Safetran signals in TANE

neilsmith749

Well-known member
I'm sorry if this has been covered already, but I did a quick search and didn't find anything. Anyway, in older versions of Trainz, we were able to edit the properties of signals (the Safetran ones from Norfolksouthern37 in this case) to select the dominant path. This would allow one signal to control multiple junctions effectively. In TANE, this no longer seems possible.

Does anyone know if this is some sort of bug, or something that is the new norm? I'm guessing that however TANE was written, or scripted, or whatever, has affected the ability to edit the properties of signals in the track-objects menu.

Anyway - if anyone has any input, I'd be grateful.
 
I remember that also and I think it might be a bug that's preventing us from doing that.

Justin Cornell would be the one to know that. Perhaps ask over in the JR forum. :)

Happy New Year!

John
 
Yes, it is a bug that is supposed to be fixed with SP1. Justinroth did some Safetran Darth Vaders using my script which are on the DLS. They should do what you need and already have the workaround applied. They don't currently have approach lighting, but may be easier to use and should be highly prototypical. Both of us have recent threads in the Freeware section.

If you prefer the NS37 ones, wait for SP1. I believe NS37 ones do have approach lighting and work with the current HUD, if you're using that.
 
Yes, it is a bug that is supposed to be fixed with SP1. Justinroth did some Safetran Darth Vaders using my script which are on the DLS. They should do what you need and already have the workaround applied. They don't currently have approach lighting, but may be easier to use and should be highly prototypical. Both of us have recent threads in the Freeware section.

If you prefer the NS37 ones, wait for SP1. I believe NS37 ones do have approach lighting and work with the current HUD, if you're using that.

Thanks for the response and confirmation. I think your signals are great! I have them all, and the others as well. The problem I was having with them is with respect to showing the proper display when there is another switch before the one that is diverging. It's hard to describe, but let me try. I'm on a double main line, and there is a track merging in front of me. Beyond that is a crossover. In the past, I'd put a #6 type of signal before the merging track, and set the path so straight through both switches would show "clear". If the merging track was aligned, it would show "stop", and if I was clear through the merging track, but the crossover was engaged, it would show some sort of "limited approach". I'm sure it's probably "operator error" on my part, but I haven't been able to get the signals to do that. The only way I've found to make it "kind of" happen is to have a second signal in between the merging track, and the crossover - then it works fine. But then I'd have 2 signals right close to each other, which I don't think looks very accurate.

Anyway, thanks for all your great efforts! It's much appreciated by myself and the community as a whole!
:)
 
I've been working all day on a very similar layout to neil's:

Speed%20Signals%20Example.gif
(image from page 88 of Railroad Signaling by Brian Solomon)

I can get the "approach medium" to display using rrsignal's SL3(i) signals, but cannot seem to get the "approach slow" to appear. It seems to always like the "approach medium" instead. rrsignal, is that what you mean by "don't currently have approach lighting"?

Thanks.

Andrew
 
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"Approach Lit" is a term referring to older signal systems that would only light up when a train was occupying their block (or sometimes a block ahead). It was a system devised in the early days of signals when power to remote locations was rare so they ran on batteries, so unless needed the lamps would remain off to save power, instead of sitting on red or green all the time.

Something to consider is that, as I understand, the Trainz signal logic is NORAC based (despite being based in Australia?) so certain aspects don't "exist" in the system, such as some that are only used by other signal systems like Seaboard, GCOR, or CROR. The Seaboard signal system (currently being re-implemented by CSX as they prepare for Positive Train Control implementation) has, for example, Advance Approach, Medium Approach Slow, and Medium Approach, which differ from their NORAC counterparts used by most other railroads in the Northeast US.
 
You're welcome.

Does this look like what you're trying to signal?

24033162321_c7a79f1462_c.jpg



You'd use Advanced Mode with a signal set to type Interlocking. Basic Mode is only for simple interlockings with no intervening switches. You'd pick R48 to configure first and set the first route for a speed of Normal, and use 282N as the Dist. setting. You'd set the second route to Limited (assuming you want that speed and your switches are rated for it) and use 281N as the following for that route. If you were on track 2 heading left-to-right going straight on the main, you'd get a Clear on R48; Limited Clear if diverging onto Track 1.

R46, the End-of-Siding signal protecting the merging route, could be configured similarly, but neither route would be Normal (straight), since Normal/straight is not possible on a merging track.

Approach Limited/Medium would usually only show on a distant (automatic) signal. Some signalling systems allow it to show on an interlocking signal if it's at a back-to-back interlocking and there is another interlocking signal before the next one, assuming the switches are set such that there is a diverging route followed by another diverging route, and the speed is Medium. If you really need Approach Medium, let me know.
 
I've been working all day on a very similar layout to neil's: (image from page 88 of Railroad Signaling by Brian Solomon)

I can get the "approach medium" to display using rrsignal's SL3(i) signals, but cannot seem to get the "approach slow" to appear. It seems to always like the "approach medium" instead. rrsignal, is that what you mean by "don't currently have approach lighting"?

Thanks.

Andrew

The signals are generally built to work using NORAC aspects, although I have been adding in other roads' aspects into new versions of the script. For Approach Slow to display, you need to use a 3-headed distant signal that is capable of displaying Yellow over Red over Green, and it must be set to Automatic mode, as distant signals are a type of Automatic. That's the primary purpose of 3-headed signals (along with being able to display Medium Approach Medium/Slow at back-to-back interlockings, which doesn't apply here.) Obviously, the route for your right-hand interlocking must be set for Slow as well. Be sure to flip a switch or move a train in order to force an update
 
I'm sorry RRSignal - I don't know your name. But I'd just like to say thank you so much for your detailed explanations! I'll give what you suggested a try. Thanks again!!!!
 
On the B&M and parts of Conrail,Approach slow was shown as Yellow over Yellow on a two head stagger or Yellow-Yellow-Red on a three head.Any way you could add that to your scripts?
 
On the B&M and parts of Conrail,Approach slow was shown as Yellow over Yellow on a two head stagger or Yellow-Yellow-Red on a three head.Any way you could add that to your scripts?

Yes... This would be nice, especially for the B&M which used this extensively. I've seen this in action in Andover at Frye and out in Asburnham near the Washington Curve.

John
 
You're welcome.

Does this look like what you're trying to signal?

24033162321_c7a79f1462_c.jpg



You'd use Advanced Mode with a signal set to type Interlocking. Basic Mode is only for simple interlockings with no intervening switches. You'd pick R48 to configure first and set the first route for a speed of Normal, and use 282N as the Dist. setting. You'd set the second route to Limited (assuming you want that speed and your switches are rated for it) and use 281N as the following for that route. If you were on track 2 heading left-to-right going straight on the main, you'd get a Clear on R48; Limited Clear if diverging onto Track 1.

R46, the End-of-Siding signal protecting the merging route, could be configured similarly, but neither route would be Normal (straight), since Normal/straight is not possible on a merging track.

Approach Limited/Medium would usually only show on a distant (automatic) signal. Some signalling systems allow it to show on an interlocking signal if it's at a back-to-back interlocking and there is another interlocking signal before the next one, assuming the switches are set such that there is a diverging route followed by another diverging route, and the speed is Medium. If you really need Approach Medium, let me know.


I'm getting the hang of setting up these signals. I'll need to do a bit more reading to be sure of what all the settings mean, but I know where to look for all that. One quick question - I think I read somewhere that the signal settings are saved in the SESSION. Is there any way to apply those settings directly to the ROUTE, so users won't have to load a session to make the signals work properly? If not, it's not the end of the world - as I can just make a "Base Session" again.
 
Unfortunately, no; the only thing you can do in the route layer is to name the signals. Trainz only saves script variables into the session, and there's no good way around that except to edit the session and merge the session into the route layer.
 
Ok - thanks for the clarification. At least I know how to proceed now. It's going to be a big job re-signalling the entire route, but I've always liked doing signalling, so at least it'll be fun!
 
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