Signals, TCB and Interlocking Towers in a single line?

HgoDR · Jul 24, 2020

Hello, i have some question about signaling and this TCB or TCD new feature to me in Trainz 2019, how and why to use then? I have a session/route that have i single line track and i need to prevent some trains entering in this track in opposite direction, and i try to use permissive signal to have more than one train going in the same direction, but always a train that comes in the opposite direction to the line because it is divided into several blocks and usually doesn’t stop on sidings because of the green light in those blocks, but eventually it reaches the closed blocks and blocks the line, it’s a good option to use the TCB and the interlock tower in that case?

Kennilworth · Jul 25, 2020

Hi

A TCB will only indicate to an Enhanced Interlocking Tower that the track is occupied and will prevent the tower from setting paths into the section if it is. As far as I'm aware there is no way yet for two trains to enter the same section when it is controlled by an EIT with TCBs.

The only way that I know of having trains travelling in the same direction follow one another into a single line section is to use two variables, one to act as a token to indicate if the section is occupied and the second to indicate the direction of travel of any train already in the section. This will only work though if the single line section is divided by signals into blocks in both directions otherwise the entry signal will stay red until the train clears the whole of the section. A train approaching the section will check the value in the token variable. If it is 0 it will then enter the section incrementing the token variable by 1. I use increment to count the total number of trains in a section. It will then set the direction variable. On an East - West route for example I would set the variable to 1 for Eastbound and 2 for Westbound.

If the token variable is greater than 0 then the train will then check the direction variable. If the train already in the section is travelling in the same direction the second train will increment the token variable by 1 and set the direction variable to the correct one for the direction of travel before entering the section following the first train.

When a train exits the section it will decrement the token variable by 1 to keep the count of trains in the section accurate. There is no need to reset the direction variable because a train will only check the direction if the section is already occupied.

It needs a trackmark placing just before the entry signal at each end where the train will be held if the section is occupied by a train coming the other way. When using EITs to set the path, the path setting for the entry path is set to manual and the path set when needed by the IT SetPath command.

Regards

Brian

HgoDR · Jul 25, 2020

Kennilworth said:
Hi

A TCB will only indicate to an Enhanced Interlocking Tower that the track is occupied and will prevent the tower from setting paths into the section if it is. As far as I'm aware there is no way yet for two trains to enter the same section when it is controlled by an EIT with TCBs.

The only way that I know of having trains travelling in the same direction follow one another into a single line section is to use two variables, one to act as a token to indicate if the section is occupied and the second to indicate the direction of travel of any train already in the section. This will only work though if the single line section is divided by signals into blocks in both directions otherwise the entry signal will stay red until the train clears the whole of the section. A train approaching the section will check the value in the token variable. If it is 0 it will then enter the section incrementing the token variable by 1. I use increment to count the total number of trains in a section. It will then set the direction variable. On an East - West route for example I would set the variable to 1 for Eastbound and 2 for Westbound.

If the token variable is greater than 0 then the train will then check the direction variable. If the train already in the section is travelling in the same direction the second train will increment the token variable by 1 and set the direction variable to the correct one for the direction of travel before entering the section following the first train.

When a train exits the section it will decrement the token variable by 1 to keep the count of trains in the section accurate. There is no need to reset the direction variable because a train will only check the direction if the section is already occupied.

It needs a trackmark placing just before the entry signal at each end where the train will be held if the section is occupied by a train coming the other way. When using EITs to set the path, the path setting for the entry path is set to manual and the path set when needed by the IT SetPath command.

Regards

Brian

This looks very good, how i put these variables?

EDIT: Wow, these variable checks looks a very complicated thing, i even don't know what variable rule to use :s

Vostrail · Jul 26, 2020

As an alternative to interlocking towers and TCBs, you could take a look at the TH R Route Control / Library / List assets by thibaud. I seem to recall that it was possible to set up a path to allow multiple trains in the same direction while preventing entry by any train coming from the opposite direction. I confess it has been a long time (and several versions) since I played with them.

HgoDR · Jul 27, 2020

Vostrail said:
As an alternative to interlocking towers and TCBs, you could take a look at the TH R Route Control / Library / List assets by thibaud. I seem to recall that it was possible to set up a path to allow multiple trains in the same direction while preventing entry by any train coming from the opposite direction. I confess it has been a long time (and several versions) since I played with them.

i'm insisting and breaking my head with IT, but always i have 3 problems, first: a message of "active path has no train owner" second: a message of "path cancelling" (that never cancels) and because of this i have another message on the contrary path of "path not activable", and have no idea why this is happening.

i use Enhanced IT to see this messages

Signals, TCB and Interlocking Towers in a single line?

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