MRL Mullan Pass - phantom signals.

[seagoon]

I have experienced at least two occasions when a signal appears ahead of me (when viewed from the cab) yet when I pop up the F4 monitor, nothing is there.

Any theories on why this is happening?

[geepster775]

The only thing I am aware of is when you do a restore, depending upon location, the track monitor shows Max Dist (with no signals on track monitor) instead of Auto Signal. When it says Max Dist, the first physical block signal you pass will be red, and when you pass that without stopping, the track monitor then shows signals.

If you do a save just before passing any absolute signals (interlockings, etc) it usually restores properly to Auto Signal. If you do a save just after passing an absolute, where the next signal is an intermediate block signal, it usually restores to Max Dist. The signaling logic can be reset by CTRL-M twice. But you have to be aware of traffic proximity before you do any reset. (read on)

As I've been running some of these timetable trains, the lack of shorty Avon siding as a passing location has set up some long distance waits for opposing traffic. If the player is passing Elliston just as the AI is coming into Garrison, one of these trains will get stuck waiting a long time on the other, since the only siding in the middle, Avon, is OOS and not a qualified passing location. Apparently the passing logic is not "long enough" to sort things properly when one siding is out of service and too many signal blocks exist in between the remaining workable sidings. One of the trains does get held up (luckily) but both are still given the main line (neither train at either end is prepared properly to be routed into the siding). Whatever train is lucky enough to be given the single track first will most likely have to 'step around' the opposing train sitting on the main when they reach the far end, when the flip situation of longest wait holding in the siding should be the case. If you do a signal reset (CTRL-M) x 2 under these long distance standoff circumstances, the AI train being held on the main at the far end will be turned loose, resulting in a cornfield meet somewhere along that artificially long stretch of single track caused by the OOS siding.

I have yet to discover why the difference in approaching signal type causes restores to be proper or be flawed. Real world scenarios like an OOS siding setting up longer stretches of single track sometimes are just too demanding on the OR code at the moment.

The short term work around is do your saves only as you are bearing down on absolute signals at interlockings.

[R. Steele]

I have experienced at least two occasions when a signal appears ahead of me (when viewed from the cab) yet when I pop up the F4 monitor, nothing is there.

Any theories on why this is happening?

Just an off chance...the developers did code an option to remove signals from the track monitor ( F4 ) -- for more realistic behavior, forcing users to use the routes signals ... use Shift+F4 to display or turn off signals in Track Monitor. (Depends on what branch of OR you are using - unstable & MG have this option I believe )

[seagoon]

..........The short term work around is do your saves only as you are bearing down on absolute signals at interlockings.

Thank you for the explanation. Most appreciated.
And thanks also for the tip on saving; I'll give that a go and see what happens.

[seagoon]

Just an off chance...etc

Thanks, Gerry.
I'm using the MG version and will try this.

[seagoon]

I've tried Geepster's advice and that appears to work.

Also, with Gerry's info......the F4 monitor, when [Shift+F4] is applied, the proper signals drop whatever colour aspect they showed and become white.
Phantom signals did not reappear, presumably because I was using Geepster's saving suggestion.

All good and thanks, lads.