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Creating express trains

Started by passengerpigeon, June 17, 2021, 01:55:22 PM

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passengerpigeon

On my first long-term singleplayer game in Pak128.Britain Extended, I now have a busy rail network and would like to commence limited-stop express services. What are some ways to allow expresses to pass slower trains, short of quadruple-tracking my whole main line (which I don't have the space to do)? I tried using choose signals at both ends of through-stations, but this only seems to route trains around when there is a train in the station terminating there and shunting back; expresses behind a local train doing a normal stop at that station just stop behind it until it moves on. How can I signal quadruple-tracked stations to allow passing? Also, can I create a quadruple-tracked individual section of the line between stations where locals are waypointed to the outer tracks, letting the Express run through if there's one behind them? If so, what signals do I place? I should mention that it is 1879 and I don't have multiple aspect ones yet.

Rollmaterial

To allow passing trains to route around a stopped train on the default route, place an end-of-choose sign at the exit. Then the train will look for a free route up to that end-of-choose sign. For the waypoints part there is no way to set priorities at junctions. You can either make the passing loop long enough for the express to catch up with the local or build a siding with bare goods station tiles for the local to stop. You can also make the local line wait by setting a departure time.

I use the SimuDia graphic timetabling tool to schedule my railways: https://forum.simutrans.com/index.php/topic,18322.msg174039.html#msg174039

freddyhayward

The simplest and most reliable way to do this is quadruple tracking your through local stations and letting slow trains always use the outer platforms.
Choose signals are very tricky to get working reliably. If I have to use them, I put end-of-choose signs beyond the platforms after the two tracks merge back to one. If I read your comment correctly, you put choose signals there instead of end-of-choose signs, which probably won't work.
It's possible to use quadruple-tracked individual sections with waypoints, but also very tricky to get working. There is no guaranteed way to let the express train pass, but you can help the express train by placing fewer signals in the express track so that it reserves the junction earlier. You can then experiment with different signal spacings to make it more reliable.

Mariculous

There are two approaches you should consider:
1. As Freddy mentioned build pass-through tracks on skipped stations, so non-stop trains, so trains do not stop on the mainline.
2. Carefully schedule your network, so in the best-case no train will ever have to wait at a red signal.
That's a quite time consuming task and given the current tools, you will never get a perfectly scheduled network, but if you want to get the maximum out of your infrastructure, this is a must have!

Designing schedules is a complex task, which could easily fill an entire thread on it's own, so I won't go to deep in detail:
A general tactics is to design schedules at passing or hub stations the following way:
- Schedule departures, so the fastest train departs first, a slower one next, then a yet slower one and so on.
- Schedule arrivals, so the slowest train arrives first, a faster one next, then a yet faster one and so on.

You usually want such train passings to happen around the terminal station of the slower one, so passengers can transfer from the slower one to the long-distance route and there are no long waiting times en-route.
Alternatively, you want such passings to happen around stations that are skipped by the faster train, so it can pass-by quickly whilst the slower one is loading/unloading at the platform.

Quote from: passengerpigeon on June 17, 2021, 01:55:22 PMAlso, can I create a quadruple-tracked individual section of the line between stations where locals are waypointed to the outer tracks
In most cased this is not a good option. Consider this only if there is no sensible alternative. You might make your slower trains to serve an additional station on the outer tracks or build a shortcut for the faster trains to speed them up additionally. Atherwise such passing sections will have to be quite long.

prissi

Are there priority signals considered also for exteded?

Mariculous

As far as I understand priority signals, they don't differ quite much from three-aspect signals in extended:
If the next two blocks are clear, they will be reserved. If only the next block is clear, it will be reserved. If none is clear, the signal cannot be passed.

prissi

In that case, wouldn't those be also a good option for passing on main lines?

Mariculous

Yes, if it wasn't 1879
Quote from: passengerpigeon on June 17, 2021, 01:55:22 PMI should mention that it is 1879 and I don't have multiple aspect ones yet.