Rail:. Bidirectional - two lane right hand drive - bidirecti

[zOldBulldog]

I am planning to build my rail network as two lane right hand drive. But there are scenarios where I might want single lane segments to avoid wasting space to make a loop.

I understand that for this I will need locomotives on both sides of the train, and some way to make sure the trains stick to the right hand lane even when taking the left might appear to be faster.

How do I make trains always choose the right hand lane?


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My first thought was to put a permanently red signal on the left lane after the split from 1 to 2 lanes and a chain signal before the split.

My second thought was that in a two-way station stop I would need to put a permanently red signal in the direction towards the back of the train, since a train with locomotives on both ends could choose to go in reverse if it seemed like the quickest path.

But Google as I might, I can't find any information about how to make a signal stay always red.

Am I approaching the problem from a wrong direction?

[gsezz]

How do I make trains always choose the right hand lane?

By putting signals only on the outside of your two lane track. Signals are directional, they are only for the train that has it to its right. A single signal make a track one-way, unless you put a second signal on the other side of the rail. if there's a signal to the left of the train, and none to the right, the train is never not allowed to pass it.

But Google as I might, I can't find any information about how to make a signal stay always red.

constant combinator, feeding a red signal to it. (Or feeding anything else with an appropriate circuit condition at the signal).

[zOldBulldog]

That is so simple, thanks!

[Aeternus]

An easy way to get some more visual feedback on this is to press left alt once, to get more visual feedback on buildings and items. Then when you hold a signal next to the rail, you get a box with arrows that shows the direction the train will need to come from to approach that signal. This is the direction the train will travel in if you place the signal on that side of the track.

As an aside, I do recommend making loops (or split off/split on stations) so you can make single direction trains. Simply because they are faster (higher top speed) and can carry more goods with the same amount of locomotives.

[zOldBulldog]

An easy way to get some more visual feedback on this is to press left alt once, to get more visual feedback on buildings and items. Then when you hold a signal next to the rail, you get a box with arrows that shows the direction the train will need to come from to approach that signal. This is the direction the train will travel in if you place the signal on that side of the track.

As an aside, I do recommend making loops (or split off/split on stations) so you can make single direction trains. Simply because they are faster (higher top speed) and can carry more goods with the same amount of locomotives.

Excellent hint on the visual feedback.

And I completely agree on the single direction trains, that is my plan for most of it. But this is my first world and as hard as I tried to make a good layout I failed to leave space close to the bus to load from a train station. I have plenty of space for a large stacker and one or more "raw ore" train stations behind the smelter arrays that feed the bus, but I only have a thin strip that I can use to conveniently bring fluids onto the bus. I plan to later on (after I advance research some more, clear the biter nests that are choking me, and wall off and defend a large chunk of land) rip out my smelter arrays off-site, built a large/fast station, and train-in all the products that are ready to be loaded on the bus... but I'm not ready for that yet.

So it seems to me that I have two options for fluids:

(1) Do a traditional split off/on station further out and just run pipes in, possibly with pumps to move the fluids along, or
(2) Use a single lane branch (the length of my stackers) for the fluids unload station.

Based on your reply, I take it you'd still recommend option (1)?

[Aeternus]

Depends on the fluid. If you're using it to pipe in acid and/or lube... quantities needed for those are so low on an initial factory, just move the station and add a few pipes. It won't matter for the throughput. For heavier used fluids such as water, petrol, light fuel or oil... well, just don't put those on the bus period. If you're short on space, just put them on the other side of the dual width track and use an underground pipe to jump the liquid across the track again.