that I have platforms that aren't being used until I build my 6th line. Also, in the early stages when I can't afford to build two trains per line, I build a double-platform at the loading stations but then only put one train on the line. I'd like clarification as to whether either or both of these are against the rules, and whether or not I should rectify the way I do things?

If you play some game where long stations are allowed (14 and more).. you would place a station to service 2-3 industries and then just use a train half that length.. simply coz you dont have the money
I think that is OK. Same as you speak with those unused slots for further use. Sometimes I do that to..
But this is wrong >>

The problem with rules is simple, people will break them, no admin(ST2 Excepted) can be online 24/7. That is your problem. I have never agreed with XL stations but in long term goal servers I concead that there is a need for them. No-one willl ever make each player happy and a condition of playing on our servers is abiding by our rules, where cheats exist they are dealt with, sometimes they take catching, the real issue is proving it.

The example you give above is weird, top one is ok middle and bottom spreading, though i suspect that's not a picture from our server, the top one allowed for trough traffic and was not really spreading. use !Admin "reason" if in doubt