Track Priority Question

Is it true that a single priority track mark is valid between switches regardless of the distant between switches?

Does the pointing direction of the mark make any difference?

Is there any limit on the length of track (bounded by switches at each end) for a priority marker?

I am assuming that a prioritized section of track is limited between two switches or an end-of-track.

The track priority marker is valid only for the train that's assigned that value. There's a default value I can't remember, but a priority of no. 1 is lower than no. 3. The priority is assigned to the consist its self. Any train with a lower priority value will wait out or take another track not assigned that priority.

I'm not sure the length matters, but it might be a good idea to place periodic "reminder" priority markers to keep the AI on track.

I have avoided the Wiki as a more confusing than helpful set of instructions and explanations. Well, I found that some things are excellent in terms of clarity and content. A very good example is amount of effort , and skill, presenting how to use Priority. A fairly simple task once you forget the word "priority". The Wiki is quite thorough and after a few minutes you know the complete story on "Priority".

Simply put priority may not be the best description of the function. You assign a number to a section of track between 2 switches. The number can be from 1 to 3 (zero added in the future). These numbers have nothing to functionally do with priority. To sum it into a simple statement ALL trains are treated equally. "priority" just tells a numbered train to take a path with the same number as you assigned to the train (1,2,3). No preference but just an assignment. A better title would be Assign Path not priority. Check the Wiki.

Is it true that a single priority track mark is valid between switches regardless of the distant between switches? Yes

Does the pointing direction of the mark make any difference? No

Is there any limit on the length of track (bounded by switches at each end) for a priority marker? No

I am assuming that a prioritized section of track is limited between two switches or an end-of-track. Yes, see #1

You can see the effects of the Priority markers by zooming out to where all you see of tracks are the blue lines. The different track priorities have different colors.

My main usage is to prevent AI trains from shortcutting through industry sidings. All locos are P1. All mainline track is P1. I leave sidings to the default 2.

If a siding or a TM is on a P2 segment a P1 train will go there if issued DriveTo's.


If you put a P1 on a track and then delete it, the track will not revert to the default P2. If you want to change a P1 track to P2 you must put a P2 on the track.


ETA: Just saw your post. Glad you've got it figured out.

Post Deleted

Practical test: A single line arrives to a loop (This is a siding of the main line that joints back to it further in distance). A train arrives to the proximal switch and if a priority mark is on lets say the right track, the train will follow it because the train is set to 3 and the mark is also set to 3. If the main track is set to 2, the train will not enter this track. The train continues and joints the main line via the distal switch. At that point the mainline does not have a limiting priority and any set number train, 1, 2, or 3 will pass. I found the pointed end of the mark to be unimportant, but I have to check on it to be sure. So, you are totally correct that the mark is effective between switches or switch and end. Further, a direction mark also works in similar way but the pointed end is important. Try and you'll see. I believe that these marks come from the very earlier ages of Trainz, and as such, they had an icon that was used for most all marks, all they did was to change the color for each designated function. In reality, the developers should have used for non-directional marks the blue trigger icons so people don't get confused. The default priority of a loco is 2, and is easily changed.

I have n ot mess with the "priority" stuff. How do you make the track have a priority number?

Post Deleted

Remember despite the name you are assigning a section of track, with the same number as the train. While the Wiki cautions that "priority" does not replace EIT it does to a degree. Its simplicity may be more desirable for less crowded activities on the railroad.

boleyd said:

Simply put priority may not be the best description of the function. You assign a number to a section of track between 2 switches. The number can be from 1 to 3 (zero added in the future). These numbers have nothing to ... do with priority. To sum it into a simple statement ALL trains are treated equally. "priority" just tells a numbered train to take a path with the same number as you assigned to the train (1,2,3).

Click to expand...

A good summation although the appearance of priority "0" is/was a bug in TRS19 and not a future feature.

MP242 said:

I could never get track priority settings to stick, let alone getting them actually work properly, and they always reverted to default priority 2, at some later point in time, so I stopped using them, as they let a priority 1, 2, or 3 train go down the wrong priority track.

Click to expand...

That was, possibly, the case in the distant past and was one reason I stopped using priority track markers and consist assignments. But I have not experienced any problems since I started using them again in TANE.

Priority values will only be ignored by a consist if:-

1. its destination (Navigate To, Drive To, etc) is on a different track path to where its priority value would have normally directed it, or
2. its correct priority track path is blocked

RJArtim said:

I have n ot mess with the "priority" stuff. How do you make the track have a priority number?

Click to expand...

Use the Tracks tool, Trackmark mode, select the Track Priority Marker and click on the track. Set the marker priority level to the value that you want (1, 2, 3) by clicking on the default value to cycle through the values - "0" if it appears is a bug.

Thanks for the info. Will have to experiment with this.

boleyd said:

"priority" just tells a numbered train to take a path with the same number as you assigned to the train (1,2,3). No preference but just an assignment. A better title would be Assign Path not priority.

Click to expand...

That's not what priority is. It is a preference. When determining the route to a destination the list of possibilities is usually sorted in order of distance. When a route has a priority marker that matches the priority of the train then that route is sorted to the top of the list. Other factors may determine whether that route actually gets selected - it is not automatically assigned just because the priority matches.

Yes, I think that "Track Preference" is a more accurate (and less confusing) label than "Track Priority".

pware said:

Priority values will only be ignored by a consist if:-

1. its destination (Navigate To, Drive To, etc) is on a different track path to where its priority value would have normally directed it, or
2. its correct priority track path is blocked

Click to expand...

Number 1 is Correct. Number 2 is not.

If the priority 1 track is blocked, a priority 1 train will not go around the blockage on a non-priority 1 track.

===========/===TrkMrk bbb===P2===\
Loco A ======/=====flatcar==P1======\==========TrkMrk aaa

The flatcar is on a P1 track

Loco A Is P1

Drive to TrkMrk bbb; Drive to TrkMrk aaa: This will work because the instructions specifically say to use the P2 track
Drive to TrkMrk aaa: This will not work because flatcar is blocking the path

The loco will not choose to go around an obstacle on its own. That would defeat the purpose.


T:ANE SP4

That is not my experience from the tests I have run. Not near a computer at the moment so I cannot retest.

Try the same test using "Navigate To" instead of "Drive To". A P1 train is not exclusively restricted to a P1 path if other factors are also present. The route selection can be subject to a list of factors including available paths, set destinations and waypoints. Priority is just one of them.

Back with my computer and I have run tests using exactly the setup you described. The loco was given the commands "Drive To TrkMrk aaa/Navigate To TrkMrk aaa". Here is what I found:-

1. If the driver command "Navigate to Trackmark TrkMrk aaa" is used then the blocked path will be bypassed regardless of the priority levels of the two tracks.
2. If the driver command "Drive to Trackmark TrkMrk aaa" is used then the blocked path will NOT be bypassed.

"Drive To" does not allow any deviation from the shortest calculated path and if a blockage is present then the consist will wait for it to be cleared - by the "five fingered shunter" if needed. This happens when priority track markers are NOT used as well as when they are used. It is for this reason the priority track markers are not recommended as replacements for EITs or more specific/detailed driver commands.

"Navigate To" will always try to find a way around a blockage even if the path selected is not prototypical or logical.

So in one respect you are correct. The "Drive To" command has always had this issue, with or without priorities being set.

ADDENDUM:

I repeated the above tests but this time I swapped the priority track markers so that P1 is now on the side track and P2 on the mainline.

The "Drive To" command now worked correctly (as expected).

As a result of testing I have added the following condition to the case of how priority levels deal with blocked paths

• If the Drive To driver command is used and the shortest path is also the path that matches the priority value of a consist and it is blocked, then the consist will not attempt to find an alternative path around the blockage. This is a problem caused by the Drive To command and not the track priority - it will happen with or without priority markers on the track.

This is not a problem. It is a design feature. Navigate To will try to find alternate paths.