Train entering conditions

[Reun]

Deleted poll, see reasons below — ssilk

I have figured out a way to make trains a whole lot more useful by adding features to their priorities. Especially when constructing huge bases and in modded games.

The idea is simple:
When adding a new stop to a train you can add under what conditions does it go to said station. It should have two states, which should be adjustable with a switch.
1st: possibility: When it would depart from the previous station and the entering conditions are met, it simply goes to said station. In the same case, if the entering conditions are not met, it waits at that station instead of departing.
2nd possibility, this is the much more important one: When it would depart from the previous station and the entering conditions are met, it simply goes to said station. In the same case, if the entering conditions are not met it SKIPS that station and plans to go to the next one(which could also be skipped). (Just like disabling the station, but it could be decided on a train to train basis)


Some needed entering conditions:
- Full cargo inventory
- Empty cargo inventory
- Item count
- Fluid count
- That station's circuit condition
- The number of trains either waiting or going to that station. (This could be used instead of train limits on stations.)
- Whether this train has any other station that it could potentially head to.


More on this last condition:
This is why this whole idea came to my mind, this would allow us (if handled carefully) to create trainyards. Where the trains are waiting for a sudden spike in material inputs and they could deploy automatically. Why do I need it, and how could this actually function?
Let us suppose we have a base where depending on usage could need between 1 to 10 wagons of iron plates per minute. In the current system, we would have to calculate/guess what percentage of it do specific stations require and create custom routines for individual stations.
With this new feature, we could set all trains to go to each station, and set the entering condition to "less than 1 train is at the station" and "it has full cargo". And for the smelter station, we set the entering condition to "if it has empty cargo". We also set up a 'trainyard' station, where we set the entering condition to "If the train has no other possible stations to go to".
Explaining how it would work: If there is no need for iron, the trains would fill up at the smelteries, fill up the possible stations, and then the later trains would head for the trainyard. Instead of holding the line at smelteries. The moment a station is in need a train would start up from the yard.


This does mean somethings to how the game feels: It removes the need for creating train stackers at every single station, and the need to carefully plan and calculate how we should distribute our trains to our stations. But, it would fit the game overall theme: automation.

I am aware that this "Frankenstein" may be too complicated for the base game, in this case, it should be a mod.

[FeepingCreature]

I'm working around this in my game by just always sending trains to the trainyard in-between other stations. That has the advantage of also allowing them to refuel there. But it would be nice if I could define the trainyard as a "fallback station" for a stop, so if we can go straight to the next stop we do that, otherwise we go to the trainyard. So [Ore Load] -> [Trainyard: enter if (Ore Unload is occupied OR fuel is low)] -> [Ore Unload].

edit: Actually!! This may already be possible in the base game. You can set stations to skip with a wire condition. So you just need some way to determine if any Ore Unload stations are free. You can do that with a trick: have a train parked at an Ore Unload station built on a circular path in your railyard. Connect it to the main network outwards-only. When the train departs, set a rail signal at the exiting rail to "blocked", forcing the train to divert back onto the loop - but now you know an Ore Unload station is free and can set the ore train trainyard station to skip. But that doesn't allow for checking the fuel situation; for that you'd need to be able to read the inventory of a train coming towards a station.

[ssilk]

I’m not happy with polls in a suggestion forum. Suggestions are not democratic. And I’m especially not happy with polls, that are not self-explaining and could be understood only after reading the thread.

i decided to delete the poll, because there was only one poll (for “should be a mod”)

Here are the old poll options:
It fits the theme and should be part of the base game or a mod.
It should not be part of the base game only a mod.
It does not have a place in this game.

... todo adding related threads ...

[ssilk]

Mods:
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Train_Control_Signals
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/Inventory%20Sensor
https://mods.factorio.com/mod/LogisticTrainNetwork
And in general: https://mods.factorio.com/tag/trains


Very related:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=89618 Trains need to skip unload stations when empty
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=83636 Do not stop the train at the station, if the conditions are already met
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=64362 Dynamic train schedule
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=63837 Selective Station Enabling
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50128 New Train-Schedule-Mode / Conditions instead of Train-Stop-Names / Remove Names from Train-Schedule

Far related:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=70935 Improved Access to Train ID
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71817 Add extra reservation factor to locomotives

Counter suggestion:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=90505 is [Train] New wait condition to compliment v1.1 — condition to not skip stations



Older ones:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=49214 Train Entry-Condition
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=49444 Add "Next Station Enabled" to train wait conditions
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25944 Train station skipping conditions
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=53792 train-stop id and train targets a train-stop by id
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58057 Trains ignore stop if wait condition already met
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=59378 Train-side stop disabling and a toggle for station skipping.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=25944 Train stations skipping conditions
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=49214 Train entry conditions
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=50128 New Train-Schedule-Mode / Conditions instead of Train-Stop-Names / Remove Names from Train-Schedule
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=53792 Train-stop id and train targets a train-stop by id(a bit off-topic)
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58057 Trains ignore stop if wait conditions are already met
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58646 Jump on train automation
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=59378 Train-side stop disabling and a toggle for station skipping
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58057 Trains ignore stop if wait condition already met
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=51008 Train stops and schedule improvements