Do you mean that electric doesn’t come in until later in the game? It could well be that… perhaps an engine which I thought was diesel was in fact electric & that’s why it didn’t work? I’m still in the 1800s, but all the trains are showing up because I’m using Gwinda’s timeless_mod.
While you’re here… I’m also really struggling to figure out the signalling. Do you know of a good guide? It all seems to be working fine, then suddenly two trains decide to come down the same track and meet nose-to-nose — I’d’ve thought it would have occurred to one of them to use the other side!