filling maintenance train

[gsezz]

Hi,

I want to fill and refill a maintenance train with exactly the materials set by a constant combinator. The station should buffer one complete set of items. I want it not to be overfilled with any items, taking up more slots than they should. I want to use only one stack inserter with maximum stack size. And of course it shouldn't get blocked if the inserter grabs an item that doesn't fit in the train anymore. I can do all these things separate, but not everything at the same time.

I tried it this way:
- Wagon filtered.
- constant combinator sending desired wagon content to red network
- Train station sending actual content to a arithmetic combinator (each * (-1)) output goes to red network.
- requester chest requesting items set by red network
- filter stack inserter set to filter items by red network signal.

problem: when there is no train the inserter grabs anything and gets blocked if the next train doesn't need whatever it holds. Is there a way to set the stack size of the inserter to the count of the missing items? Or any other way to work around this?

[Manron]

i'm using a similar setup with one addition:

there is one filter inserter REMOVING stuff from the train if there is more inside than what is set in the constant combinator. stack size 1. if unloading is to slow you can add a stack filter inserter as a slave via a (if anything>3).

oh, and i dont have the wagon filtered, i compare the train contents to the set values and let the inserters sort it out

[Aeternus]

I've done something like this with a builder train but it can be done with a maintenance train as well. Perhaps a bit of a kludge, but here goes:
- The train arrives at the supply dock, which is split in two parts. The first station fully unloads the train, dumping everything onto a belt that sends the remainder to the loading dock.
- Filter inserters are used to load specific items from this belt into requester boxes of that kind. If there's not enough, the requester boxes use the logistic grid to ask for more items.
- A constant combinator is used to set the specific amounts to be loaded in the train. These amounts are loaded from the active provider boxes into steel boxes, which THEN feed into the train.
- The inserters from the active provider boxes to the steel boxes are set to a stack size of one, so they don't overfill. That way you don't need to set filters on your wagon, and can change the configuration of the train at will.
- The steel boxes feed the train with stack inserters.
- The train is held at the unload station (by circuit controlled signal) until all steel boxes contain the required cargo set on the constant combinator. So the empty train will receive -exactly- the designated cargo.
- When the train arrives at the loading station, the inserters feeding the steel boxes are deactivated (read a signal right in front of the station, when not green, deactivate inserters).

This configuration works, but it can take some time before the supply station is ready to reload the train after it departs. Generally this isn't a problem since supply trains are usually used only for distant outpost, so there's a minute or two before it will return to the supply dock. Limitation of this design is that all loading is done at a specific place, there's no "get fuel here, get parts there" kind of loading in this setup.

[JimBarracus]

I keep it very simple.

> cargo waggon filter
> one inserter + requester chest for one item
> max 12 items per wagon
> only stacks, no specific amout

no logic required, every inserter has one task
you can use stack inserters for every item
inserters cant get stuck because they only handle one type
Downside is that you carry far more stuff than needed.

for maintenance one wagon is usually enough.
I use a 4-wagon-train for outpost construction.

[Zavian]

If you want more than 12 items per wagon, you can use the same scheme with upto 24 long inserters.

[Aeternus]

If you want more than 12 items per wagon, you can use the same scheme with upto 24 long inserters.

Or up to 60 items with a filter inserter set to a max stack size of 1. Loading times will be slower, but for a supply train that's usually not a big deal. The only consumables being frequently used are fuel, and nuclear fuel has a max stack of 1 anyway - but even if you use Rocket Fuel the stack size is low enough to not be bothered.

I use 3 supply trains in my megabase (working up to 10+ k science) and they don't seem to make trips all that often:
- Internal supply, 1 wagon length. Peddles fuel, some repair packs and concrete (for paving stuff locally over time). Mainly used to move fuel around.
- Defense supply, 2 wagon length. Peddles wall sections, gates, power poles, replacement turrets, construction bots, artillery ammo (hence the second wagon, that stuff takes room). This train carries replacements for all defenses. Rectangular wall sections each get a station so bots don't have to travel far or over unclaimed ground.
- Mining supply, 2 wagon length. Carries construction bots, fuel, walls, power poles, repair supply, gates, rail. Second wagon has reserved spaces for wood, stone, coal and fish. This train services the remote mining bases, and takes the garbage collected while building the mining base back to the main factory for disposal. The stations also double as the "deconstruction" station, where items are collected once the mine is played out.

[impetus maximus]

where the hell did my post go?