Ok folks, I believe I've come up with a reasonably ellagant solution. This is how it looks. Red wire goes across the high voltage power poles next to my tracks, between the wait station, and the mines.
The wait station is a long track that goes nowhere (loops back on itself, not a route other trains want to take, somewhere near the "middle" of your mine area, enough to accommodate a dozen trains). There is a single station at the end, labeled "iron wait", and a lot of regular rail signals in between. Just before the "iron wait" station, this blueprint exists (with a buffer ~1 train length between it, and the nearest rail signal):
Code: Select all
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
This is the storage of the iron train network status, along with a constant combinator you can flip on/off to flush a single train through at a time (IE: if anything goes awry). If that train you flush through can't find a station, don't worry, it'll fail, buzz past your ore delivery area, and get back into queue (might even be worth timering a flush every few minutes say, just in case!)
The red wire on the large power pole in this BP, needs to be wired into the rest of your red wire large power pole setup (that really should encompass your entire tracks). It uses the signal "i" for iron across the network, so you can adopt "c" for copper, "o" for coal, or what have you.
Next, the stations, this is the BP that seems to be working for me, it's the chest/combinator logic you probably want, the rest is likely fluff for most:
Code: Select all
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
With this, you have a 2 cargo wagon loading iron ore station (with built in belt balancer/quick loading distribution). The bottom left combinators count, and when there's > 2k ores in each set of chests, they turn the station on, which in turn the pulse combinator at the top of the BP fires a signal down the red signal network, to which your wait area is connected, asking for a train to be released. Once a train arrives at the station, it turns the station off automatically (so any others en-route will automagically re-route on the spot), and starts loading. After it's done loading, when the train moves on, the station automatically opens (thanks 0.15.11 update!), and passes over the signal immediately past the station. When this turns red, if there's still enough ore in the chests to fill another car, it fires a signal back down to the wait area, to ask for another train.
As far as I can see this should solve the riddle, a few quick notes (for anybody who stumbles from scratch, etc.):
- You'll want to name all mines the same thing. IE: "iron mine"
- If you're using this for other ores, just pick letters for the other ores for their respective logic in the station/wait area logic blocks. They can travel down the same red wire this way.
- Red wire needs to exist connecting all mines using this setup, to the wait area.
- The wait area should be off to the side somewhere, where no trains will accidentally take it (tried mine cutting a shortcut, despite having over 20 stations in the wait area [which are supposed to add +300 tiles/ea to pathing], my stupid *@$#( sulphur train insists on taking this short cut (messing up the count).
- You want your wait area to contain more trains then you can normally use.
- You generally want to order your trains to, #1 - Pickup at mine, #2 - Drop-off at base/refinery/smelt, #3 - Go to wait area. You should probably do "full load" on the first, "full unload" on the second, and "wait 0 seconds" on the 3rd (the red light will stop 'em).
- The benefit/basis of this setup is pretty straight forward. You drop a number of trains in "wait", and then you never have to touch trains/schedules/etc. again. You create a new mine? Great, just name it, and walk away. Deleting a mine? Great, delete it and walk away.
Known sub-optimal behavior:
- Trains let out quickly/sequentially will all head to the same mine to pick up, and re-path when the first train enters and closes the station. This could happen repeatedly in larger bases (IE: forcing trains to just drive aimlessly, as the train before 'em snags the station they were after, etc.).
- Behavior above (in a saturated station network) could have the same impact for multiple trains being let out/flushed through (IE: never hitting the delivery/resetting to the wait station, since the "iron mine" is never globally closed, forcing the train to select the next condition).
- More to come!
Let me know what you think, hopefully somebody finds this useful (God knows I couldn't drop it until I figured this out... and hopefully it works as well as I think it does at first blush, given I still don't know combinators very well, and I think it's mostly beginners luck).
I've attached a pic of my wait area for reference (yes, it's short on trains, I've been testing more than anything).