Cool things you can do with crossings

A

Approach_Medium

Trainz Addict
Hi;
I live in the USA, where too many automobile drivers disobey the crossing signals and get whacked by a train.
To that end, some crossings have been upgraded to "quad" or "quadrant" gates, where there are two sets of gates (4 gates total), so that the entire roadway is closed by the gates, not just half of it as most crossings.
The gates on the "wrong" side of the road close after a delay, to allow anyone still crossing the track to exit the crossing safely.

Trying to re-create this scenario in Trainz (TS2010_SP3, but it really doesn't matter what version) is somewhat tricky.

I have done it using a second set of gates designed for the left side of the road. BNSF50 makes all of the crossing protection I use, and I am using the ATLS traffic system for all crossings.

What I have done is add another "circuit" for the delayed gates, keeping it on the same channel as the main gates, but adding a second slave, connecting it to the delayed gates, and setting this slave to delay the start. This gives the desired effect, but with one problem. The lights don't start flashing on the delayed gates until after the delay. Right now, there does not appear to be a way around this, but I am looking at BNSF50's script to see if I can add anything to allow a delay to close the gates after the lights start flashing. If I can do this, then you don't need the second slave and its delay.

Another small problem is that the second set of gates is totally out of sync with the main set; the bells don't ring the same, and the lights don't flash at the same time (although the rate may be the same).
I have eliminated the bell problem by silencing the .wav file for the bell on the delayed set of gates. This is easy to do with any sound editing software.

I'm going to try uploading a short video to YouTube when I am finished, so anyone interested can get my idea.

If anyone has knowledge of C++ and/or Game Script, maybe you can figure out a way to modify the script file to accept a delay for the gates to close.

FW
 
I'm hoping to release some fixed UK crossings which will do what you suggest soon.

ie - When a train hits an ATLS trigger the yellow light will light up and an audible warble will sound. After 4 seconds, flashing red lights start. After another 3 seconds the upstraem barriers close and once they have closed the downstream barriers close.

You will need to start the sequence about 25 seconds before the train arrives.

It may be possible to change the UK barriers and lights for US ones as they will be on attachments.

Watch this space!

Boat :)
 
boat said:
I'm hoping to release some fixed UK crossings which will do what you suggest soon.

ie - When a train hits an ATLS trigger the yellow light will light up and an audible warble will sound. After 4 seconds, flashing red lights start. After another 3 seconds the upstraem barriers close and once they have closed the downstream barriers close.

You will need to start the sequence about 25 seconds before the train arrives.

It may be possible to change the UK barriers and lights for US ones as they will be on attachments.

Watch this space!

Boat :)
Click to expand...
Thanks Boat;
I really love your ATLS system. I was wondering what might happen if I tried to use the phases for crossing instead of LCM, but I guess that won't work with the triggers.

I am going to try modifying the BNSF scripts. I think I can do it that way, since there is already a delay in turning off the lights after the gates go up. It is set by the "delay" variable in the config file. So, if I can find the call using the delay variable in the script, I may be able to add another method to cause a delay with the gates lowering after the lights are activated.

There actually is a really odd way that I can get what I want without mods;
I can place a set of lights only in front of the gated crossing, so that they line up exactly. This is possible with the BNSF50 crossings.
Then, connect the second set of gated crossings to the second ATLS slave, set its delay to 5 seconds, and connect the primary lights/gates to the primary slave with no delay.

So, when the system is activated by a train, the main set of gates/lights activate, and also the secondary lights only.
Then, after the delay of the second slave, the secondary gates close.

problem is, then the lights associated with the second set of gates turn on, and it looks really strange. I may be able to shut off the lights though;
If there were a set of gates only, that would work too.

It's a lot of fun to mess around with these things, and learning script code, I can fool with the scripts until I break something. Always have a backup:)

FW
 
boat said:
I'm hoping to release some fixed UK crossings which will do what you suggest soon.

ie - When a train hits an ATLS trigger the yellow light will light up and an audible warble will sound. After 4 seconds, flashing red lights start. After another 3 seconds the upstraem barriers close and once they have closed the downstream barriers close.



Boat :)
Click to expand...

Isn't this what happens with the adrian19 assets that are compatable with your ATLS system? It certainly works for me although I appreciate that the UK barriers wouldn't be prototypical though I'm pretty sure adrian19 did US versions too.
 
pfx said:
Isn't this what happens with the adrian19 assets that are compatable with your ATLS system? It certainly works for me although I appreciate that the UK barriers wouldn't be prototypical though I'm pretty sure adrian19 did US versions too.
Click to expand...
I like that. I'm going to look at the script file and see if I can adopt it to the BNSF50 crossings to create a similar delay option.

FW
 
pfx said:
Isn't this what happens with the adrian19 assets that are compatable with your ATLS system? It certainly works for me although I appreciate that the UK barriers wouldn't be prototypical though I'm pretty sure adrian19 did US versions too.
Click to expand...


Hi pfx...

Yes, I think you can do that with Adrian's free standing barriers.... though I'm not sure what happens with the lights.

The 'separate asset' idea is great and makes for flexibility but I just thought a quick and easy 'plonk it down' fixed ATLS crossing would be useful too.

My new crossings will therefore be fixed ATLS only assets. They will have a cut down and built-in ATLS Controller and ATLS Slave, so all you need to do is set a Channel and add Triggers and Traffic Stoppers. Since they are ATLS you won't need to cut-over invisible track either. Just connect it to the crossing. They won't activate without ATLS though!
I suppose I'd better do a version for people who drive on the wrong side of the road too! (Remember - Left is right and Right is wrong! :hehe: )

I may look at a cut down LCM only ATLS Controller for separate assets after I've finished the crossings.

Boat
 
That's good news indeed Boat.

The current method I use of individually placed assets is very realistic for the crossing elements but the let down is the actual road part as it is very scuttery to get it right and doesn't look prototypical. A good UK crossing base (with or without lights and barriers) is something that is much needed.

Here's where someone tells me there's been one on the DLS for ages!!! :confused:
 
Does anyone know if there are "stand alone" crossing gates (no lights) for the US?
The UK one works perfectly, but doesn't look so good at a US crossing.

I tried to modify the script code of the BNSF50 crossing, but as it turns out, that script only controls the lights. The gates are controlled in the .kin file.

I'm still looking at a method, using the soup or the message handler to get my "wrong side" lights to come on at the same time the primary ones do, with the gate coming down after the delay I set in the ATLS slave.
I would also like to have all my lights flashing synchronously, and I think that as long as they are started at the same time, they will do that.

Learning the code as I go:)

FW
 
fwassner said:
problem is, then the lights associated with the second set of gates turn on, and it looks really strange. I may be able to shut off the lights though;
If there were a set of gates only, that would work too.
FW
Click to expand...

There is a way to shut off the lights. Replace the corona texture-kuid with <kuid2:39134:101128:2> for each of the light instances. That's a null corona so there won't be any light even though they are still working.
 
bnsf50 said:
There is a way to shut off the lights. Replace the corona texture-kuid with <kuid2:39134:101128:2> for each of the light instances. That's a null corona so there won't be any light even though they are still working.
Click to expand...
I like my modified script method better:) It's much more fun.
I'll PM you with the details.

FW
 
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