Documentation
Rails and routes
How MTR tracks, route colors, shared corridors, and line styles are rendered.
MTR Map Overlay splits transit rendering into two distinct map layers:
- Tracks: Shows physical TRAIN rails sampled directly from MTR.
- Routes: Draws route-colored lines along those rails.
- Landmarks (stations and platforms) always sit on top of both.
When multiple lines share the same stretch of track, the mod doesn’t just draw one on top of the other. Instead, it bundles them side-by-side into parallel color bands, so you can see every line running through a corridor at a glance. Both layers share the exact same sampled track curve data, keeping routes and rails perfectly aligned. Anything outside your current map view is culled to keep performance smooth.
Toggling layers
You can toggle either layer at any time using the on-screen TRACKS and ROUTES buttons on your map, or with in-game commands:
/mtrmap config trackLines <true|false>/mtrmap config routeLines <true|false>
Both layers work independently — you can show rails without routes, routes without rails, or both together.
Network coverage
- Client-only: If the server doesn’t have MTR Map Overlay, you’ll see tracks and routes in the area loaded around your player.
- Server installed: With the mod on both sides, the client gets full network data across all dimensions. If you ever want to force a fresh download of the network snapshot, run
/mtrmap syncRoutes.
Note: The track renderer currently samples MTR’s TRAIN mode rails. Other transport modes (such as cable cars or boats) don’t generate physical track geometry on the map.
Route styles and curve rendering
Starting in version 1.5.2, different transit types have distinct visual styles:
- Light Rail: Rendered at 70% of standard line width for a sleeker look.
- Standard Rail: Full standard line width.
- High Speed Rail: Same width as standard rail, but styled with alternating route-color and white dashed blocks inside a continuous colored border.
Curves use adaptive subdivision so bends look smooth at any zoom level, while overall bundle widths scale nicely so lines don’t overwhelm the map when zoomed out. Everything renders on a fixed 2D plane (height data is tracked internally, but layers aren’t sorted by 3D elevation or masked under bridges).
In 1.5.3, the Navigation API also lets third-party routing mods highlight specific journey legs while dimming completed or unused tracks (including high-speed dashes and backing rails).