Triggering passing sidings?

[whyfly2]

Hello all,

Some time ago, I added a passing siding to the Great Falls leg of my modified Marias Pass Approach route. By some dumb luck, given the problems I've read about in many threads about signalling passing sidings, mine works every time with 02 and L02 signals at the converging and diverging junctions, and 05 signals at each end of both single tracks. No collisions, no standoffs.

What doesn't look quite right is that a train that should be stopped on the siding sometimes stops on the the main line, while the other train cruises by on the siding.

I made a separate test layout so as not to screw up my working route, and tried triggering the 02 and L02 signals so that the trains with the priority (southbound trains) are cleared through, while the northbound trains are routed to the siding, where they would stop if necessary.

My attempts to use the Trigger Multiple Signals rule didn't work on the two-light 02 and L02 signals.

Is there a rule that can handle those?

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

Art

 

[stagecoach]

Signals on the single track is always a problem and will cause conflicts at some point in time. The best way is to set the junction at each end to the correct path the train will take and place signals only at the end of that section before it becomes single again. The train will then see clear track to the signal at the end of the loop. Place a direction marker on the siding to stop the south bound trains from entering.

 

[sniper297]

Options;

Track direction marker or AI routing direction marker (same as track direction but doesn't cause false reds) would restrict the eastbound to the siding and westbound to the main at all times. I assume that's not what you want.

Better alternative, use track markers - navigate via or drive via yadayada main for the through train, navigate to or drive to yadayada east or west depending on which way it's going. After that a wait command or wait for trigger to keep him stopped until the through train hits the trigger on the mainline.

"My attempts to use the Trigger Multiple Signals rule didn't work on the two-light 02 and L02 signals."

Normally the double head is used on the facing point of the switch, with single heads like the 04 on the trailing points. To set that up place a trigger something like 400 meters from each end, with a 450 meter trigger radius, which will trigger the exit signals from the siding red. Lower priority train set to drive to trackmark yadayada east and wait 10 seconds or something, if the higher priority set to drive to yadayada main enters the trigger radius before the low priority passes the exit signal, the exit signal will be triggered red and keep him on the siding until the through train passes. Obviously that will require some tinkering with the location of the triggers, you don't want the slow freight to still be within the radius of the trigger at the exit end of the siding. A third trigger on the main in the location shown in the second pic (the siding is shortened for illustration purposes, obviously the real one would be longer) would also be set to trigger the signals at the ends of the siding red - since the slow freight automatically diverges onto the siding he never activates that trigger, so the exit signal will clear unless the other train is within that trigger radius on the mainline.

 

[whyfly2]

Great. Thank you both.

Art

 

[stagecoach]

There is a possible alternative which ive not tried on single track at present but did do a similar thing. Use Boats ASB to control the signals at each end of the single track and you can then place as many signals on the single track as you feel needed. His system was designed for cross overs so avoiding trains passing through each other. The same asset could control trains along single track sections.

 

[philskene]

Been there, solved that

"Use Boats ASB to control the signals at each end of the single track and you can then place as many signals on the single track as you feel needed."

Which is what I did on "Krashnburne" - but the ASB paraphernalia was only added so that player controlled trains could take control of a long single track section of track against on-coming AI traffic.

Art - if you want to see this approach in operation, search the Download Station for the Krashnburne route and sessions (not the multiplayer versions).

If, however, you are running only AI, then this video demonstrates how it can be done (even though it, too, has a player train):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv3iEH0CPak

The route in the video eventually ended up as "IntenCity". Again you will find the route and sessions on the DLS.

If you look at the way the track markers and signals have been used in both routes it might give you some ideas.

Tell us if it helps.

Phil