AI train not going around a small loop

[lodger]

Hi all
My loop at the end of a line has correct switching, signals and trackmarks. A train will manually drive around the loop but in AI I get the message that there is no path set to the selected destination (ie a trackmark halfway around the loop). Any advice please - I read somewhere in a forum that A1 trains need the track laid in the direction of travel? The mini map shows a small break in the line, but none physically, as a manual train goes over it!
Thanks to anyone who responds....
John

 

[Lewiscc65]

It is preferred that the track be placed in the direction of travel but it is not a definite. As far as the loop is concerned try placing two or three track marks and have the AI travel via them.

 

[cascaderailroad]

I always lay track in the intended dirrection of travel (but I hear that is a myth, and makes no diference). The subject of loops has been discussed many times (I still don't undrstand it, though). There are many ways to fool AI (with invisatrack fake junctions, and with trackmarkers, and direction markers ... etc ...).

Have you tried "drive to" and "drive via" a named trackmark ?

 

[colourlight]

I agree with Lewis. What you call a loop I call a turning circle as a loop to me means something entirely different. In any event it is a section of circlular track at the end of a route which turns the train around and sends it back in the opposite direction. I found that using just the one track marker in the turniing circle does not work very well as the train passes it then tends to reverse direction. Ok, so it is returning the way it came but that isn,t quite how I intended,lol. You need two track markers one about a quarter of the way around and one about three quarters of the way round which should do the trick. I also use the yellow directional track markers as insurance but on their own they don,t work all that well.

 

[Dermmy]

Track 'direction' makes no difference!

The loop thing - the AI looks two junctions ahead. If the loop only has one junction here's what happens:

AI train approaches the junction which forms the loop and throws the lever to enter to the right. AI looks for next junction, tries to throw it left to exit the loop, but can't because it's the SAME JUNCTION as the AI has already 'locked' right.

The fix is to put at least one (two is better) extra junctions in the loop. Use invisible track and invisible levers if unnecessary track looks silly. If you have my Clovis routes you can see hoe the dodge is set up on the loop track at the ballast loader....

Andy

 

[cascaderailroad]

Ahhh ... The old fake invisatrack junction trick ... I thought so !

I saw a tutorial on fake invisatrack junctions, somewhere, but it was hard to fathom.

 

[Kennilworth]

Hi Andy

I too used to think that track direction didn't matter but I found one situation where it does make a difference.

I often put a number of long return storage loops at the end of the line to store and then return consists to the layout. Each loop is split into 3 sections by signals so that it can store three trains. The first train had almost stopped in the third section as the second train entered the first section. After the first train stopped, the signal controlling the exit from the first section of the loop suddenly changed to red from yellow and wouldn't allow the second train into the empty second section. Hovering the mouse pointer over the signal produced a message that there was an oncoming train approaching on the same track. After trying everything else that I could think of I finally resorted to putting trackmarks on each section of track in the loop to test its direction and found that one section was laid the "wrong way". After I relaid it the "right way" everything worked as it should.

Regards

Brian

 

[Euphod]

Nice tip Andy, thanks for not holding out on us.

 

[lodger]

Hi all
Thanks for all the advice! The additional trackmarks in the 'turning circle' did not work, but the invisible junctions and invisible track did! Thank you Andy, in particular.
Happy Trainzing everyone
John

 

[stagecoach]

The best way for a loop is to place a direction marker and a TM towards the end of the loop. Make sure the junction is set for the exit route of the train and the train when in the loop will clear the junctions radius and release it. In all cases of trains going back is because the train looks for the next target which it can only see behind it because thats how the junction is set. The direction marker makes sure the train enters the loop the correct way.

 

[ray_whiley]

Surely the direction in which track is laid affects the placing of signals, signs and other trackside objects which are normally placed 'correctly' for what the track interprets as the direction of travel? They are then on the wrong side, facing the wrong direction. Of course, it is a simple matter to rotate them to the correct side.

Ray

 

[netting2010]

Hi all
My loop at the end of a line has correct switching, signals and trackmarks. A train will manually drive around the loop but in AI I get the message that there is no path set to the selected destination (ie a trackmark halfway around the loop). Any advice please - I read somewhere in a forum that A1 trains need the track laid in the direction of travel? The mini map shows a small break in the line, but none physically, as a manual train goes over it!
Thanks to anyone who responds....

John

John
If all else fails suggest replacing the loop with a small portal set to return trains after 1 minute. setting can be adapted to load etc if required.

Shane Graham

 

[airtime]

The best way for a loop is to place a direction marker and a TM towards the end of the loop. Make sure the junction is set for the exit route of the train and the train when in the loop will clear the junctions radius and release it. In all cases of trains going back is because the train looks for the next target which it can only see behind it because thats how the junction is set. The direction marker makes sure the train enters the loop the correct way.

I have to agree with stagecoach above,

I have had this issue in the past with a downloaded route from the DLS, it was mean't to be Australian, however, it looked so good, I used it for a British layout, but the the track direction was causing me a headache, as I would get the message... "There is no path set to the selected destination".

So instead of ripping up all the track, I just placed Yellow Track Direction Markers, in the direction of travel, were I wanted the trains to go, and after completely covering the route with Yellow Track Direction Markers, I have never had any problems since, and all trains go to the destinations without any messages being displayed.

Hope the above helps

Joe Airtime