Drive Via Trackmark not working

[Mick_Berg]

I have a problem, here's a crude diagram; the vertical thing is a three-way junction. (I had to put white dots in to preserve the formatting for the diagram. Ignore them if you see them, the tracks are shown by dashes.)

................................/-------------------------TM1--------------
PORTAL---------------l-----------------TM2--------------------
................................\-----------TM3----------------------

The portal randomly emits three different trains, each has a driver, and their commands are to "drive via TM1" (Trackmark) for train1, "drive via TM2" for train2, etc. It seems so simple, but it doesn't work. Anyone have an idea why the trains coming out of the portal will not go onto their designated tracks? They all go in the default direction of the junction, which never changes.
I'm using TC3, no signals.
Thanks,
Mick Berg.

 

[Dermmy]

Is the junction at least a couple of train lengths from the portal? If the rear of the train is still being 'spawned' when loco reaches the junction then the default direction is the ONLY direction anything is going. Exactly how far is 'safe' is something I have never been able to work out exactly - rule of thumb is 'leave plenty'....

Andy

 

[Mick_Berg]

Is the junction at least a couple of train lengths from the portal? If the rear of the train is still being 'spawned' when loco reaches the junction then the default direction is the ONLY direction anything is going. Exactly how far is 'safe' is something I have never been able to work out exactly - rule of thumb is 'leave plenty'....

Andy

I thought I'd left plenty of distance, but I'll give it some more.
Thanks,
Mick Berg.

 

[lewisner]

NO signals? In that case isn't the AI seeing the lines as being unsignalled and leaving the points in the Normal position and using the one available line?

 

[Mick_Berg]

NO signals? In that case isn't the AI seeing the lines as being unsignalled and leaving the points in the Normal position and using the one available line?

Sorry, inaccurate wording on my part. This is part of a route which is signalled. I just meant that I didn't put any signals in this area. I will try adding a three-arm signal with feathers.
But to be honest, I've often found that one way to make something work in TC3 is to get rid of the signals......
BTW Lewisner, did you ever get your elevator tower built?
Thanks,
Mick Berg.

 

[lewisner]

Cheers Mick! No the Lift Tower is academic at the moment because a couple of weeks ago I used Driver Detective to try and update the Drivers on my 2 year old PC and it messed it up.When I bought the PC I kept my old one as a backup (I am using it now) but it has insufficient RAM and Graphics to run TC3, so till my other PC is repaired I am virtuallt Trainzless (TRS2009 Beta runs on this PC but CMP will not open).

 

[Mick_Berg]

NO signals? In that case isn't the AI seeing the lines as being unsignalled and leaving the points in the Normal position and using the one available line?

It's strange that you never know what is going to work in Trainz. On this occasion Lewisner's diagnosis was absolutely correct and adding signals made everything work just fine!
Thanks,
Mick Berg.