Should-be simple rail intersection

[crake12]

Hey all. Let me first apologize for what is probably a stupid question with a simple answer. I have read guides, watched Youtube videos, Googled all I could and tried in game trail and error and I can't make this work. It probably is a simple answer but I can't make it work.

I've played through a couple times so I'm not a new player by any means. I do like to make my base as I see fit; for example I use a lot of logistic robots because I enjoy setting them up and using them.

I am 200 hours into this play through. I am playing 0.14 with all of Bob's Mods. I have four separate rail lines. The first is iron, second is copper, third is stone, coal and quartz, and the forth is six or seven other less-used minerals. The trains are never on the same track but the tracks do cross a few times which is where my problem is. Right now its a free for all and there is the occasional accident at an intersection which usually shuts the system down and I don't notice until supply starts to run short or I just happen to come across it in my vehicle. So using rail signals is where I search to solve my problem. I read chain signal going into the intersection and a regular rail signal leaving. This makes sense but it doesn't work. The problem is too simple for anyone to bother explaining, I'm just missing something simple.

Thanks so much for any help, this game rocks.

[aaargha]

This tutorial is the best and most thorough one I've found. As you read it I'd recommend building some of the setups and drive some trains around to see what happens, just take it easy and only move on when the current part makes sense.

If you want something more interactive I'd recommend that you download a separate 0.15 installation and try the interactive tutorials in-game. They can be accessed by starting a map and then clicking the hat icon in the top right.

If you have a more specific question I'll try to answer it as best as I can but for a more general explanation the above resources do a better job than I can.

[Bushdoctor]

(...)the tracks do cross a few times which is where my problem is.

I might be assuming the wrong thing, but you don't want to cross tracks somewhere along the line and rely on signals that are placed further away.
Instead you want to turn those crossings into proper junctions with signals. Having said that, it's quite problematic to put signals at crossings if they're single-track.
In that case both directions represent ongoing AND outgoing traffic, so it becomes unclear where to place chain- and where to place regular signals...

I would personally turn those separate lines into a single well signaled network. In the most ideal situation you want a dual track snaking through your landscape,
and any mining stations should be situated on sidelines leading from that dual main line. -Those side lines can be single track.

Feel free to post screenshots of your problem areas. That usually leads to direct solutions.

[Serenity]

Yeah, it's generally best to run dual track railways and have a proper T-junction when you you need to join two lines. Like this:

T-Junction

T-Junction.png (1.72 MiB) Viewed 2858 times

That also shows you how to do a crossing if you really want to do one. Chain signal before the crossing point. Normal signal behind. The chain signal makes the train check if it can leave the following block

When you branch off an end station you simply place two signals on either side of that single track. That way a train can go both ways. Works with both dual headed trains and single headed trains with loops. Depends on your preference.

There are two tiles between the tracks. That lets you place a line of big power poles there. And signals at every second pole create blocks so multiple trains can occupy a line. Such a section of three power poles is also easily turned into a blueprint. That way you can lay rails very quickly once you have power armor and construction robots

[crake12]

Thanks for the responses guys! You're right the problem is quite clear now. My signals don't know what, if anything, is blocking the track up ahead because it isn't exactly a train on the track. You are also right I think when you said all four trains should be in the same network. It will be much cleaner that way. I'm going to go about this one on my own without copying a guide for a train station and see what I come up with. It's more fun that way.

I can see what's needed on that example of the T-Junction. I might try and do roundabouts for my intersections as I am probably going to have junctions with more then two tracks intersecting and also pretty much only single directional tracks.

I better get started if I hope to get any sleep before tomorrow...

Thanks again.

[Aeternus]

Best put chain signals at the entry points to the T junction too. That prevents a two train jam from occurring. Direct T junctions like this limit throughput but tend to not jam the system. I myself prefer a 3 way roundabout, which also allows trains to turn around. I can then make the stations one-way splitoffs from the main line, sending the trains basically in one big circle. Stuff rarely jams that way - especially now the devs have given stations not on train lists a massive pathing penalty (so trains won't try to get around other traffic by jumping onto a station track)