runabout?

[dstelley]

I have no idea what it would be called, but a circle track allowing a train to turn around...

I've always had a problem with them and I don't know why.

Here's what I have now;

I laid out the track in one direction (1.25 miles long), in the direction I'd like all traffic to follow. I use direction markers placed to prevent AI from going the wrong way on a one way track. I use Searchlight 04/05's to give freedom and green lights. I have the junctions set to send trainz in the way I want. I have markers set (in1, in2, in3...) to give the dumbest AI driver the ability to not screw it up.

he does.


In fact he stops and refuses to go. He insists the he MUST go the wrong way. ALL Trains, ALL loco's, ALL drivers. They ALL do it.
The only way I've gotten it to work flawlessly is with the path command and autodrive. It prevents AI from being so damned stubborn. If I take control and drive the train past the Searchlight 06 and into the junction and release control he will finish, but just wont go on his own..

What might I be doing wrong?

 

[cascaderailroad]

A loop always confuses AI, it needs several signals, and fake junctions in the loop, in order to fool AI ... best to take over control of your train by manual control in problematic areas ... AI will drive you batty ... as they are as dim-witted as pigeons following a trail of breadcrumbs (you need to place many trackmarkers, and "drive via", or "drive to", these trackmarkers).

On real RR's there is no such animule' as AI

 

[JCitron]

I've had good luck with loops such as this for turning trolley cars. I put in some direction markers at the entrance and exit to prevent the AI from going any other way in addition to signals, which I signal using the normal methods with an 06 facing the split, followed by 05s until it reaches the exit where I put in an 04.

John

 

[martinvk]

Since the AI does a look ahead to calculate its path, if it can see its own tail around the loop, you have to do something to prevent that. A simple loop has to be broken into several logical sections that are long enough so that the longest consist can not occupy more than two sections at one time. IIRC, the AI look ahead two signal blocks so at no time can any part of the consist still be in one of them. Of course the simplest loop is by using double track, one outbound, one inbound but with a bit of work, a single track loop is possible.

 

[ffccnn]

I don't use circles to turn trainz around, just the normal quarter circle methods as shown in this movie.