Managing Twin(2) Track ‘Y’ Junction

Started in the early days of Trainz 2012 I now have 34 various trains types co-existing happily over am imaginary layout of some 1,000 plus panels under T-ANE.

Until recently I have managing twin track ‘Y’ junctions where two tracks physically cross-over each other using the Triggers Multiple Signals Rule where a train within the range of a triggers on one track turns an appropriate signal on the other crossing track to red. Unfortunately there seems to be a limit on how many times this rule can be employed or the total number of signals that can be associate with the rule is limited and I seemed to have run out. Delete a signal associated with one application of the rule provides an additional signal on another.

I have tried using Interlocking Towers to achieve the same ends but with no luck, once any of the paths has been occupied once by a train it seems to get locked permanently blocking all other paths whether occupied by other trains or not. Any advice on managing such cross-over junctions would be greatly appreciated. Peter

Can you supply a image of the junctions your trying to use with Interlocking Tower? Having a image help other people see the setup on your route.

Thank you, David, good advice if I could only work out how to link or paste a .jpg diagram on my hard-drive to a post on here. Peter

wilts747 said:

Thank you, David, good advice if I could only work out how to link or paste a .jpg diagram on my hard-drive to a post on here. Peter

Click to expand...

Peter,

Here's the quick and easy process.

1) Create your image - a jpg will do.

2) Upload the picture to www.hostthenpost.org

The image will then show up with different options to use.

3) Highlight the text in the Forums section. It should highlight automatically.

4) Press CTRL-C at the same time to Copy

5) Paste the link in the forums here by pressing CTRL-V at the same time

We'll then be able to see what you're trying to describe.

John

Thank you John, very much appreciated.

Signals S1 controls traffic through junctions J1 and signals S2 and S3 through junction J2. Unfortunately traffic flowing from A to E is not seen by traffic flowing on the other track from D to B and visa-versa. Where the tracks cross traffic can be controlled by placing two sets of points back to back but here in the UK tracks would generally just cross each other unless there was a need to route traffic specifically onto the other track. I have called this a 'Y' junction but the layout applies equally to most double track junctions wherever they are going. Peter

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There are a couple of ways to do this. You can use a crossing controller, sorry I can't remember the exact name, by Boat. This is actually a payware item. The second is using some invisible junctions and linking them so that when J2 is tripped, the line from A-E is not active. This is how I do it and it works pretty well with some caveats.

You need to use the junction link, which is a built-in item at least on T:ANE and I think on TS12 and it does work on T:ANE.

<kuid:122381:10003> Junction Link

J1 is linked an invisible junction with a short piece of invisible track, just after the crossover on the E-side so that any trains traveling on E to A cannot travel across the crossed tracks while trains running from D to B.

I'm not sure if you need to use an invisible junction the way I described, but I find this helps in this situation.

Now for the caveat...

Because these controllers work independently from the AI, they can be tripped by a train while another one is crossing. This means that they can, and sometimes do, derail a consist. I generally run short 2-train tram consists on the route I use these on and I don't have any issues, however, on a route with longer consists you may have an issue.

Even with the caveat, they can be quite helpful for interlockings and crossover tracks because the junctions are linked together to work as one unit.

John

I am in the process of importing the ASB DTT payware assets created by Boat for TANE compatibility checks. If it works, it will be perfect for this double turnout as well as get me to add something to potentially help here.

so, please stand by for further details.

Thank you to everyone for your advice to resolve my management of junctions problem where tracks also cross. I have spent an interesting although at time frustrating afternoon attempting to follow some of that advice with some degree of success although as John pointed out perhaps at times more of a work-round than a solution.

Employing invisible junctions close to the crossover works surprisingly well unfortunately as also explained they functions better with short trains and my container trains of 20 or so wagons and similar coal and ballast trains have fallen foul of such points changing perhaps during a third of the crossings.

‘Boats’ Crossing Controller for Trainz with hindsight I looked at a few years ago but today found a couple of interesting YouTube videos linked from his/her website demonstrating exactly what I’m trying to achieve. Unfortunately a warning on the website states that the current payware versions are incompatible with T-ANE but hopefully perhaps Maruffijd will discover otherwise with his endeavors.

I’m still of the opinion that Interlocking Towers should be capable of managing this type of junction which is little more that a 1 into 2 junction and a 2 into 1 junction with a degree of dependency between each other. Interlocking Towers has the ability to embrace for example signals external to the path which should I believe be sufficient to address such dependency. Currently I shall continue to employ triggers and the Triggers Multi Signals Rules as far as any restrictions will allow me and look forward to the continuing development of Interlocking Towers. Peter