Understanding Interlocking Towers

T

Tony_Howard

Member
I have recently been trying to implement some Interlocking Towers, but there is one aspect that defeats me. OK, you set up the path and the junctions and signals get set accordingly. The train enters the IT section and then clears away. What I don't understand is how can the signals and junctions ever get set to allow other traffic to pass over any direction of the junctions. They are permanently locked to the IT path. I would have thought that once the train leaves the IT, then the signals and junctions would have been released.
Could anybody enlighten me ?

Tony Howard
 
As far as I know, they are never released per say. IT has complete control and you can not change junctions. Another train needs to ask for a path and then IT will set it.
 
In the example there are 4 possible paths...
A->B
A->C
B->A
C->A

1111111111111111111111111111111111111111========S2=============================B==============
A===================S1=========/
1111111111111111111111111111111111111111\=========S3=============================C=============


There are Signals at S1, S2 and S3.

You must specify any and all paths you want any train to take though the area controlled by the IT.

If you only Set Paths S1->S2 & S1->S3 & S2->S1 a train approaching from C will never get to A even if no other train has an Active path. Think of it this way: You're the guy in the tower; a train approaches from C; No one ever told you a train would approach from C: Would you let him through?



Be sure to include the IT Enhanced Manager Rule SP 2 in you Driver Rules. Then, while in Driver, you can open it up (Click the RM by the upper right corner of the screen) and see what the tower is doing.

ETA: http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Enhanced_Interlocking_Tower
 
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That is precisely why I don't use IT's. Once it has control, it does not release the settings, so another AI coming from any other way, would not be able to enter or cross. You would think that once the path has been used, it should return to normal life automatically, until another path would be plotted. Can this be done?
 
Yes, it can be done. A Path is activated when a train approaches or a Driver Command is issued. The Path is released as soon as a train exits the path. But you must tell the IT (during setup) about any path you want to use.

If you are saying (using my above example) that a train from A->B cannot use the path at the same time as a train going from B->A, then no. If this were allowed, the trains would meet head on.
 
ecco - Thanks for that explanation - I too have recently tried Interlocking Towers and was quickly becoming lost. Your diagram/explanation helps a lot.

Thanks you

Cheers
Bruce
 
Just to clear up a misconception here. The junctions / signals are not locked in position after a train has exited the path. The lock symbol indicates that they are 'owned' by the interlocking tower, and can only by activated by assigning and activating a tower path (per ecco's example above). So you have to define each and every path, for a given tower, that you want to make use of in your session(s).

However, in the very near future, a further enhancement to the EITs is coming that will allow for dynamic ownership of most signals / junctions by an interlocking tower. Keep an eye out for an announcement from pguy:).
 
Pguy keeps making enhancements to his already excellent product. Once you have the basics of EIT down, take a look at Mission Code Manager.

Enhancements provide more flexibility and functionality. They also increase the learning curve. Call it brain food.
 
Vostrail said:
...
However, in the very near future, a further enhancement to the EITs is coming that will allow for dynamic ownership of most signals / junctions by an interlocking tower. Keep an eye out for an announcement from pguy:).
Click to expand...

Just to inform people interested by a new EIT version with dynamic ownership option for path objects that this EIT version is now available on DLS since this evening, and you can look at more explanations about it in the freeware announcement section of the forum.

Regards.
Pierre.
 
Ok, thanks to all here I have got my head wrapped around the basic interlock towers, now to move on to pguy's enhanced towers. :)

I do have a couple of questions:

1. Is it ok to use invisible signals in your path?

2. Is it possible to use a trigger to prompt an AI Train to request a path?

Thanks again all

Cheers
Bruce
 
RE #2 above. I use: DriveVia Trackmark name; IESetPath pathname

How would you use a Trigger?
 
There are 2 (at least that I can think of) potential use cases for a trigger.

1. For user driven trains, use a trigger with the trigger check rule to manually assign the desired tower path - more predictable / controllable than using auto path assignment in many instances.
2. Combined with MissionCode Manager. MCM allows you to define triggers or track marks as triggers to activate the next applicable path for a train's mission code. This can be very useful where the next path entry signal is a long way ahead of the train and you want the path set in advance in order not to be slowed down by an adverse signal. It can also be useful where you want to delay path activation until very close to the entry signal; in that case with manual path activation, place a trigger / trackmark just before the signal. Of course, MissionCode Manager is a whole other subject and learning curve, but well worth getting to grips with in my opinion.
 
Vostrail said:
There are 2 (at least that I can think of) potential use cases for a trigger.


2. Combined with MissionCode Manager. MCM allows you to define triggers or track marks as triggers to activate the next applicable path for a train's mission code.
Click to expand...
I know how to use Trackmarks to "trigger" Setting a Path, and have used this method for some time even without MCM. My question was how to use a Trigger (when not using MCM) to Set Path.

Thanks,

ecco
 
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ecco said:
I know how to use Trackmarks to "trigger" Setting a Path, and have used this method for some time even without MCM. My question was how to use a Trigger (when not using MCM) to Set Path.

Thanks,

ecco
Click to expand...

Well you could use the trigger check rule, together with the Interlocking Tower Set Path rule if you wanted to set a certain path, say, only when a specific train crossed the trigger. You would also need to use the Interlocking Tower Configure Path rule to disable automatic path activation. In general though, for AI controlled trains, your method of drive via trackmark, ITSetPath... is sufficient.
 
Hello again, have another question. Can you tell me if I have this (image) signaled properly for entry/exit to my yard? Do I need this much signaling and would this be an ideal situation for an interlocking tower since there are 4 paths - enter/exit yd, thru east/west.

Thanks again for all the help, truly appreciate it. I always have such a hard time wrapping my head around this sort of thing.

Signals.jpg
 
Vostrail said:
Well you could use the trigger check rule, together with the Interlocking Tower Set Path rule if you wanted to set a certain path, say, only when a specific train crossed the trigger. You would also need to use the Interlocking Tower Configure Path rule to disable automatic path activation. In general though, for AI controlled trains, your method of drive via trackmark, ITSetPath... is sufficient.
Click to expand...


Yeah, the DT Trackmark---SetPath works really well.

I was just wondering about the use of Triggers. I gather from your response that Triggers can only be used to execute Rules, not Driver Commands. Is that Correct?
...
DUH! It suddenly became clear in my addled brain. You can't even check triggers in Driver Commands and it's become clear why.

Thanks for switching on the light bulb.
 
ecco said:
Yeah, the DT Trackmark---SetPath works really well.

I was just wondering about the use of Triggers. I gather from your response that Triggers can only be used to execute Rules, not Driver Commands. Is that Correct?
...
DUH! It suddenly became clear in my addled brain. You can't even check triggers in Driver Commands and it's become clear why.

Thanks for switching on the light bulb.
Click to expand...

Not fully correct. The ScheduleAtTrackmark rule <kuid2:61392:2001:6> available on DLS enables the user to add for some trigger or some trackmark a schedule of driver commands that will either replace the current driver schedule of be appended to the current schedule when a train arrives at the trigger or at the trackmark (in the direction of the trackmark - oneway trackmark).
This rule has not been already migrated to SP2, but should still work inSP2 in its current version. As it is for me a usefull rule I should migrate it to the new script API interface in the next weeks. The only current defect of this rule is that there are currently no conditions applied to the consist arriving to the trigger or trackmark, and when I will migrate the rule I will probably add an option for checking the current train mission code ad offering this way a possibility of having at a trigger several schedules possibles to replace the current schedule using mission code to select one.

Hope this helps.

Regards.
Pierre.
 
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Pierre, I am having an issue with your ScheduleAtTrackmark rule in TANE. I can only get it to work when the session is started anew. If I load a saves session it does not function.

PS: I love your latest enhanced interlocking tower, it works great, thanks.
 
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