does it matter which way you lay track

SPARTRANS

New member
hi there guys ive been building this route, and i have laid out all my track, just in some small siding lines i did lay the single track back to a point against the way the trains will run on it. i placed an engine and consist on the track and it shows up facing the wrong way. if i move it before the junction where i split the line it turns to the right direction. nowi have placed direction markers etc. also track priority markers but to no avail im wanting to place my train in this spot as it works with the session im making (my first session)
 
So you want the train to face a certain way? If so then place the consist you would like,then go into the consist tab,then click the rotate button that will rotate the whole train in a different direction.To change the heading, click on the button that has the red and white arrow going in a circle.
 
just a thought

just a thought-

did you try changing the trains direction? In the tab where you make a consist, there is a button on the side or bottom that has 2 arrows (just like when you rotate a buiding or trackside object) did you click that?

The head end loco should have a GREEN arrow above it.
hope it helps

Happy Trainzin'
Mike S.
 
Hi,

Both Gandalf0444 and CSX5220 are correct in that it's simply a matter of rotating the heading of the locomotive if you want it to go in the other direction. As far as I know though, if you start to make a more complex route, it's a better idea to lay out your track in a certain way so that the AI wont get as confused when it comes to signalling and direction...I am forgetting the website for it but I think if you typed in "track layout tutorial" into google, you'd find the site I mention. I'm in the process of building a route from scratch and will be consulting that often as I am hoping to have a route where my trains actually will go where I tell them to without being stupid! :D

Just a thought...good luck!


Gisa ^^
 
You should always lay the track in the right direction , especially at complex junctions.For one thing when you install track-attached objects such as signals if the track is in the wrong direction they"ll be on the wrong side so you"ll have to change them , thus you make more work for yourself.For another (as you"ve found out) if you place rolling stock on the track it"ll also be the wrong way round , so again more work.As other people have said , it causes the AI problems - this is difficult to prove but borne out by experience...:'(
 
What do people mean by "correct"?

If it means you lay the track in the same direction as the train is meant to travel, then what is the "correct" way for a section of single track where trains travel in both directions?

To me, this issue never made any sense and I take no notice which way I lay tracks. They always work and if the initial orientation of the train or signal is not what I want, it's one click to change it.
 
Hi,

As said above, you should always lay track in the direction of travel, so if you are laying a double track line then work in one direction for the first track then you can use track guides to get the right space between tracks for the second. Turn around and lay track along side of the first one using the guides as references so you can follow the track correctly.

When it comes to a single track, try to lay the entire line in the same direction from start to finish, even the passing loops, yards and everything else that needs doing. The only thing with this is that when it comes time to place signals and maybe some levers/switches, you will have to 'rotate' them to the other side of the track. This is also the case for locomotives and rolling stock, when you place them they will have to be 'rotated' or 'changed' direction.

Hope this helps and makes sense... :)
 
Mabye we should start calling the AI the AS, for "Artificial Stupidity".:hehe: Something I came up with a while back and just wanted to share....
 
Track-laying direction

Experience appears to show that laying track consistently in the same direction achieves a better result, and is less confusing to Alistair. However, it is not always possible. Laying 3rd rail electrified track, the side on which the conductor rail appears is determined by the direction in which the track is laid. Changing sides is on occasion important, especially at junctions and, of course, in stations where the live rail must be on the side away from the platform.

Of course, there may be some trick which enables you to determine the side on which the conductor rail is laid without changing the direction of tracklaying. If anyone knows of such a solution, I would be very interested to hear of it.

TIA

Peter
 
What About Multi Track Stations?

I just realized something...

What if you are making a multi track station? I'm construction a 20 track station :cool: and just realized that the direction of tracklaying might cause a problem. Should I just lay half going outbound (say, on the left side) and the other half going inbound (on the right)? My station will be a through-way station so I guess this approach might work. :eek:

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that in real life, trains heading inbound don't stay on one general side. Mind you, I haven't been to many large stations in my life time...it's just a small thing, but yeah...what are your thoughts guys? :)

@ Dinorius - track direction shouldn't matter if you are always manually driving a train and say, it's a single track operation. However, if you are running more than one track and/or more than one train (and hence giving the AS :D some orders) tracks should be laid properly so the AI doesn't get confused and gets to where it has to go. ;)

@ worthless - who made the 3'rd rail track? Maybe you could search for a *flipped* version of it. I would have a hard time believing that someone would take the time to make that would not consider the implications of not reversing it.

Gisa ^^
 
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Thanks, omber, I just learned a ton about my route. Just spent a couple hours straighting it all out and it WORKS, now.:clap:
 
cheers guys thanks, i used the brittish triple line, the doubles are for my passenger runs and the single line my industry service line im also running a passenger rail motor service on this line as well this is to cart so called workers to and from industry sites to main stations to connect with the main passenger express`s so far i got the docks , oil refinery, oil fields, grain silos, flour mill (gee thats a shock introduction to configuring industry ) also general goods long platform (lol and i thought the flour mill was a mission to configure) now just getting the goods train to stop there, the bugger it stopps just before it to load ( i think alistair is on the green stuff) also beer shop, barley factory. ohh the container depot as well. oh heres a quick screenie of my new route

Screen_006.jpg
 
I just realized something...

What if you are making a multi track station? I'm construction a 20 track station :cool: and just realized that the direction of tracklaying might cause a problem. Should I just lay half going outbound (say, on the left side) and the other half going inbound (on the right)? My station will be a through-way station so I guess this approach might work. :eek:

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that in real life, trains heading inbound don't stay on one general side. Mind you, I haven't been to many large stations in my life time...it's just a small thing, but yeah...what are your thoughts guys? :)

The thing about stations is that when telling the AI to go there, you also have to chose platform, so the problem of the AI choosing a different path isn't there, since the train will just wait until the platform clears. (I don't know if it will actually try to run around and then back into the station once the track clears? Referring to the tutorial link posted earlier, containing a page about AI paths).
 
I just realized something...

What if you are making a multi track station? I'm construction a 20 track station :cool: and just realized that the direction of tracklaying might cause a problem. Should I just lay half going outbound (say, on the left side) and the other half going inbound (on the right)? My station will be a through-way station so I guess this approach might work. :eek:

I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that in real life, trains heading inbound don't stay on one general side. Mind you, I haven't been to many large stations in my life time...it's just a small thing, but yeah...what are your thoughts guys? :)

@ Dinorius - track direction shouldn't matter if you are always manually driving a train and say, it's a single track operation. However, if you are running more than one track and/or more than one train (and hence giving the AS :D some orders) tracks should be laid properly so the AI doesn't get confused and gets to where it has to go. ;)

@ worthless - who made the 3'rd rail track? Maybe you could search for a *flipped* version of it. I would have a hard time believing that someone would take the time to make that would not consider the implications of not reversing it.

Gisa ^^
That is correct, when a train gets to a terminus it willl go to any of the first avalible tracks that are specified for that route/company. It could on the opposite side of the station so they will just have to go over lots of swithes to get there. If it was on the right side then would simplay pull in unload/load, and then cross over tho the right side so they can head back to whjere they came from etc.
 
Thanks guys! Yeah, that makes sense to me. I hope the *AS* wont try to go through the wrong platform, past the switches and then try to head backwards towards the correct platform, although if I am making a through terminal (I might make it a partial terminus, but I'm not sure yet) I'm sure that track markers might be able to prevent that problem for the most part (most of my trains in that sense would pull in, stop and then reverse).

I doubt I'll have 20 trains pulling into the platform all at once, but switching tracks would be an issue if there were several leaving at a similar time. I guess I have the *preventative maintance* mindset at the moment. :eek: :cool:

Thanks again guys! :wave:
 
If you decide the not make it a terminus station in any way (not even a shunting area, forcing trains to back out of the station to get there), then strict one-way through platforms are definately the best way to go, to make Alistair happy.
 
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