Tip #1 Don't neglect the tumble weeds.
Collect them as soon as you see them. Span around the map to find them. Inside is free stuff to help you build like money!
Tip #2 Use a grid system to form town blocks.
Try starting from the Station and create an 8x16 squares sized rectangle around it with roads to create your first town block.
Continue to make a grid out from this when you add more roads.
I haven't done the math but I have found this configuration works best for me when it comes connectivity. It allows for Housing to be swapped out for Services and vice versa in a growing town.
Tip #3 Don't be fooled by the spread of a wooded area.
Some wooded areas look large but density is low. And you can only place a few Foresters in the area.
Look for denser clusters of trees. This allows you to pack in more Foresters next to each other and keep 100% fertility.
This is important because logs and boards are easy to stockpile and can be used at the Station to trade for things you need or cannot make yet.
Tip #4 Establish different districts.
If you've set up a grid in your city it will be easier to create districts. You can keep areas separated by clustering related building into industrial zones, neighborhoods, and services within the blocks you've created.
I suggest picking the block with the Station as your first industrial zone because this acts like your first Warehouse. Place Resource refinery buildings like the Lumbermill here. Move your Housing and Services to the opposite blocks. This will be your dividing line, one half for industrial and the other half for neighborhoods and services.
Place Houses in neighborhood blocks of their own with Service blocks between them.
Tip #5 Don't be stingy with Warehouses.
When Warehouses become available, place them close to large clusters of Resource refinery buildings for more delivery access. Plus put them near buildings like the Forester that may be farther away from town.
Tip #6 Upgrade roads as soon as you can.
Better roads means faster deliveries and improved range of buildings. You start with dirt roads as seen in the images for Tip #2 then progress to paved as seen in the other tips. Finally comes maglev seen below.
