Help With Placing Signal Lights

Hey Everyone,
I need to know of a good 'tutorial' that will help me understand how, and where to place the signal lights on my tracks.

Thanks

This page may help.

how to place signals in trainz - Bing video

There used to be a nice PDF download available that had the how-two steps to setup signals, but sadly that's no longer around or I can't find it.

There are 4-types of signals. Using Jointed Rail's naming convention:

Type 04 = Absolute signal -- place these where tracks join such as at the end of a siding coming into a mainline.

Type 05 = Permissive/advanced -- place these in between track block ends to allow more than one train to enter into long stretches of track. These will have a black bar below the signal head.

Type 06 = Diverge - Use these where two mainlines joint to form a double track section from the single track. You place these on the single-track side facing the single track. (Type 04's are placed on the opposite leads of both of the lines joining.

Type 06 Advance = Has two-heads and works similar to the Type 05 and is used in advance of a junction.

Type 08 = Interlocking. Use this to protect each leg of the wye.



You'll find that keeping the signaling simple really helps with the AI. If you are trying to follow a prototype, you may have to simplify some areas due to AI becoming stupid. Once you've got the hang of the signals, you can then use fancy tricks such as the interlocking towers.

Thanks for the infomation Jay Citron.

I'm keeping it very simple. It's a countryside layout, with just single tracks. I think I only need 04s. I have several triangle intersections, and side tracks to the rolling stock.

So I just place an 04 before the splits on each end of my triangle intersection, and before they join again to the other track?

Do I place the signal before the side track to the rolling stock starts, and do I place one on each end of the side track before it connects to the main track?

For the wye, you should use Type 08 interlockings. Here's the setup I use throughout my routes. This works 99% of the time. Single track is a bit tricky because you can end up with cornfield meets if you're not careful. I usually don't signal single track and only use an Absolute signal (Type 04) on each end which act as stop signs, or like our traffic signals. Here's my simple signal guide I put together for someone ages ago. The black T-shapes are the stands and indicate the direction the signal is placed. I had to be creative when I drew this and as you can see, I have no artistic abilities.

AWESOME!!

The only signals I see that go up to 8 is the 'QR Signals', but there is no #6, but there is a #7 with just 2 lights on it. Is QR the right signal to use?

I'm gonna see if there are others to download. I would like to find something simple for the countryside, like the Searchlight Signal.

Thanks for the drawing, it is just what I was looking for.

I can't find anything on the download for TRS12 in Searchlight Signals that is not missing pieces or obsolete. I guess I'll just leave the signals out, and let others place them with what works on their system, since TRS12 is becoming obsolete too.

Thanks for your help my friend.

HillbillyHobo said:

AWESOME!!

The only signals I see that go up to 8 is the 'QR Signals', but there is no #6, but there is a #7 with just 2 lights on it. Is QR the right signal to use?

I'm gonna see if there are others to download. I would like to find something simple for the countryside, like the Searchlight Signal.

Thanks for the drawing, it is just what I was looking for.

Click to expand...

You have them built-in already in TS12 they came with the Mojave Sub. Look for signals that begin with JR MS.

The alternative to this is You can download the Searchlight signals from www.jointedrail.com. You will need to sign up if you haven't already.

An understanding of Trainz signalling starts with a basic understanding of the principles of railway signalling and safeworking in general, so a Google search for articles on real-life signalling and it's terminology would be helpful.

The PDF guide that John mentioned was an official signalling guide produced by Auran that was included with older versions of Trainz, but seemed to have disappeared by the 09/2010 era (the last version I have that included the guide was 04). It does explain the percularities of the official Auran Trainz signalling (i.e. it's not actually 100% prototypical but is a simplified version of how real railway signalling functions), and third party signalling available on the DLS and in modern Trainz versions often uses their own unique scripts to function and so may work differently to the Auran signalling in the guide.

It's still worth tracking down though.

I found the signals JC...thanks my friend.

Quick question....

I see you have track markers between the signals. Does the track marker work as a splitter for the signals, so they don't overlap each other?

If so, then I will need to make sure I have a track marker between ever signal for them to work properly?

And is there a certain distance I need to be with the marker to the signal?

HillbillyHobo said:

I found the signals JC...thanks my friend.

Quick question....

I see you have track markers between the signals. Does the track marker work as a splitter for the signals, so they don't overlap each other?

If so, then I will need to make sure I have a track marker between ever signal for them to work properly?

And is there a certain distance I need to be with the marker to the signal?

Click to expand...

The direction markers, however, are what keep the AI on the proper route.

The markers aren't necessary for most cases, but they are helpful to keep the AI moving when their destination is really far away. I will put these breadcrumbs, or waypoints as they're called in other games, to lead the AI along so they don't get lost. This also prevents the AI from doing stupid things such as seeking a path down a branch line or siding instead of sticking to the mainline tracks. There's nothing worse than having a 65 mph mainline with 10 mph sidings and have the drivers switch to take the 10 mph track instead! To prevent this from occurring, I place a track mark in the middle somewhere on the track near the middle, so the AI is past the point where it can back up or decide to take the slowest route. I will sometimes place an exit track mark to ensure the AI keep going instead of doing something stupid.

The markers are good for wyes though and I place one on each leg and the connectors as shown. The purpose for them is to keep the AI going on the proper leg and pass through the wye rather than doing little tricks. Let me explain. I have a wye setup on my very large route. I kept getting messages from one of the drivers about getting stuck, so I did some investigating and noticed the driver had reversed and was backing up. Why?

I quit the session and decided to watch the driver as "he" approached the wye. The result was the AI driver would traverse one leg of the wye just enough to get into it then back up, reverse, then get stuck as he decided to continue on the journey. What's interesting is shorter trains did the same thing and would take the branch on the wye to the end then reverse back down the leg going in the right direction to the destination. By placing the track marks on each leg as shown, I directed the AI to follow the before - middle - end (exit) path and this keeps them going in the right direction.

So Cool....I love learning stuff. It's like opening up a gift, as to where I am receiving something I did not have before.

Time to dive in. I hope to be uploading this route before September.

I posted some pics in the gallery a few weeks back under 'HBH Around The Bend ph2'. You can see it's a simple single line route. There is one long stretch that I think I may change to a double track. The 2nd track would be a track I would be installing later anyway to take ph2 across the big river to ph 3 'The Suburbs'.

I'm glad I can help. I'll take a look at your pics.

Hey JCitron, I placed the 08 interlocking signal in one of the triangle intersections. I set it up like the drawing showed. I was running a test, and it appears that after the train passes the light my speed limit is posted at 15mph.

I look at the signal properties. It has a clear, remove, and add tab that works with the letters L, R, and F on defining straight path through junctions.
There is also an Allow Restricting Aspect with a Yes or No tab.

I didn't see anything that involved the speed limit, which has caused my brain to derail...lol

Any clue?

HillbillyHobo said:

Hey JCitron, I placed the 08 interlocking signal in one of the triangle intersections. I set it up like the drawing showed. I was running a test, and it appears that after the train passes the light my speed limit is posted at 15mph.

I look at the signal properties. It has a clear, remove, and add tab that works with the letters L, R, and F on defining straight path through junctions.
There is also an Allow Restricting Aspect with a Yes or No tab.

I didn't see anything that involved the speed limit, which has caused my brain to derail...lol

Any clue?

Click to expand...

I don't fiddle with the settings and let the scripts do their magic. I learned the hard way too!

The slowing down to 15 mph is one of the normal speeds for interlocking signals. The trains slow down for the wye junction then will resume track speed on the other side. What you have is a MEDIUM APPROACH SLOW, or red over yellow over solid green reading from top to bottom.

According to the CSX rulebook (based on NORAC rules), this means Medium Speed through turnouts, crossovers, sidings, and over power-operated switches; then proceed, approaching next signal not exceeding slow speed. Slow speed is defined as not exceeding 15 mph.

If you have a red over yellow over a flashing green, this means: MEDIUM APPROACH MEDIUM.

Medium speed through turnouts, crossovers, sidings, and over power-operated switches; then proceed, approaching next signal at medium speed. Medium speed is defined as not exceeding 30 mph.

I recommend getting some signal guides on the internet. There are signal rulebooks available for the major roads such as CSX and NS, and also the NORAC rule book which is what our US signaling is based on. CSX and NS base their rules on the NORAC system and so do many transit systems.


You can actually increase your speed by ensuring that the junctions ahead of your train is set for the route. The train will then move at the medium approach medium speed instead of medium approach slow.

Just started to look into the signals. I was just wondering why the speed changed.

I'll go ahead and end this thread, since the ball is in my court now.

Thank You for all your help my friend.

**I just have signals, lighting up everything for nighttime, and testing the layout for any problems.
I have a helicopter ride, and a river cruise that's a real scream [ lol Dave Snow ]