A perfect combination: Using Train Builder and Train Destructor
Posted: Sun Jul 23, 2017 11:50 pm
This afternoon I had the idea to use the Train Creator and Train Destructor to get rid of the problem of overfilled train depots.
There are the mods:
https://mods.factorio.com/mods/cooky173 ... ainBuilder
https://mods.factorio.com/mods/hopewell ... nstruction
What should I say: It worked!
Creating a train when too less trains in depot
I configured the train creator to send my train to the next depot (connecting it by wire). But before it must wait before a rail signal; which switches only to green, if the depot is "too empty". Finding out that state is simple, I count the number of green signals before a depot stop - other methods may be more elegant, of course. In that case I switch the waiting signal at the train creator to green. When that train has left a new train is created.
Destructing a train when too much trains in depot
There is a "trick": The destructor train station has also the name "Depot". But normally the path to that stop is closed. But if there are too many trains waiting (all waiting bays are full, same signal: I count the number of free signals) the path to the train destructor is freed and - cause that's the last stop that is not occupied - the train follows that path. And is destructed, when arrived. Nice.
The destructed parts go into a chest and will be reused if needed (see above). With a bit afford I could build belts to feed the needed parts back into the requester chest of the builder.
Summary:
Great fun to see the creation and destruction of trains and it feels right to use that: You don't need to have ridiculous big depots. Instead you have ridiculous numbers of trains in a chest.
And feature suggestion
I really think those two mods should be included into LTN. I looked into the code of both and I think both mods could be simply reduced to one kind of train stop that includes a requester and a provider chest (like the LTN stop includes lamp and constant combinator). The requester has no hidden function, it just requests numbers of trains and wagons. And the whole building/destruction is controlled by signals - as with LTN.
I think that is the next logical step to fully automate stuff. Of course the creation of trains should be a lot more configurable (I need to tweak the mod a bit to built that kind of trains I need). And I think the Builder and Destructor should be much, much bigger, some kind of "trainyard".
There are the mods:
https://mods.factorio.com/mods/cooky173 ... ainBuilder
https://mods.factorio.com/mods/hopewell ... nstruction
What should I say: It worked!
Creating a train when too less trains in depot
I configured the train creator to send my train to the next depot (connecting it by wire). But before it must wait before a rail signal; which switches only to green, if the depot is "too empty". Finding out that state is simple, I count the number of green signals before a depot stop - other methods may be more elegant, of course. In that case I switch the waiting signal at the train creator to green. When that train has left a new train is created.
Destructing a train when too much trains in depot
There is a "trick": The destructor train station has also the name "Depot". But normally the path to that stop is closed. But if there are too many trains waiting (all waiting bays are full, same signal: I count the number of free signals) the path to the train destructor is freed and - cause that's the last stop that is not occupied - the train follows that path. And is destructed, when arrived. Nice.
The destructed parts go into a chest and will be reused if needed (see above). With a bit afford I could build belts to feed the needed parts back into the requester chest of the builder.
Summary:
Great fun to see the creation and destruction of trains and it feels right to use that: You don't need to have ridiculous big depots. Instead you have ridiculous numbers of trains in a chest.
And feature suggestion
I really think those two mods should be included into LTN. I looked into the code of both and I think both mods could be simply reduced to one kind of train stop that includes a requester and a provider chest (like the LTN stop includes lamp and constant combinator). The requester has no hidden function, it just requests numbers of trains and wagons. And the whole building/destruction is controlled by signals - as with LTN.
I think that is the next logical step to fully automate stuff. Of course the creation of trains should be a lot more configurable (I need to tweak the mod a bit to built that kind of trains I need). And I think the Builder and Destructor should be much, much bigger, some kind of "trainyard".
