Why Trainz Is Just (At Times) So Frustrating

[Vern]

Sorry for the slight rant but really at times route building in this game gets so frustrating.

Getting on really well with my Worcester based model railway layout, started testing and snagging the train movements. The layout has a couple of junctions involving diamond crossings so had set these up with interlocking towers (EIT's) to prevent collisions. Needless to say this proved less than successful. Both junctions simply locked up and refused to clear signals for train movements. Off to Plan B, remove the original interlocking arrangements and place/interlock invisible signals purely to protect the diamond. Nope. No joy, signals still not clearing when requested by approaching trains. Plan C. Remove all the interlocking and leave the diamonds unprotected, hope that my sequencing avoids potential collisions.
***N3V - High time you sorted out the game engine so the signalling system recognises complex trackwork such as diamond crossings without having to resort to fudges. MSTS had this capability in 2001 as has the DTG TS since the original Kuju Rail Simulator in 2007***

Plan D - Go off and play some Snowrunner/Mudrunner, take my mind off this very irritating game.

 

[pware]

The layout has a couple of junctions involving diamond crossings so had set these up with interlocking towers (EIT's) to prevent collisions. Needless to say this proved less than successful. Both junctions simply locked up and refused to clear signals for train movements

I had some frustrating experiences with EITs recently and had to give up on using them. Don't get me wrong, EITs work brilliantly in most circumstances but have issues in more complex situations or when you want them to play well with others - such as allowing a choice between EIT control, AI control or total manual movements with manual switching through a signalled block controlled by an EIT.

Did you try changing the EIT control method from Static ownership to Dynamic ownership for each tower? This frees up the junctions under the control of an EIT.

 

[Christopher824]

I struggled with diamond crossings for a while, then got them to work and made a tutorial. See here;

https://cdetrainz.com/tutorials_diamond_crossing.aspx

Hope this helps you

 

[stagecoach]

Did you use exclusive sets in the EIT? The paths work with any train that shares the same path. When you need to cross over the track you need an exclusive name or number that only one path can use. Place a C+Note on one of the crossover tracks and give it a short name like CO1. The two tracks that cross need this code put in the tower's path so only one track can use it.

 

[JCitron]

Vern, you're not alone in your frustration.

I resorted to boat's ASB Crossing controller they work perfectly in the two places where I needed them. I really, really tried to get the EITs to work but they weren't reliable for me. They would work one time fine but lose settings, or worse completely stuff up the works to a point where I had to rebuild them multiple times.

 

[G.M.]

No need to get upset or frustrated, when things don't behave as expected
I consider it a challenge and a learning experiment, both good for the old train brain


First thing I always try is keep it simple, so no complicated EIT or tricks
-are signals placed well?
-are switches set in the most used direction?
-is it really a problem to worry about? (lateral thinking)
-can it be solved by not having 2 trains there at the same time (schedule)


My main route about 80% of my country, has just 1 forced junction by 1 trigger
43 trains drive their (up to 3hour) routes without any user-intervention
no EIT or other path tricks are needed so far,
just good planning(schedules) switches set correct and enough signaling.


btw ty to Chris for the nice tut
greetings GM

 

[1611mac]

No need to get upset or frustrated, when things don't behave as expected
My main route about 80% of my country, has just 1 forced junction by 1 trigger
43 trains drive their (up to 3hour) routes without any user-intervention
no EIT or other path tricks are needed so far,
just good planning(schedules) switches set correct and enough signaling.

How do you do your scheduling?

 

[Vern]

Still the whole situation could be avoided if the basic signalling took account of diamonds, etc.

In the meantime, I now have a loco stuck trying to run round its consist despite the signalling being set up to accommodate it.

Think I will be releasing the route "as is" with a couple of HST's and Sprinters lapping, forget the classic loco hauled era!

 

[G.M.]

@Greg, Using only very basic commands to make schedules (building blocks)
for an industry passengerstation: Load-At (is Driveto+Load)
for a trackmark station: Driveto trackmark... +copy commands/schedule library where the wait and doors are set


For each repeating schedule a new schedule library item, containing all commands for that route from A to B
example: change direction sign, drive to...., stop left(is a nested command), driveto.. etc.
then "wait for" fine tunes when to start a schedule.


Schedule library items can be nested, a very powerful feature.
Who ever worked with AutoCad it's like working with blocks.


@Vern if you use "runaround" make sure you have switches set right
a few hundred meters before and after the train or indeed it gets stuck

 

[1611mac]

Thanks G.M. - I'm always looking for different ways to do and try schedules. I've done some programming and I do web coding so I understand the nesting concept well. Appreciate the reply.

 

[JCitron]

I use that mostly as well, Greg. KISS is the rule when it comes to Trainz. The AI have troubles even with the basics and things get worse when we try fancy stuff. The famous Schedule Library and copy commands from combo is your friend and very easy to setup.

The biggest thing I've done was try the EITs and found them to be overly complex for what we want to accomplish and after suffering the frustration of losing settings and configs, I gave up and resorted back to the tried and true ASB crossing setup. Name the signals, select signals, put in the triggers and set those up and everything works fine. The best part is they work consistently time after time without incident.