Dark Signals in ORTS & coupling into Carman standing next to the tracks

**mirekkr** · 01-23-2015, 16:51

Hello,
I hope I can solve your problem concerning signals.
I've explored NS Pocahontas, file SIGCFG.DAT, which has errors almost on all lines defining SignalAspects.
Try this:
Go to the corresponding route's folder and find its SIGCFG.DAT. Open it for editing (Unicode editor, WordPad, Notepad, ...) and look for all lines beginning with "SignalAspects ".
Correct the number of aspect so that it equals tho the number of following SignalAspect lines. E.g. the following original block is wrong:
SignalAspects ( 3
SignalAspect ( STOP_AND_PROCEED "Red" SpeedMPH ( 15 ) )
SignalAspect ( APPROACH_1 "Yellow" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
SignalAspect ( APPROACH_2 "Yellow" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
SignalAspect ( CLEAR_2 "Green" )
)
Correct it to be:
SignalAspects ( 4
SignalAspect ( STOP_AND_PROCEED "Red" SpeedMPH ( 15 ) )
SignalAspect ( APPROACH_1 "Yellow" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
SignalAspect ( APPROACH_2 "Yellow" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
SignalAspect ( CLEAR_2 "Green" )
)
Check ALL SignalAspects blocks and correct the aspect counts to their right values.
I wish that this solves your problem.

BTW:
I had another "dark signal problem" with the FBL Line route: ALL signals were dark there. There was another issue: the file SIGCFG.DAT begun with _Skip ( ... After I had changed the line to Comment ( , everything went ok.

PS: ALWAYS read the OpenRailsLog.txt file! It will help you to navigate where to go...

Regards,
mirekkr

**OTTODAD** · 01-23-2015, 17:28

Originally posted by ddcat2004

Also on the Cascade & Northwestern route I try to leave the yard at Nuggett and there is a Carman standing by the tracks to watch my train but when I go by the Carman, I couple up to him and take him with me and I shouldn't do that. I am wondering if there is a fix for that.

I am wondering whether that is a clever trick of the creator of that route, that Carman being a "loose Consist" on the track there the player will pick up by default, simulating him jumping on the passing train ?

What does the F9 Driveraid show when it happens and can you check him in the MSTS Route Editor so see what kind of object he is ?

**ddcat2004** · 01-23-2015, 18:50

The Carman is a wagon. When I do the activity in MSTS, I go by the Carman without any trouble. But in ORTS, I couple up to him. It says in the Track Monitor in ORTS that there is a Train Ahead. In the F9, it shows a car.

**R. Steele** · 01-23-2015, 21:45

Originally posted by mirekkr

Hello,
I hope I can solve your problem concerning signals.
I've explored NS Pocahontas, file SIGCFG.DAT, which has errors almost on all lines defining SignalAspects.
Try this:...
Regards,
mirekkr

Thanks for the insight to the mysteries of the "sigcfg.dat".
Question: should the "SignalNumClearAhead ( 4 )" always read ( 4 )?

AND... is there anything wrong with the following block from the Pokey?

SignalDrawStates ( 2
_SignalDrawState ( 0
"Red"
DrawLights ( 2
DrawLight ( 5 )
DrawLight ( 6 )
)
)
_SignalDrawState ( 1
"Yellow"
DrawLights ( 2
DrawLight ( 3 )
DrawLight ( 4 )
)
)
_SignalDrawState ( 2
"Flashing Yellow"
DrawLights ( 2
DrawLight ( 3 SignalFlags ( FLASHING ) )
DrawLight ( 4 SignalFlags ( FLASHING ) )
)
)
_SignalDrawState ( 3
"Green"
DrawLights ( 2
DrawLight ( 1 )
DrawLight ( 2 )
)
)
_SignalDrawState ( 4
"Flashing Green"
DrawLights ( 2
DrawLight ( 1 SignalFlags ( FLASHING ) )
DrawLight ( 2 SignalFlags ( FLASHING ) )
)
)
SignalDrawState ( 0
"Lunar"
DrawLights ( 1
DrawLight ( 0 )
)
)
SignalDrawState ( 1
"Dark"
)
)
SignalAspects ( 8
SignalAspect ( STOP "Dark" SpeedMPH ( 0 ) )
SignalAspect ( STOP_AND_PROCEED "Dark" SpeedMPH ( 15 ) )
_SignalAspect ( RESTRICTING "Lunar" SpeedMPH ( 10 ) )
_SignalAspect ( APPROACH_1 "Dark" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
_SignalAspect ( APPROACH_2 "Green" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
_SignalAspect ( APPROACH_3 "Flashing Green" )
_SignalAspect ( CLEAR_1 "Dark" )
_SignalAspect ( CLEAR_2 "Dark" )
)
SignalNumClearAhead ( 4 )
)

**OTTODAD** · 01-24-2015, 10:01

Originally posted by ddcat2004

The Carman is a wagon. When I do the activity in MSTS, I go by the Carman without any trouble. But in ORTS, I couple up to him. It says in the Track Monitor in ORTS that there is a Train Ahead. In the F9, it shows a car.

That's the reason for why it happens like it does ! Enjoy ORTS doing something that MSTS can not do !

**baldwin** · 01-24-2015, 11:35

The invisowag in question has no couplings and is used in activities on the C&NW fantasy route with different scenic items attached such as a ROW truck. I don't think that an ROW truck is supposed to leap on the train.

In MSTS with no couplings, the player passes over or through the ontrack part without coupling. In OR however, it couples to the invisowag. I actually have a set of loco and cars with no couplings and can run the train and switch in OR just like a train with couplings. This already has a bug report.

**mirekkr** · 01-24-2015, 13:28

Originally posted by R. Steele

AND... is there anything wrong with the following block from the Pokey?

SignalAspects ( 8
SignalAspect ( STOP "Dark" SpeedMPH ( 0 ) )
SignalAspect ( STOP_AND_PROCEED "Dark" SpeedMPH ( 15 ) )
_SignalAspect ( RESTRICTING "Lunar" SpeedMPH ( 10 ) )
_SignalAspect ( APPROACH_1 "Dark" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
_SignalAspect ( APPROACH_2 "Green" SpeedMPH ( 30 ) )
_SignalAspect ( APPROACH_3 "Flashing Green" )
_SignalAspect ( CLEAR_1 "Dark" )
_SignalAspect ( CLEAR_2 "Dark" )
)
SignalNumClearAhead ( 4 )
)

I think there should be

SignalAspects ( 2

As for SignalNumClearAhead (), see here: http://www.elvastower.com/forums/ind...work-properly/ , post #2.

Regards,
mirekkr

**roeter** · 01-24-2015, 14:22

Originally posted by R. Steele

Thanks for the insight to the mysteries of the "sigcfg.dat".
Question: should the "SignalNumClearAhead ( 4 )" always read ( 4 )?

AND... is there anything wrong with the following block from the Pokey?

In that block, _SignalDrawState and _SignalAspect are apparantly used as 'dummies'. There is nothing about this in the documents, and I'm not sure how OR will handle this when reading the file.

As for the signal aspects, if all the _SignalAspect entries are indeed intended as dummies, that leaves only two valid entries - but both show 'dark' only. So little surprise that this signal never shows any lights.

To know what is really intended here, it would be necessary to check the related script for this signal, and see which states can actually be set. States which can be set in the script must be defined as SignalAspect, and the signal draw states referenced in those aspects must be defined as SignalDrawState. Clearly, the numbers in SignalDrawStates and SignalAspects should be set to the total of valid entries. Personally, I would then remove all other (dummy) entries, to avoid confusion to both myself and to the program.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

**R. Steele** · 01-24-2015, 14:31

Thanks Rob. I believe I am beginning to understand. Have already made backups, will make the adjustments and see what happens.

**R. Steele** · 01-24-2015, 14:38

Originally posted by mirekkr

I think there should be

SignalAspects ( 2

As for SignalNumClearAhead (), see here: http://www.elvastower.com/forums/ind...work-properly/ , post #2. Regards,mirekkr

Thanks Mike, will read Elvas reference. Sigcfg and Sigscr are somewhat beyond me now, but it's a learning curve. Interesting, some glimmers of understanding. Takes time.