Loading a construction train

[CrankySmurf]

Hi everyone,
A while back I saw a video where someone had a train that was auto loaded based from requester chests on contents of the train car.
Example:
50 Fast Inserters
400 Rails
2 Furnaces
etc...

I want to create a train to build outposts. I have searched to see if I could find a blueprint to learn from or a "how to" but I haven't found anything. Can anyone point me to a tutorial/blueprint on how to do this?

Thank you for any help!

[joon]

In the cargo wagon you can set filters by holding the item you want for one of the slots and clicking with the mousewheel. Inserters will try to put a full stack of that item in that slot. And click again with mousewheel to clear the slot

I use it for Rail layer

[CrankySmurf]

Wow didn't realize that! Thank you.

What if I didn't want full stacks?
Edit: Is there a way to read the reserved slots in a car to create a requester chest? So I dont have to mimic the train car and requester slots?

[joon]

Not that I know of. But if you don't want full stacks combinators are the way to go altho I don't understand much about combinators.

[Zavian]

Using the circuit network to read the trains contents, you should be able to load a precise number of items. But if you haven't used the circuit network before it is more complicated to describe and setup, and most of the time full stacks of things is good enough. Just be aware that you should use one requester chest and inserter per item. Trying to load multiple types of items from the same chest mean that you are likely to end up with an inserter trying to insert rails, into a wagon that is already full of rails.

Also you don't need to "hold the item you want for one of the slots and click with the mousewheel". Simply middleclicking with your mouse will bring up a dialog which lets you choose which item to set the slot to. You can also copy and paste the slot filters.

[CrankySmurf]

Is there a way to read the reserved slots in a train?

So if im down X inserts a requester chest will request it?

I was thinking (unsuccessfully) how to set a constant combiner to set the items and numbers and then read a chest to see if it needs items, if not request them in a requester chest.

[Greybeard_LXI]

Not pretending to be an expert in circuit conditions and combinators.

I don't think there is a way to read reserved slots in a train. You would want to set your combinators to the amount you want in the train. And if you go to that much trouble you almost don't need to reserve slots. You would need to reserve them because otherwise you would get the excess from the inserter hand.

You want the items in the requester chest so when the train pulls in they are there. You don't want the bots to start filling the chest while the train is waiting.

The requester chest has all that logic in it. Just keep a buffer at the build train station that is big enough to fill the train.

If you want small quantities of some items you can put all of them in one chest. Just limit the inserter stack size to one. I am thinking if you want one stack of stations, one of chemical plants, one of oil wells, one of roboports, two of train engines and cargo wagons they can all fit in one chest.

If you only want 10 radars you can limit the requestor to 10, which will reduce your buffer but will eventually put a full stack in the train. This would work better if you also reduce production to not keep a full stack in the assember output.

[JimBarracus]

Just make sure, that all Slots have a filter on them because the open Slots will be filled with random items.

Having at least one stack of any material is actually not a Problem, ist not that much anyway.
You can control it, but the Slot on the Train is gone anyway so why bother. You won't have more than one construction Train anyway.

[FactorioParadox]

In the cargo wagon you can set filters by holding the item you want for one of the slots and clicking with the mousewheel. Inserters will try to put a full stack of that item in that slot. And click again with mousewheel to clear the slot

I use it for Rail layer

Really wish I had known that before I built my train stations to make sure the cargo wagons only get filled up to 2000, thus forcing me to sacrifice the 6th space for unloading excess items. On the bright side, though, only using 5 or 10 inserters ensures that all of the output from my furnace lines gets used up evenly and I no longer need to worry about setting up purple and yellow science for the sake of getting requester chests to make my system work.