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I’ve been reading the forums and checked out the interactive guide after purchasing the game. The interactive guide does a good job of showing how signals work on a single track with a passing loop. I was able to duplicate that scenario successfully in my game.
However, once I got past the one-lane track, to multiple lanes, the signaling becomes a nightmare. I have passing loops set up in the 2-3 lane network, but I can’t seem to set up the signals correctly. Someone please give me a tutorial or some info, please.
Having the same issue with a single massive loop going into 2 train platforms. Both trains want to use the same platform regardless of how I have the lights set up. I have them one-way directional through the loop. Nothing like TTDX.
I normally think about what direction I want the train to go in at one side or another, just like road systems. Then I think about whre I want the train to stop, so that it does not block other train in the intersaction, or so that it will wait for another train to pass. If the section after a light is occupied, the other train will stop and wait until the coming section is free.
Note that having too many signals may allow trains to get very close to each other – meaning that the second train might catch up with the first. so I often prefer having one having to wait at the station until the previous train has arrived at the next station, or is very close to. This spreads the trains more out, without having to make them wait for full load, which will make passenger tired and not use the line.
Singal + direction of light: [<s] or [s>]
Rails: —
Intersection: \ or /
[s>]—————[s>]-
—-/—-[<s]—————[<s]–\—-[single track station, etc.]
Signal in this example has “one way” toggled on (click on the signal, toggle “one way” on):
——————————————-[s>]— Train will go <-
–[<s]——————————————– Train will go ->
It’s usually smart to make a signal with one way toggled on just after the intersection, on each end. Explained: I want the train to go on the right side. To do that, I toggle “one way” on, at the first signal pointing towards the train on the RIGHT track, AFTER the intersection.
Hope this helps. 🙂
Once you are using double track, don’t use passing loops. The game doesn’t properly emulate a real railroad dispatcher and instead uses fixed paths.
Have you figured out a single track on multiple platforms? If you can understand my ASCII drawing 🙂 All trains want to use the top platform. I have 1 way lights positioned at both the entrance and exit of each platform so the top should be red when occupied / bottom green. Except the other train reports it’s waiting for a rail even though the bottom rail / platform are empty. I want to employ a large loop system using only two major rail lines. Though both platforms will only be used for a fraction of the time I want the train ready to accept goods as the other one departs.
/—————————————————————————-\
| <– inbound |
| |
\—=======================—\ outbound –> |
\—=======================—–\—————————/
^ station
Signals can really be a pain of the arse.. I’m still trying to figure it out my self.. I think if you make a signal one way you should be able to actually set the direction in which trains go on that track.
Sorry to DP, but I cant edit last.. So far I see setting a signal for one way doing nothing for me, or what I would it’s supposed to do.
It is i.m.o. time for some good YouTube tutorial video’s made for the English speaking game community. Such tutorials already exist for the German speaking community. The unique and well designed TF signal system is easy to understand.. if you know how it works. In fact are Train Fever railroad signals not signals but by yourself placed triggers to launch the advanced pathfinding duties done by the a.i. at your service. The most signals are invisiable, already automatically placed by the a.i. when you connect railroad tracks with your station, depots or on switches when you create these.
The most of the signals, placed by gamers not yet understanding how simple but refined the TF train guidance system works, are not needed. Unneeded signals disrupt many times the good working of the routes guiding system. Below you can see a picture of a terminal station that I have created. Two lines (blue and black) are ending there, both along their own platform. I don’t have placed exit or entrance signals at the platform ends.. they are not needed in this game. I don’t have placed a signal at the depot exit.. they are not needed in this game. One, just ONE signal (number one and bi directional working) is needed to assist the game a.i. with its flawless work at this location is manual placed by meself. The task of the other manual placed signal (number two being a one way signal) is to create the left sided one way track. The right side one way track is created by a one way signal built at a spot close near the station of a neighbouring city. That is all.. in fact is my track and signal design very simple.
I have some questions about it…
1. Signals must be always placed on the right side of the track … right ? ..
2. if is on the left, then is meant for opposite direction right ?
3. if you have a line which merge into another … do we need a signal before the junction ? …
1. Yes. When placing a signal, you put it on the right hand side of the track from the direction you want the train to travel in on that track.
2. If it is on the left hand side then it is facing the other direction yes.
3. It’s a good idea in general, though it would depend on the specific setup you have (sometimes you want a train to wait further back). But if you had no signals on a track with 2 stations and 2 rails most of the way, with a short single track area and 2 lines running on it with 1 train each, then the moment one train left a station it would reserve the track all the way to the other station and the other train would be stuck at it’s station until the first train had gotten past the single area. Putting signals on the incoming tracks just before a merge means that trains will only reserve the track up until the signal and other trains can still use the track. When the train reaches the signal, then it will reserve the track again (or wait if there’s another train already there).
thanx ..
about point 3
A ——–x————— B
…………\
…………..\_______C—- = main line
___ = side line
\ = line connecting both lines
…. = just spacer .. ignore it
Two trains going … first from B to A and second from C to A ..
Train on main line (B -> A) will reserve track B-A or B -x ? … so if the train on line C-A comes to junction first .. will go and reserve the track from x-A or has to wait the mainline train to reach A ?
I hope was clear enought
Generally I place a signal wherever I might need the train to wait. I think this is most important. Then I also placed some more to simply divide the track in pieces, although I am not sure how much track the trains reserve, only up to the next signal, or more. The idea was so trains can follow each other at some distance, but then I have 1 train line currently and it only has 3 trains so I canát say I really tested it out. Maybe by the year 2000 my 4 main cities will grow enough so I can use train to connect them in a circle at the edge of the map with an express or something. 🙂
Trains will only reserve tracks to the next signal. Junctions don’t count.
So in theuros’ example:
If there is no signal in front of x (seen from where the train is coming), the junction is ignored. (Also, for the game, there’s no main or side lines. All lines are created equal.) In this case, the train which leaves the station (B or C) first, will reserve the whole track to A and block the other one from leaving the station.
If you put signals in front of x (that is, between B and x, and C and x, respectively), the train leaving the station will only reserve a path to the signal. Once it arrives there*, it tries to reserve the next part of the track, in this case from signal to A. The train that reaches its signal first, takes precedence.
* That’s a bit simplified. The game takes train speed, time to slow down to speed zero, train length, etc. into account. It probably calculates the time the train would need to slow down to stop at the signal, and reserves the track at that point, i.e. shortly before it reaches the signal. If the track’s occupied at that time, it stops the train.
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