Need help with USA Signals

hi.

I am going to try to be as informative as possible I have a huge route about 300 miles and growing. however I am to the point where I am adding signals and well things dont seem to be working as I would have thought here is my layout problem areas that I need help with. a diagram below to help

========Yard=========x=-X---------b------X<b------b--------------X-=x==========May be a Yard=================x=-X--------b------------b>X-------------b-----------X-=x==========Yard========x=X---- etc.....

so as to the diagram listed above. I hope it doesn't word wrap. I have a double track and a single track layout this diagram is far from actual scale
Using USA Signals
< = Branch line
X = #2 Signal
x = #4 signal
b= #4 signals in both directions

Now here is the problem. My trains end up going head on to each other on the single track. When I remove b They end up going 1/2 the limit. granted the above scale is around 60 miles I also do have branch lines off of the single track (Switching off the side to get to 1 or more warehouses. These branches may go either way.) I need the trains not to get caught up in a head on and I need the trains on the single track to go at track limit.

This is all the info I can give you.
Thanks for the help!

Hi cashaber

I'm assuming that this is an AI only session.

If thesingle line sections are relatively short or have passing loops then I would suggest using Enhanced Interlocking Towers and their associated rules and driver commands by author "pguy" and on the DLS. When combined with track circuit blocks they will do what you want. There is also a route and sessions on the DLS, again created by pguy, to illustrate how it all goes together. In case you're not familiar with Enhanced Interlocking Towers here are some links to information on the wiki:-

http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Enhanced_Interlocking_Tower

http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Enhanced_Interlocking_Tower_Tip_001

http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Enhanced_Interlocking_Tower_Manager_Rule

http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/Mission_Code_Stops_and_TimeTables_Manager

http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/MissionCodes_Manager

When set up correctly the Enhanced Interlocking Towers will only allow one train into a section at a time so if the single line sections are quite long then you could have trains queuing to access them and the route could eventually clog up. If that is the case then I would suggest adding passing loops into those sections to break them up. Of course this all depends on the density of traffic. If you only have one train an hour in each direction then you probably wouldn't need to do that.

Regards

Brian

cashaber said:

hi.

I am going to try to be as informative as possible I have a huge route about 300 miles and growing. however I am to the point where I am adding signals and well things dont seem to be working as I would have thought here is my layout problem areas that I need help with. a diagram below to help

========Yard=========x=-X---------b------X<b------b--------------X-=x==========May be a Yard=================x=-X--------b------------b>X-------------b-----------X-=x==========Yard========x=X---- etc.....

so as to the diagram listed above. I hope it doesn't word wrap. I have a double track and a single track layout this diagram is far from actual scale
Using USA Signals
< = Branch line
X = #2 Signal
x = #4 signal
b= #4 signals in both directions

Now here is the problem. My trains end up going head on to each other on the single track. When I remove b They end up going 1/2 the limit. granted the above scale is around 60 miles I also do have branch lines off of the single track (Switching off the side to get to 1 or more warehouses. These branches may go either way.) I need the trains not to get caught up in a head on and I need the trains on the single track to go at track limit.

This is all the info I can give you.
Thanks for the help!

Click to expand...

The b= #4 signals in both directions on the single track will lead to cornfield meets. Removing them will cause trains to run at half speed because they are probably looking at a yellow or red signal ahead.

That's just the way it is.
You can increase the speed limit on the single track to 120 and get the trains to run at a reasonable 60 mph.

I would strongly recommend that you do not put "branch lines off of the single track". If you do, and you signal the switches, you are going to get cornfield meets.

Make a short double track and put diverging/converging siding track coming off of the double section. If you must keep the siding coming off a single section, go with Kennilworth's recommendation and use an EIT.



ETA See post #18 here...
https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?148797-Red-Signals-Only-One-Train-on-Route/page2

I have a thought. just needed some input on your thoughts


here is a route
train dir
<-----
============xx=X---------------------------------X=xx==================================xx=X------------------------------------------------------------X=xx===============================xx=X--
---->
Legend
- Single Track
= Double Track
xx #4 signals both directions placed on different tracks
X #2 signal placed where needed
< > Signal direction

getting trains to go full speed on US signals, I thought about this last night not sure if it will work or not. but the goal is to do this with just the basic signals. Based on the Signal rules a block must be clear for 2 blocks to remain green. Yellow if the 2nd block shows red. In the diagram above there is a #4 signal coming off of the double track onto the single that should be green, because there are actually 2 more signals to get thru to the next double track. you will have a #2 signal going into the double track then almost imed afterwards a #4 signal just after the switch, then again a #4 signal before the switch back to single track.

According to this rule a train coming from the opposite direction would have to stop at the double track #4 Signal if another train was heading the other direction or even the same direction. this I think will prevent head-ons.
This should also allow a train to travel at full speed (posted limit) of the track, unless of course there is a train waiting ahead. If I am right in this theory you should not need any help from scripts to achieve max speed as well as preventing head-ons.

If I am wrong about this ( I haven't tested this theory yet and will post again to confirm findings. Let me know your thoughts

I don't think that will work with heavy traffic. The first (left to right) train will enter the double track (passing siding) and proceed to the 2nd 04 at the end of the passing siding. If he has to wait there, a second (left to right) train will enter the double track and stop at the left most 04. He will sit there with a portion of the train in the passing siding and the back end sticking out onto the single track. This will prevent a right to left train from exiting the passing siding.

I have placed 04's in the middle of long passing sidings to accommodate two trains on each side.

I found this to work to a degree.... with direction markers placed on the passing sidings it seems to help a bit better, however I have found that putting a few #4's in the sidings helps greatly with speed if the siding is long. doing so will prevent 1/2 speed coming from the main line into the siding. just no more #4's on the main single track. this works well for 2 trains.

Adding a third train.
The route displayed above will work if the scheduled time to leave is not close together. Speed wise the 2 trains going the same direction, the second train would have to leave about the time when the first train is about 1/2 across or at least by the time the first train is about 3 signals ahead.

The con is that if the switches do not line up properly making the train have to pull the switch, you again loose speed