How do I set maximum speed (a) Globally? (b) for various sections of track?

I have labored for many hours to create a self-sustaining, freight-centric route containing most of the industries found in Trainz Simulator 12. It occupies a huge number of tiles and works rather well so far.
The resultant entire network has a maximum allowable speed limit of 65km/h, which is ok, I guess for a predominantly freight oriented railway.
However, recently I added a passenger operation between the airport and seaport stations to accommodate the transport of virtual passengers between these sites.
Now I would like to add variable speed limits to certain sections of track so that passenger services can operate at higher maximum allowable speeds over track than their freight-only counterparts.
I searched the manuals and online FAQs to see how this can be done to no avail - The manuals are great at telling you how to stay within the speed limits set, but not about setting them!
Can someone please enlighten me about how to:
(A) Set a global maximum speed limit for a given route?
(B) Apply different speed limits to sections of track so that AI drivers obey the limits set by the designer?
I did find the Driver Rule add-on for SetMaximumSpeed and tried to apply it to a Driver Session, but I obviously don't know how how to use this feature properly either!
Your sage counsel is earnestly awaited...
Many thanks!

I am uncrtain if you can Globally set the speed limit of an entire route to other than the default speed (say, set a route to all 10mph) ?

Speedboards (whcih are trackside assets) will change the speed limits of various sections of tracks.

Hi PC_Ace,

Welcome to the Trainz forums, I see we now have another Kiwi Trainzer.

First, 65kmh is the default speed in Trainz if you have no signals and no speed limit signs on your route.

To set other speeds it is nessesary to signal the route and place speed limit signs. If it is a New Zealand route you can use USA signals because they are on the right of the track as in NZ, likewise you can use USA speed signs although they are in Mph. not Kmh. There is quite a steep learning curve with trains so you should look in the enclosed manual for a guide to signaling. The manual can be found from the Trainz Launcher screen.
You will find that most regular users of the forums are very willing to help if you get stuck with some aspect of Trainz, so see what you can work out from the manual and post again if there is something you don't understand.

Cheers,
Bill69

Many thanks for this prompt response. Appreciated!
I thought that the speed boards were largely cosmetic and thus did not have an influence on the track sections involved.
A quick experiment showed me that such a notion is incorrect - I now have consists moving along at 100km/h in some sections!
PC

When driving manualy, one can easily go faster than the speedboard sign (but a copper might pull your train over, and give you a speeding ticket).

Using an AI loco and driver, setting a speed to a minimum of 10mph is slow enough (as a 5kmh or 5mph speedboard will be, stop and atart, painfully slow, like watching molassas sliding uphill, on a NZ winters day, in July).

I like my Trainz going between 10 to 25 mph, as my video card is choppy, and I hate watching a Trainz blurr going 250mph.

There is a JetSled that goes 786mph (and that is a fun loco to drive).

Hi Bill69,
Thank you!
My route is fictitious, full-scale but applies US signalling throughout.
The addition of judiciously chosen speed boards is my next task following a quick experiment this morning as a result of two very helpful and prompt replies to my post.
Accordingly, I'm impressed with the Trainz community.
Many thanks!
PC

Hi PC_Ace,

You will find that track side items in the objects tab are cosmetic except for industries, but track side items in the track-signals tab actually work as signals to the driver.

Cheers,
Bill69

Hi PC_Ace,

The only way that I know of getting a dual speed line is by setting the line speed to the speed that you require for your passenger trains e.g. 60 mph and then use the driver command "Set Max Speed To" to regulate the speed of your freight trains to a lower speed. This command is built in to TS2012 but there is also a version for kph on the DLS. I make extensive use of this command to keep AI freight trains running at realistic speeds on grades etc as I find the sight of freight trains running up the 1 in 100 grades at 80 mph on the S&C route very unrealistic.

Regards

Brian

An other option to have two different maximum speeds after a set point is to use a speed sign for the highest maximum speed and then use my "Update max speed and priority,<kuid2:645812:100106:5>" to lower the maximum speed for other trains. With this asset, this can be done based on load, train controll (AI or all), name of the front engine, current prio and some consist build-up.

Gidday Brian,
Yes, that technique has worked well for me now that I finally understand how the speed boards and "Set Max Speed" driver commands actually work.
Like you, I prefer to inject a sense of performance reality into the capabilities of my virtual consists, especially when I am running older livestock over gradients and adverse curvature.
Now I have TGVs and lengthy coal trains sharing the same track nicely, even with widely disparate maximum speeds!
I am planning to investigate Oknotsen's helpful DLS contributions further.
Thanks and Cheers!
PC

Gidday Oknotsen,
I followed your link and will investigate your impressive contributions further.
Many thanks for your helpful input to the Trainz Simulator community!
I'm hoping that with further experience I might be able to contribute some useful assets to the global pool someday.
Tot Ziens!
PC

I've found out that signals can alter the speed of your trains. If your signals are constantly yellow, trains (at least AI trains) will slow down to about half your maximum speed. Unless you get to under 35 mph, where there is no more slow up. It's mostly useful for lower speeds, but if you have a busy area that you want to pass at 40 mph, your trains will be slowed to 20 mph, while if they pass them at 35 mph they, well, stay at 35mph.