Open Rails and Signals in Explore Mode

[mikeebb]

I've been trying a couple of routes in explore mode, and have found that the signals work strangely. Seldom do I get more than 2 greens in a row - then a sequence of yellows down to red. In Explore mode when there are no other trains around. Speed limit often (but not always) reflects the signal indication assuming a permissive red (stop then restricted speed). This occurs on Surfliner 2, the incomplete Donner Pass from the library, North Coast (3 & 3.1), and any other route that I've tried. When I hit the Tab key to go by, I get the message that there are no signals ahead of me - but I'm looking at a red one. On the plus side, I can ignore them all and nothing happens, but still - why? Running the same routes in MSTS results in the signals operating normally - all green unless there really is something out there (like an end of track). This almost seems to be by-design because it occurs in every route I've tried. Comments? thoughts? Thanks.

Oh yes: using the current 0.9x stable version.

-Mike B

[seagoon]

Here's a thread on the subject of OR signalling...........

https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showthread.php?314969-Extend-Cleared-Signal-Circuits

[rdamurphy]

Try downloading the current "X" version here:

http://www.openrails.org/experimental.html

Thanks,

Robert

[eric]

Look in your SigCfg.dat and check all of the "SignalNumClearAhead" parameter.

There was a little known bug in how MSTS was using this value in the scripts, which hasn't been replicated in ORTS.

MSTS was using the least restrictive value of any signal type in the script for all signals in the script...

ORTS correctly uses the actual number set for that specific signal type.

[mikeebb]

Thanks. Is that a master sigcfg.dat - in the main directory - or in each route? Just trying to avoid detail work (that I'll probably mess up) if I can...

[eric]

It's the file in each route. Look just for that parameter, and remember that the number includes the indication of the current signal, a yellow and a red at the end of the blocks, and whatever is remaining in between as green.

SignalNumClearAhead ( 4 ) results in two greens, a yellow, and a red.

SignalNumClearAhead ( 6 ) should net you four greens, a yellow and a red.

There are some really good scripts by which have been done by Hank Sundermeyer and Jovet, replicated in a lot of routes, which used the (4) value, but I've since bumped my own copies up to 6 and now get a much longer cleared path.

[rdamurphy]

The SignalNumClearAhead(x) should equal the number of Intermediate/Permissive Signals to the next Absolute Signal. Mostly, in MSTS, this was set to the longest single track.

The signals should be updating as the train moves forward, since in Explore mode, the Train creates it's own path, based on the parameter.

Robert