Grade Crossings and Controlling Traffic

[gb1290]

Every so often, I tinker in surveyor and make small new routes for myself (most never get finished, but I enjoy the process of creating a little "world"). I just downloaded the "Safetran Crossing" pack from Jointed Rail and I am confused about how these are supposed to work. Typically, I use BNSF50's grade crossing that include gates, lights, and places to connect the track and road. The Safetran stuff just seems to be a gate with two spline points. Roads will not connect to these, only track, and then signal is sitting in the middle of the track. I found a youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X1Ll7OUNHA&feature=youtu.be) on how to set up "ATLS" crossings (to be frank, I don't know what ATLS means; Google was not helpful) and I see there is a bit of a process to setting these up. I also saw him opening up a screen I've never seen before and there was some sort of checkered cross he had selected and placed (and an orange checkered bar he called a "stopper"). Needless to say, I got lost.

I am perfectly happy to keep tinkering with what I've got, but my stubborn streak demands that I figure out how to control traffic. So...anyone want to give me the "Trainz Traffic Control and Crossings for Morons" Tutorial? I have Trainz 2012. Also, although I have loved trains since I was a toddler, my technical knowledge of railroad equipment outside of locomotives and rolling stock is limited, so please forgive me if I ask for definitions of certain terms.

EDIT: I kept tinkering after I posted this. I have discovered that the checkered cross thing is a controller of some sort (read the directions, a bit confused about how it works yet) and the orange thing is actually what's used to stop traffic (how, I'm still hazy on). There appears to be some sort of invisible track I need (not sure what it's called) to connect all of these and there's a blue thing called a "slave" that does something important. This is as far as I've gotten.

 

[Kennilworth]

Hi

"Boat", who created this system has a website here http://www.boatztrainz.co.uk/tutorials.html which has the tutorials that you need.

Regards

Brian

 

[boat]

Hi gb1290,

'ATLS' stands for Advanced Traffic Light System.

I originally developed it to control road traffic intersections. I just happened to add facilities to let trams cross the road junction too. Then people found they could use it to control level/grade crossings so trains would activate them with more control.

As more people were using it for that than its original use, I added a ‘Level Crossing Mode’ to make that use easier. The system will look quite complex to begin with but that’s mainly because of all the road traffic complexities. If you’re just using it for level/grade crossings you will only use a small part of it.

Some explanation - The only way you can get cars to stop in Trainz is at a level/grade crossing when a train is coming. ATLS fools Trainz and the crossing into thinking a train is coming when its not.
The orange thing is an invisible level crossing. The blue thing is a controllable invisible train. The invisible track is to connect the invisible train to the invisible crossing. The checkered cross thing is what controls the system and where you tell it what to do.

As Kennilworth says, check out the tutorials and work though them. Then just wait for the eureka moment.

All the best,

Boat

 

[gb1290]

Thank you both! I'll give the tutorials a gander tonight (and probably stay up all night working to get it right).

 

[ecco]

ATLS works really well for grade crossings as well as traffic lights road/street intersections. After the 4th or 5th setup, it becomes pretty easy.

The only problems I've read about concern train switching traffic (moving trains back and forth) near street crossings.

I'd strongly recommend, right from the start, put everything you use for the crossings; triggers, traffic lights/crossings, stopper, etc. into a picklist labeled ATLS. This will make it a lot easier to make any in the future.

Also, you don't need to use AJS Track Eraser for you connections. Any invisible track works fine. I use Track Invisible Red. If you are using YARN Roads, raise the stopper to 0.40 mm. Lastly, if your trains are approaching the crossings at 60mph you need a lot of distance between the trigger and the crossing.


Boat, if you're still around - THANKS for a great product.

 

[stagecoach]

The ATLS Advanced demo will show you lots of ways to use the ATLS assets. It was made to be destroyed by checking out how parts were put together. It shows assets needed and what they look like when placed. click on the properties of each asset to set them up.