Rail signals - what I am doing wrong?

[Mike Rosoft]

I have built two partially overlapping railway lines; to prevent the trains from blocking each other, I doubled a segment of the track. I also used signals and pre-signals; unfortunately, the trains never use the upper line and, eventually, blocked each other at the lower line. What I am doing wrong? (See screenshot.)


Mike Rosoft

[Lmallet]

You are using two-way signals.  Since Simutrans always wants to use the shortest path, it always uses the lower line.

With the signal tool, click on one of the signals in the siding.  It will change it to a one-way signal.  Keep clicking until you get the right direction.  This way, if the lower track is only one way, trains coming "against it", will not consider it to be a valid path.

[Severous]

Hi Mike.

Nearly all the signals I use are one way signals.  Not often will I use the two way setting of signals (which is the default).

I dont use many pre-signals either.  Perhaps one in the last 5 maps ive played.

Signals cost a lot to place and maintain. Too many can also cause more problems than they solve.

I think in addition to changing more signals to one way as Lmallet says above , I think I would remove all pre-signals (as they are performing additional unnecessary routing checks which is probobly the cause of the blockage shown), remove some of the other signals, but might add additional one way signals in the middle of those passing lines so a second train can be held in the passing loop (if you have more than two trains in this route)

Edit: Ps..press 'b' during your game. This highlights the tracks claimed by all vehicles.  That will show which vehicle is blocking the route your pre-signal is trying to route over.