I just had a freight consist waiting on a siding for a grain consist to pass and then following it. The grain consist was three #5 signals ahead but the freight was still under the yellow at half speed. Is there a way to shorten the distance between the two consist? I don't mean tailgating but somewhat closer than three signals apart. The signals are not close together. Thanks.
One consist following another
- Thread starter stouthm
- Start date
I thought that was how it was supposed to work, but then I'm no signal expert.
Lead train passes a signal which turns red and will remain red until this lead train passes the next signal, at which point the first signal it passed turns yellow. (Meaning caution driver be prepared to stop at next signal which is now showing a red.)
When the lead train hits the third signal, thereby leaving one clear block between it and the following train the first signal the lead train passed will turn green the second yellow and the third which the lead train has just passed will be red, believe this is prototypical.
To reduce the distance between trains you will need to place signals closer together. On heavy traffic routes this is how it works in real world. There has to be one block completely clear of any traffic, before the preceding signal can show a green.
Given that both consists have the same running speed, the second train is under caution and therefore at half speed, the distance between them will gradually lengthen until the required empty block becomes evident and your second train will then have a green.
However if the lead train has a set speed of 40 KPH and the second a set speed of 100 KPH there will never be a green for that second locomotive, in fact it could easily come up to a red and have to wait.................
And if I got all that wrong then will someone please correct me.
Lead train passes a signal which turns red and will remain red until this lead train passes the next signal, at which point the first signal it passed turns yellow. (Meaning caution driver be prepared to stop at next signal which is now showing a red.)
When the lead train hits the third signal, thereby leaving one clear block between it and the following train the first signal the lead train passed will turn green the second yellow and the third which the lead train has just passed will be red, believe this is prototypical.
To reduce the distance between trains you will need to place signals closer together. On heavy traffic routes this is how it works in real world. There has to be one block completely clear of any traffic, before the preceding signal can show a green.
Given that both consists have the same running speed, the second train is under caution and therefore at half speed, the distance between them will gradually lengthen until the required empty block becomes evident and your second train will then have a green.
However if the lead train has a set speed of 40 KPH and the second a set speed of 100 KPH there will never be a green for that second locomotive, in fact it could easily come up to a red and have to wait.................
And if I got all that wrong then will someone please correct me.
Last edited:
Not all systems have a clear or empty block between trains.
On heavily used sections the signals are, as parryjc mentioned, often closer together but the signals may also show additional states, such a "advance caution", "close-up", etc to reduce the gaps between trains especially when everything has been reduced to a crawl.
The answer to this question will differ between railway systems and between different sections of the same railway system.
On heavily used sections the signals are, as parryjc mentioned, often closer together but the signals may also show additional states, such a "advance caution", "close-up", etc to reduce the gaps between trains especially when everything has been reduced to a crawl.
The answer to this question will differ between railway systems and between different sections of the same railway system.
Hi pware,
The UK has the same, namely a "calling on" signal. But my understanding of that was the train MUST come to a standstill immediately prior to being called on. The old mainline station of Birmingham, Snow Hill, has platforms in excess of 2000 feet with 2 numbers to the platform. Long enough to accommodate a rake of twelve passenger carriages plus a further three rake and more behind that.
These platforms carry a calling on signal., for fairly obvious reasons........
Can we emulate the "calling on" state in Trainz? At the station named above the second train would close up to the tail of the first as near as 2 meters, but I can't figure out how to achieve that in Trainz.
Last edited:
Kennilworth
Active member
Hi
You can get a train to pass a red signal and stop 10 meters from the rear of another train using "SetDCCThrottle" (built-in)and "ApproachToTrain" (DLS) both by "atilabarut". If you know anything about scripting it may be possible to modify the "ApproachToTrain" to get closer to the standing train.
There are two driver commands by "elstoko", "Set Selected Signal State" kuid2:368725:60002:10 and "Set Signal Ahead" kuid2:368725:60003:6 which allow a signal to be set to one of a number of states depending on the scripting for the signal. With the old Auran BR Signals which have calling on lights, one of these commands would cause the calling on lights to light while the main signal stays red.
I've never tried them with semaphore signals though.
I've just cloned and modified the ApproachToTrain command and the second train now stops approx 2 meters from the front train so it is possible to do what you want to do.
Regards
Brian
You can get a train to pass a red signal and stop 10 meters from the rear of another train using "SetDCCThrottle" (built-in)and "ApproachToTrain" (DLS) both by "atilabarut". If you know anything about scripting it may be possible to modify the "ApproachToTrain" to get closer to the standing train.
There are two driver commands by "elstoko", "Set Selected Signal State" kuid2:368725:60002:10 and "Set Signal Ahead" kuid2:368725:60003:6 which allow a signal to be set to one of a number of states depending on the scripting for the signal. With the old Auran BR Signals which have calling on lights, one of these commands would cause the calling on lights to light while the main signal stays red.
I've never tried them with semaphore signals though.
I've just cloned and modified the ApproachToTrain command and the second train now stops approx 2 meters from the front train so it is possible to do what you want to do.
Regards
Brian
Last edited: