Which gantries & signals, and AI

TheFlyingElf

New member
Ben and I have started on our first route!

It's very loosely based on UK assets and rolling stock, but we're not too bothered about using assets from other countries if we like them, as we aren't planning to spend months and months trying to re-create a real line/town etc.

I would like to add gantries for electric locos, and signals...but there are so many UK options for both in TRS2006 surveyor I have no idea which types of each should be used where (OK...I know I said we're not bothered being too faithful to reality, but I'd like to make a reasonably authentic if poss!).

Can someone point me to some info on what types of signals are used in what situations, and again which gantry types are used where? Also, some help with which markers/signals etc are used in goods and marshalling yards would be very useful.

Last question...someone said that track should be laid in the "normal" direction of travel to make sure AI works properly. Is this essential...what happens if some is laid the wrong way round? What about if you have a double track 1 up and 1 down...1 of these will always be in the wrong direction for AI?

Thanks,

Nige
 
Track Laying

Hi Nige,

To answer your last question, track direction can make a difference to the smooth running of a session but it is not critical. As for double track I would advise not using it, use single track throughout. There are a number of reasons for this, track direction is one, but the main reason I don't use it is because you cannot use the track straightening tool on double track, so it tends to wander all over the place when ever you place a spline point.
As for the gantries and signals, I am a long way from the UK now so can't advise on that, but I would think anyone who can advise you would want to know what era (year) you are modeling.

Hope this helps,
Bill69
 
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Signalling is a vast and complex subject.The most important thing with ANY UK signal at a Junction (whether colour light or Semaphore) is that it needs to "see" a signal on the Branch for the "Feather" (Indicator) to light up or the lower height arm to clear.You should download the UK Signalling Tutorial from the DLS as a beginner, then search the DLS using the term "Signal".As for signal gantries I showed a couple in the thread "3 way Junctions" which I"ll bump up for you.
 
Hi Nige,

---snip--- As for double track I would advise not using it, use single track throughout. ---snip--- Bill69

Bill...if you don't use double/triple/quad track, how do you get the spacing between single tracks even all around the route?

Nige
 
When you lay the track, there are white circles at the end of a section, if you place each one next to the first track laid, and use the circles as spacing guides, you will wind up with evenly spaced tracks.

Again, I repeat, keep the track 'one direction', all sections, in the direction of travel of locos, it aids in AI, often AI gets 'confused' and takes a longer route to get from A to B otherwise.

There is a discussion on signalling here: http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=16574&highlight=signal
 
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Track spacing

Hi Nige,

Here are two ways of spacing your tracks. If you are modeling a UK area the pair on the left is more appropriate. The spline circles are aligned with the ends of the sleepers. If modeling USA or Australia the pair on the right have a wider spacing the spline circles are aligned with each other. You can also use the spline circles other ways to align your tracks to suit the spacing you want.



Hope this helps,

Bill69
 
The funny thing is I can"t find the UK signalling Tutoria;! I used to have it but it was too basic to be any use to me so I deleted it.Its tucked away somewhere in the 900+ items in "Signal". As for track spacing I use track by "Delsoft" and spacing is fairly simple ; I align the edges of the ballast to each other and that leaves a satisfactory clearance between the tracks for a UK railway.
 
Thanks Bill and lewisner...the info will be very useful...I'll search the DLS for the tutorial tomorrow!

It looks like I have a lot to learn here...the basics of how signalling should work, and then how to make it work within my TRS route...I guess I'll also have to learn about scripting as well!?

...funny...it's actually my kids who are really into railways...Ben (9) likes models and now TRS, and Tom (14) who is handicapped, loves watching the Virgin and Silverlink trains (and some freight) on the main Euston-Birmingham line running past the village)...but I think the technicalities here are too complex for Ben to grasp and use in TRS, so I'll have to learn and teach him...up 'til now my interest has been limited to a way of getting from A to B for work when I can't drive 'coz I've broken some bone or other stacking my mountain bike (3 times in the past 2 years!!!).

Thanks again...I'm sure these won't be the last questions I'll be asking...who knows, maybe someday I'll be able to answer some!!!

Nige
 
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