Automated Train stock delivery system

[Minichris72]

At last I have finally done something I haven't seen on Factorio anywhere else, I have created a train delivery system that will only take the supplies that a consumer needs, thus keeping your train's cargo wagons to a minimum and to stop them being over stocked and stored in your wagons.

I have spent hours on this working out the math and the wiring to get it to work and I have finally got it working automatically without any intervention whatsoever, and I want to share this with you Factorio fans. I have saved this as a simple blueprint for you to follow if you need to, so you can use it with the blueprint mod and copy from.

I'm going to do a simple version with one type of good to give you the idea but it can be achieved with multiple stops and multiple types of items. If you would like me to give you a tutorial on those let me know and I'll get on it. Despite it being a simple version I have had to post it in 2 parts as you can't upload more than 10 images at a time.

Setting up the stations

I am going to start simply with a train going in a loop and have one pick up and drop off station. Obviously your trains may not be in a loop like this but I will give you a list of the parts I used for this tutorial.

You will need;
• 38 Straight track rails
• 8 Curved track rails
• 1 Locomotive
• 1 Cargo wagon
• 2 Train Stops
• 24 Smart inserters
• 9 Fast inserters
• 18 smart chests
• 5 Medium electric poles
• 3 Large electric poles

I'll assume some of you will want to build it onto your currently existing stations so skip to the next step if you want to just build it onto a ready built one. Otherwise build a loop of track but make it long enough to fit the locomotive and wagons on the straights. Place down your stations as well making sure to allow space for the train.

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Once you have your stations placed you will want a fast inserters coming in and out both of the stations (in for the pickup, out for the drop off) followed by a smart chests, then another set of smart inserters. The pickup station is now done but the drop off station will need another set of smart chests and inserters. (Once the Devs allow the wires to connect to stations and signals and such then you won't need these and you can set it up like the pickup station). Once this is done you can like them with belts as per usual.

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(Ignore the fact the good coming and going to chests, that's just for tutorial purposes)

Now that is done the stations are complete now is time to set up where the combinators are going.

The program setup

You will need;
• 2 arithmetic combinators
• 1 decider combinator
• 1 constant combinator
• 5 Smart chests
• 6 Smart inserters
• 2 Fast inserters
• 1 chest (any type)
• 4 transport belts

Honestly you can place these pieces anywhere you like but the closer to the stations, the better as it will cost you less wire and electric poles.

The first thing we will start with the pickup station. We will need to place is a set 4 smart chests and inserters to make a “switch” mechanism. “Coincidently” I have already made a tutorial on this, take a look here viewtopic.php?f=8&t=24868 to take a look as you may need to know how it works to continue. Preferably build this close to the row of chests at the pickup station as it may help with wiring in the next part.

Next place down a decider combinator below the switch, then place an arithmetic combinator below and to the side, (this is better placed to the side furthest from the station as it won't be linked directly to it) of the decider, and finally a constant combinator next to the 2nd arithmetic combinator.

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At the drop off you will only need another “Switch” but not like the one we used at the other station. Again this switch is also on my other post I mentioned above. Place down a smart chest and any chest next to it. Then put a smart inserter coming out of both of the chests and adjacent to them, fast inserters going into the chests. Then put a couple transport belts (I recommend basic ones as it will cost less resources and actually help the process) I front of the inserters to make a loop.

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That's it for the program set up. Now it's time for the difficult bit.

Programming and wiring

You will need;
• Red wires
• Green wires
• 3 of any same item (I recommend what your transporting)
• To closely follow this guide

Don't worry about getting too confused with what I'm doing; I'll explain what a lot of the math does as we go forward. We will start at the pickup station as it’s where the magic happens. First you want to get something clear, I'm using red wires as it's easier to see in the images so I'll be referencing to that when using the “Main” wire as you will need both colours. I'll be calling them by colour so make sure you don't get confused and muddle them up as it will mess up the signals and may not work.

So the first thing you will want to know is how much stock you have of the certain item you have at one point in time. I am going to use “coal” to make it easier. I have put 50 coal in the storages at the Drop off station, which are the SECOND SET of smart chests that the coal will go into as it comes off the wagon, as I have 6 I have a total of 300 coal in storage. You will need to get some red wire and connect all of these chests together and send it along the electric cables to the pickup station and connect it to the arithmetic combinator furthest away from the station. Remember that the slanted edge is the input side of the combinators.

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As you can see, if it is wired correctly you will be able the see the signals being sent through the electric poles with the colour of the wire you used. The combinator will have this too but it may not be coloured.

Now you’ll want to set up the maximum of stock you want at the drop off station. To do that you will want to go onto the constant combinator and set an output signal of the amount you want. MAKE SURE IT’S A SIGNAL not something from another category. I am using signal “A” and I'm going to say I want 1,000 coal stored in the smart chests at the other station. If you want a specific amount, don't forget to consider the about of items that will be on the belts and chests after the storages.

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Now it's time for math. First link the constant combinator to the arithmetic combinator before. You can use the same colour wire because the signals are different. After that you'll want to go into the arithmetic combinator and set it as [Signal A – Coal] (that's a minus sign, just to be safe) (Remember to use the signal and stock you used). And set the output signal to any signal you haven't just used (I'm using Signal B). If it's done correctly you will see when you hover over the arithmetic combinator that it will have two Input signals and an output signal and they should have numbers in them too. If you do the math you should work out right, if not then something has gone wrong somewhere. This is how much stock the system will NEED to load to send over.

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The next signal you will need is the one to count how much is GOING to be sent over. Like on the other side, connect all the smart chests with your main colour wire and connect it to the arithmetic combinator that we haven't yet used. Open it up and set the input as [Coal * 1] (again the asterisk symbolises multiply) and set the output as another signal you haven't already used, I'll use Signal C. You won't see an output in the info panel as it's not getting a signal but if you put some stock into any of the chests you should have one come up.

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Now it's time to mix the signals. Cable both of the arithmetic combinators to the decider combinator on the input side. Again you can use your main wire for this. Now in the decider combinator set the parameters as [Signal C > Signal B] and your output as any signal you haven't used and check the 1 circle at the side of it (I'm using Blue Signal). That is the calculations done. Now just link the first set of smart inserters to the decider combinator and set all of the inserters to [Blue Signal = 0] and it should all work.

Now, if all is done correctly, put some of your stock in the chests (mix them up oddly if you like, the combinator adds them up together automatically) and you should see that it the signals will register. Also if you set up the smart inserters to filter your stock then you actually see it in action and it will stop inserting your stock when the limit is reached. It may go one or two over, if so just lower the total stock you want by that amount, but it shouldn't matter that much.

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That's the basic concept all done, but where not finished yet, sorry, you will have to read on. Unfortunately, if we was to let it run everything now it wouldn't work, simply because as the next set of inserters takes the coal and puts it into the cargo wagon the combinator will register less in the chests and thus make the first set put more in, and then you have a cycle and we're back to where we started. This is what the switch is for.

!!!!! SPLIT POST, FOLLOW NEXT POST !!!!!

[Minichris72]

Making it work

Now if you tested the system out by linking it up to the inserters, disconnect it and re-wire the combinator to an inserter on the switch (which one doesn't matter which one but the rest will so remember which it was) and re-wire the inserters to the chest just after (for future reference, this is the first chest#. You then actually need to change the programming a bit, sorry again.

Set the switch’s inserter to what you set the storage inserters to, [Blue Signal = 0] and set all the storage inserters to [Coal = 1]. Finally add another wire from the smart inserter you connected in the switch and link it to the next inserter in the loop and program it the same but with a 1 instead of a 0. #If you didn't know, if you shift and right click the first inserter, it will copy it's programming, then shift left click anything else that can be programmed it will paste it over, even if isn't the same type of entity.) That 2nd inserter will essentially stop the first set of inserters from working, and as it’s programmed the opposite to the first one it will flip over the item in the switch…

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Speaking of the item in the switch, remember back to the list of what you needing the last part,

You will need;
• Red wires
• Green wires
• 3 of any same item (I recommend what your transporting)
• To closely follow this guide

Well this is what those 3 of any same items are for, to work the switch. Well one of them anyway. As you see as I am transporting coal that is what I am going to use, BUT DON’T PUT IT IN YET, we need to finish the rest of the system, it won't mess up at the moment but it'll take longer later on if you end up having to take out stock you didn't need in places and the system may need to be reset.

Now the system is set to work only what we need, we better get it on the cargo wagon. Simply link the 2nd set of smart inserters to the next chest in the switch with your main wire and set the inserters like the 1st set [Coal = 1].

(Part 4 - Step 2).jpg (301.45 KiB) Viewed 7385 times

Now the cargo wagon can be loaded we can send the wagon to the other station and begin work over there, kind of. What we need to do is get the switch to its next step, we could tell it to flip over when the chests are empty but that's a waste of a step. So connect BOTH of the remaining inserters and continue them to the Drop off station and connect them with the SECOND SET of inserters taking your goods out of the FIRST CHESTS with your SECONDARY WIRE! Yes we've missed a set of inserters and yes we're using the secondary wire. So be careful as this will go wrong badly if connected wrong. It might be confusing but it's how it needs to be done, thanks to the Devs not letting us link train stations or signals .

(Part 4 - Step 3).jpg (1006.84 KiB) Viewed 7385 times

Ok, rant over. The reason why we're using the secondary wire is because we're already sending a coal signal through the same electric poles. You should be able to use the same wire if you either have a different set of "3 of any same item" or use a different set of electric poles to wire it up but I did it this way so that I could see what was linking what, mostly for if you have multiple types of stock coming and going from one station.

If you can keep track of what you are doing well enough then by all means send it through one colour wire. You'll be able to half the amount of poles you use if you do add another type of good as you will be able to use one colour wire each just make sure you don't forget which wire is which.

Now that is all cleared up. Program all the inserters you just connected to [Coal = 0] but set the last inserter in the switch at the Pickup station to [Coal = 2]. The reason for this is we are connecting these inserters to the smart chest in the switch at the Drop off station. The first will flip over when it registers something has arrived and the second it verify that everything has finished, otherwise the system will begin to re-supply at the Pickup station before everything has been unloaded at the Drop off station, thus, overstocking, which is what this system is meant to stop. Not good.

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Yes this switch at the Drop off station will hold 2 of the items you chose, but not yet. Next we need to get the switch this side working otherwise nothing will happen. Link both of the smart inserters on the switch to the FIRST set of smart chests. Then program the inserter taking out of the smart chest to [coal > 0], and the inserter taking out of the other chest to [Coal = 0]

The reason you want the first one as a more than sign is because the inserters off loading the wagon are likely to off load your stock all at once and it may miss out a number that is put there. This way it will just work, no matter how many come at once.

The second inserter will then reset the switch when all the coal has been emptied.

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And there you go, it's done, all it needs now is calibrating. Put in 2 of your selected item into the smart chest at the drop off station. Then head over to your Pick up station and put in the last one of your item into the 1st chest. If your chests at the Pickup station aren’t as full as they need to be, they should start filling up. If they are full enough then it will flip over to the next chest and begin filling up your cargo wagon (providing you have one present). Oh, and remember to filter your smart inserters to take the good you want them to. Especially if you have multiple goods going to the same drop off.

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And there you go. It's all finished. It shouldn't need any intervention from now on. If you come to it and it's not loading in goods when it should have a look at the switches, more often than not it’s because the items in them haven't flipped over when they should have done. Just move it to where it should be. If it happens every time it goes through a cycle, then something has gone wrong somewhere so check your wiring and programming.

I hope I have enlightened you all with this tutorial, (as well as help you meet your daily reading quota). Now you should have as much stock as you need and you can save your resources for where you need them most (electronic circuits in my experience).

Here is the Blueprint String if you want to use the system I have shown you here. Just remember to add the coal to the chest in the center and the right amount in the switches, 1 in the 1st chest at the Pickup station and 2 in the smart chest at the Drop off Station. And don't forget the locomotive and cargo wagon (as though you would).

Blueprint string – Minichris72’s Locomotive Stock Distributor

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If you would like me to do a quick tutorial on how to implement a 2nd drop off station or multiple types of good, let me know and I'll sort one out for you guys. Thanks for taking your time to read this and happy factoring.

Minichris72

[brunzenstein]

Sorry for the stupid question- but how to use a blueprint code?
Do I need a mod to implement or open the console?

[Neotix]

You need this mod viewtopic.php?f=92&t=13651 to load blueprints.

[brunzenstein]

You need this mod viewtopic.php?f=92&t=13651 to load blueprints.

Thank you.
And thank you Minichris72 for your dedication to help non-programmers / mathematicians to understand complicated matters in a more envigorating stile then a decent playboy centerfold- and that's not a joke - a video would be even more helpful to get / keep laymen like me on board.

[Minichris72]

Thanks for taking a look at this fellas. I actually started a lets play channel on YouTube but cause of my situation at home I couldn't make videos often enough and the ones that did were full of interruptions. So thanks for this guys, it's made my day.

[brunzenstein]

Thanks for taking a look at this fellas. I actually started a lets play channel on YouTube but cause of my situation at home I couldn't make videos often enough and the ones that did were full of interruptions. So thanks for this guys, it's made my day.

My wish:
Most interesting would be a small, itself clever self monitoring intelligent oil facility / cracker / train loading site / outputting exactly timed what is / when needed (most of the time the whole factory comes to a grinding halt bcs its not enough byproduct material available (energy for burners) or to much byproduct oil stuff in tanks / to be stored needlessly - as well as loading the products efficient (plastic, sulfur) to a train and e.g. shipping the exact needed lube quantity off to the bot production site.

PS: All that PLEASE easy digestible for mathematical laymen like most of us here too
PPS: In order that you understand my intentions: I'm not looking for a blueprint to copy (althought it helps a lot to understand the inner working better) but I want to learn / understand how it (the programmable deciders) works in order to build my own facory!

[Minichris72]

Most interesting would be a small, itself clever self monitoring intelligent oil facility / cracker / train loading site / outputting exactly timed what is / when needed

I think the main problem with this is the fact that when one good is full the rest cant be produced, and the math on these is probably the most complicated out of the entire game. first you have the percentage of oil when it is first taken out of the ground, which degenerates over time when its being used. the next is the processing which actually has 2 different ratios of heavy Oil: Light Oil: Petroleum Gas, the first being 3:3:4, and the second at 1:4.5:5.5.

So far all I have done with it is mine it out refine it, store it, send the petroleum to be converted into plastic and sulphur to make batteries. ill then sent them off to make the red advanced circuits and immediately turn them into blue science packs to research the advanced refining ASAP. That way you store the least amount as possible and it wont get halted too early.

Speed is the key In my opinion, make circuits, research science, unlock advanced refining, begin cracking. I play it by eye mostly, if I see I need more of one type ill add or swap over one of the crackers to help it move along.

[brunzenstein]

Fair enough - The excellent guy Negative Root has published within his "Factorio Beginners Guide 27 Combinator Based Oil" at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8TsSM4 ... mfOltXzA9B
70% of the calculated oil production solution - sorry that Negative Root did not finalize / polish that fine start in the following 28 edition. At least not what I could follow on - probably you are willing jump in?

[Minichris72]

OK, so here is the low down on that episode as I understood what he was doing in that ep. what he has done was set a his oil to produce one thing at a time. the idea is that you are not over- producing, so it has a less of a drain on the pumps drilling out the oil.

So he has set his petroleum gas to make a maximum of 15,000 (Units) sulphur and then turn off. He also set the petroleum gas to make a maximum of 30,000 (Units) Plastic.
The next thing he set was that when both his sulphur and plastic were both turned off, his storage tanks would fill to 90% capacity. In this case when 9,000 Units of petroleum gas are in the tanks, it will stop pumping the gas into the tanks.

He basically did the same with his lubricant as well. when his tanks have a total of 9,000 (Units) lube, turn off the production for it. then he set another line to say than when it is at 9,000, turn on the refinery to make solid fuel with the remaining heavy oil.

If you wanted to know what he said he was going to do in the next ep at the end of that ep, he said he was going to do what he did with his heavy oil to solid fuel. However since he is making sulphur and plastic with his the gas, he wanted to make it so that, when the production of sulphur and plastic had reached their limit, and his storage tanks are at the limit he set too. Only when all 3 are met, will then will the refiners begin to turn his petroleum gas into solid fuel.

I think I covered what he was speaking of. if ive explained something wrong or the wrong thing let me know and ill get on it.

[brunzenstein]

Thank you indeed