Open Rails in Auto Mode on my MSTS Route, not reacting to some signals correctly?

[davejb]

Problem with running Open Rails in Auto Mode on my MSTS Route, not reacting to some signals correctly?. For instance , it comes to a signal which is a stop and a distant, the stop has cleared, but the distant has not. Meaning for the train can proceed with caution, as the next signal is stop. The train in Open Rails stops at this signal, but will not proceed?
Any idea's what the problem is please. Thank you. David B., UK.

[slipperman]

Hi David,
Without more information nobody could possibly suggest a reason!
The very least we'd need to know is the route's name and the activity you're attempting to run.
The OR log file could also be useful as it may report anomalies with the signals files.

Cheers,
Ged

[davejb]

Thank you for your reply Ged. The route is one that I created in MSTS, quite a few years ago now. It covers The Forest Of Dean Railways up to the 1960's. It also includes the main lines from Severn tunnel Junction to Gloucester and Gloucester back to Severn Tunnel Junction, under the Severn tunnel and Lydney to Berkeley Road, across the old Severn Railway Bridge.
So it was quite a formidable task, over many years. I am now trying to get to get it to work with Open Rails and using the Route Editor to add some more thing's to the route, that I couldn’t before, because of the restrictions on number of objects per tile. I have attached the log file and as you will see their are a lot of mentions about signal files.
I have been digging around in the forum this evening and I have got the impression that signal files might need altering, for use in Open Rails. I have printed these out, so that I can study them, during a quiet time. Many thanks for your interest in trying to help me. Now let's fathom out, how to send an attachment in here. All the Best. David B. TestingLog.txt

[slipperman]

Hi David,
Thanks for the OR log.
A number of duplicate signal types are listed - this may not cause a problem if they are genuine duplicates but if only the name is duplicated, that's a different story!
There are some other errors which could affect the way signals are displayed, including 14 missing Signal Types and one missing Signal Shapes file.

Although the OR log gives a lot of detail, it might be worth running my utility, sigcfg_Checker (file ID 87608).

Cheers,
Ged

[davejb]

Thank you again for the info Ged. Seems like many years ago on Train-Sim UK.
I have downloaded your file 87608 and run it, this is the results. Sig_Checker_2026-08-09_15-44-25.txt
I will work my way through the Signal Config and the Signal Script files in the route and look for the anomalies shown in your checker report and in the Testing Report and make any corrections, ( Backing up the files before I Start.) I don't understand where these problems came from, because these routes were working alright in MSTS!
I will let you know how I get on, might take a little while thou, as these days things take a bit longer. All The Best David B.

[slipperman]

Hi David,
Yes, mate, the big "problem" is that MSTS would sometimes ignore things it didn't understand whereas Open Rails is a lot more pedantic! At least we know where we are with OR!!

Thanks for the report, but as it's your custom route, I am, regretfully, unable to offer any help.

UKtrainsim was a while ago! Don't know if I'll remember, but what was your name on its Forum?

Cheers,
Ged

[davejb]

Hi Ged,
I have deleted the problem duplicated signals in the Sigcfg.dat files and their are no errors shown now. No luck running Open Rails in auto mode, as the train still stops at the Stop/ Distant signal, even thou the Stop signal is cleared.
I have been trying all sort of permutations, by altering the SignalNumClear Ahead, both on this signal and the next signal.
I have also experimented with using the Open Rails new signalling, as per the Manual 11.14 Signal Related Files. Only in the Sigcfg. dat file.
I wonder if anyone will produce an app, to convert an MSTS Sigcfg.dat and Sigscr.dat files, to an Open Rails version?
I was using the same name on UK Trainsim, as i am on here " davejb"
All The Best,
David B

[slipperman]

Hi David,
No, sorry, mate, my memory has failed me here!!

As far as I know, the only difference between MSTS and Open Rails running the signals files is that the latter doesn't always respond correctly where the SignalNumClearAhead has a value of ( 1 ) or ( 2 ) - the recommendation is to set it to ( 4 ).

You previously said that it's your own route - do you have similar problems with other routes? If not, I, respectfully, suggest that there may be some fault in your sigcfg.dat and/or sigscr.dat files. It may not provide an answer, but have you tried running my sigcfg_Checker utility (file ID 87608)?

Cheers,
Ged

[davejb]

Hi Ged,
Thank you for your reply. I have tried all the options on SignalNumClearAhead.
No I haven’t tried it on other routes, only different activities on my route, so I will give that a try. Picking a UK route with GWR semaphore signals.
I have run your sigfg_Checker, which has now confirmed, no problems after I deleted the duplicates and sorted out the shape file , with a problem.
I printed out the sigscr file yesterday and have been studying that and can't spot any problems with those signals their.
All this has been a steep learning curve for me, because after all those years of using MSTS and creating my own route. I never had to get involved with Signal Dat files before.
I have been reading up about those files in the Open Rails Manual and I am wondering about having a try at converting them to the Open Rails structure. So this afternoon I have downloaded the Open Rails Source Code from GitHub and a signal one as well. I will study those and see if I can learn more about that and make head or tail out of them?

Take Care,
David B.