No signalling

[Hannes44]

I'm building a route that has nearly zero signals in reality. What is the best way to imitate this fact, nevertheless makes AI possible?

[OTTODAD]

I'm building a route that has nearly zero signals in reality. What is the best way to imitate this fact, nevertheless makes AI possible?

Do what Sniper (Jim Ward) did with his FREESTYLE scenarios, start and stop them running on tracks not likely to be used by the player !

There is just one problem doing that in ORTS, I shall let others explain who know more on that subject !

https://youtu.be/pcEyzi33VLY
Best viewed Full screen.

[Hannes44]

Problem is; it is only on line with passing tracks. The drivers simply knew, there was only one other train on the line and they knew when and where to meet it.

[OTTODAD]

Problem is; it is only on line with passing tracks. The drivers simply knew, there was only one other train on the line and they knew when and where to meet it.

You have to learn how to place certain types of signals in the MSTS Route Editor which can control the running of AIs when there is a Player on the single track ahead of them and divert into the nearest siding, making the player wait at a signal before that siding.

Depending on trains priorities the player could be diverted into the siding to let the AI pass.

MSTS and Railworks signalling is a mystery to me and perhaps one of the signalling experts in these can advise you ?

Timetabling both the player and IA train has its own problems, the player having to drive at the right speed to avoid stand-offs at signals !

[ebnertra000]

I've been thinking about this for a bit, and the best I could come up with was to bury signals, maybe leaving a marker of some kind (a post, maybe) to show where exactly the signal is, so as not to overshoot the signal by mistake. The default Hisatsu Line signals would be perfect for this. This would, in my opinion, be a very good way to simulate an authority granted by a track warrant in dark territory

[PerryPlatypus]

The most common method is to place signals at the end of sidings with the visible element below ground, as Travis mentioned. You could check the real world route and see if they have trackside signs that indicate the location of the "fouling point" for the siding. If not, your best bet is to always place the signals the exact same distance back from the switch, and you can either memorize where you need to pull up to, have a visible marker like Travis said, or use the Track Monitor. In any case, if you have an activity where you do not know for certain where you will be meeting other trains, you will need the Track Monitor anyways to check the "signals" to verify whether or not you need to stop at a certain siding.

[Hannes44]

I must confess, I don't like the idea of buried signals a lot. On the quiet I was hoping that OR AI is more intelligent than MSTS and detects an oncoming player train and stops at the last possible bypass. I read somewhere, that behavior like this was intended in later stages of developement. For now I'll go on without AI trains and signals, I think. There isn't too much traffic on my route anyway.

[OTTODAD]

I must confess, I don't like the idea of buried signals a lot. On the quiet I was hoping that OR AI is more intelligent than MSTS and detects an oncoming player train and stops at the last possible bypass. I read somewhere, that behavior like this was intended in later stages of developement. For now I'll go on without AI trains and signals, I think. There isn't too much traffic on my route anyway.

I thought that ORTS has a way to set existing signalling and switches when running an activity, allowing the user running it to also be its Dispatcher ?

[Vince]

I have been busy genning up a set of activities for the LIRR route. In preparation for . . . . .

There are no signals on the LIRR but even fairly complex activities run fine with a little bit of tuning, actually less tuning than getting an activity to work in MSTS. This was a welcome surprise to me.

And the Sim speed selector make it REALLY easy to fine tune an activity, not failing to mention Autopilot Mode, Open Rails is a real joy for the activity writer.

The only thing I use MSTS for now is the clunky buggy editors. There is hope though as rumor has it that an activity editor is in the works and of course, the new OpenRails Route Editor presently undergoing public alpha testing.
Not quite ready for prime time yet but an impressive piece of work.

regards,