Signaling help please

parsifal300

New member


I’ve been doing a lot of studying on signaling and have come across a number of very helpful pages. Chuck Brite’s tutorial at http://trains.0catch.com/Tut4-IntroToSignaling.htm has been very helpful. Also, While attempting to get information on the differences between 01 – 08 signals I came across this posting: http://forums.auran.com/trainz/show...-Choosing-and-Placement&p=1494967#post1494967 by ctclark1. Unfortunately all this research has only made me dangerous to others on the same rails as I am.
PHP:
A___________________________________________________<6LD
                                                /          
B_________________________________________<6LD_/_______
                                 4>    /        4> / 6RD>
C________<2___________________________/___________/
   8> /      /    /      /        /          2>
D____/      /    /      /________/
   8>      /    /      /

I’ve been using the Gloucester Terminal RR as my sandbox and have run into a situation where I cannot get a train to clear the ‘8’ signals so I was hoping to use this as an opportunity to pose a couple of questions to the forum. Above is a (poor) text representation of the mainlines and switching yards near the GTR power station. The signals are USA 02 and Searchlight 4, 6 and 8. Lines A and B are westerly and easterly mainline passenger rails. Lines C and D are bi-directional freight lines, their only connection to reach the rest of the industries in the layout are the two switches connecting into B. Everything coming off southerly from line C are non-signaled yards. My fundamental challenge is I cannot get a loco to clear the ‘8’ switches from either C or D to get them into the yard or onto the main line B.

I could not find any documentation for the Searchlight signals so I made a couple of assumptions about the meaning of L, R and F and how the signals were to be configured. I assumed one was supposed to define a through path for the 6 and 8 signals. The path was to be defined by stating for each junction in the path to put a L or R to state what divergent path was the main line, and if there was no divergent choice then to put a F. Using this logic then I should define within the path from the C&D 08 signals to eastbound B as: FFFFFRF. The Westbound path from the A line 6 as LLFRRRR, and the Westbound path from B line 6 as LFRRRR.

So here are my questions:

  1. Are my assumptions right? (If not then bear with my ignorance, set me straight and just laugh at the rest of this post.)
  2. What is the standard Trainz signaling protocol entering a non-signaled yard area? Do you have to use an permissive 05 signal?
  3. Why does the consist never clear the 08 signals even if there are no cars on the defined path. I have also replaced the 08s with 06 but with the same results.
  4. Is my assumption correct that if I can get a main consist to proceed through the 08 signals that a switching loco can still run around the yard without affecting the consist assuming the switching loco is not locking any junctions the main consist needs.
  5. Does the consist sitting at the 08 signal need a completely clear path to B to enter the yard even if the consists’ destination is the yard itself?
  6. The original creator has the 08 switches defined as simply “L”. What does this do as the first junction is a ‘F’?
  7. What happens if you only define part of a path? For example, FFF? What does the switch think is the path? Does it look for the next closest signal?

Sorry so long and so many questions. These are the result of days of trial and error and I’m just looking for some enlightenment ... or to at least know the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t an oncoming …. :o
 
OK, just got some help on proper configuration of 06 and 08 signals (thanks trev999), got some playing around to do.

Any help with questions 2, 6 and 7 would still be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

~P
 
#6 & #7: The default setting is L so original session creator might have forgotten to configure the 08 signal on line C. It should at least be R. It may not be necessary to configure any more than the first junction but I haven't used searchlight signals much. If they work as expected with a short list then leave them with one letter. If you really want to put in the complete list then the signal on line C would be R.R.R.R.R.R.L.

Can't answer #2.
 
#2: Trainz will generally report "unsignalled or track ends", but it ultimately depends on what your intentions for the siding are. AI will resist entering an unsignalled siding completely. This is why "Track End" signals exist, but these will typically cause the signals at entrance to sidings to unprototypically show an approach signal of some kind in advance of the "stop" signal at the end. RRS signals can be forced to show a restricting signal when aligned for these routes.

#6: One of the things that often confuses people when setting up signals such as JR's is that they think the straight option is forward... "Forward" only exists on three-way junctions. Standard two-throw junctions are either left or right. So these are probably set correctly.

#7: JR signals will only look for the "straight through" route as far as it is defined. If the route creator only defined three junctions, it will only look as far as those three junctions, only as far as it is correct. Basically the logic just wants to know if it should show a diverging signal (Top head red) or not. So if the straight route is defined as L,L,L, and the second junction is set Right, then it will stop looking for the "straight" route at that point and show a diverging route. If the next three signals in a row are all set L, it will show a high signal instead of a low signal, but either way it will depend on the track condition to the next signal, just depends on whether it shows it on the top or middle heads.

BTW, I know I haven't touched the tutorial thread in a while, I haven't forgotten about it, but working massive amounts of overtime lately has taken up the vast majority of my time. Give me a few weeks and I'll get back to it.
 
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