Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post your ideas and suggestions how to improve the game.

Moderator: ickputzdirwech

Post Reply
equitime77
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:07 am
Contact:

Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post by equitime77 »

I play my maps with heavy train use. Im playing with ltn atm. I do appreciate how trains are so much better than they used to be, very few wierd paths, and if they do its usually because of a blockage way down the line.

What does really frustrate me (I've over 1000 hours played) is the signaling. Id really like it if a train was at a signal that another train coming along would have to wait. If the train was there first it should have priority. That is in most use cases.

There is the odd use case where you want a train on a certain path to take precedence over the waiting train. Maybe we could have a new signal that says which train should have priority, the waiting train or the passing train?

That's one way of fixing what to many people is very frustrating. Signals do not act like you would think they do.

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post by Tekky »

It is already possible to detect the presence of a train in a certain block by reading a signal using the circuit network. It is also possible to set a signal to red using the circuit network, thereby giving other trains priority. So, with the circuit network, you can detect whether a train is on the priority track and, if that is the case, then force all other signals to red.

In these threads, it has also been suggested to be able to read the Train-ID of the train in a certain block:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=47541 track signals should send Train-ID to circuit network
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=62838 Circuits: enhancing rail signal function

If that suggestion were implemented, it would also be possible to give priority to trains with specific Train-IDs, instead of all trains on a specific track.

equitime77
Long Handed Inserter
Long Handed Inserter
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:07 am
Contact:

Re: Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post by equitime77 »

I can see how that would work. Looks like Im going to have to figure out how to control the signals with circuitry. Im not great at that.... Thanks. Hopefully the fantastic devs will look into this at some point.

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post by Tekky »

Instead of introducing a new signal type, I think the best thing the Factorio developers could do is make some tutorials on using the circuit network. This has been suggested in the following thread:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40703 Circuit Education

Also, in the following thread, it has been suggested that the circuit network should also be able to force chain signals (not just regular signals) to red:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58453 Set chain signals to red via circuit network
Last edited by Tekky on Wed Oct 17, 2018 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
steinio
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 2632
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:19 pm
Contact:

Re: Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post by steinio »

Tekky wrote:
Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:49 pm
Instead of introducing a new signal type, I think the best thing the Factorio developers could do is make some tutorials on using the circuit network. This has been suggested in the following thread:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=40703 Circuit Education

Also, it has been suggested that chain signals (not just regular signals) should also be connectable to the circuit network in the following thread:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58453 Set chain signals to red via circuit network
Chain signals can be closed via circuit signal...

... via closing all following normal signals by circuit signal. Case closed.

A chain signal can't live without a following normal signal.
Image

Transport Belt Repair Man

View unread Posts

Tekky
Smart Inserter
Smart Inserter
Posts: 1039
Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:53 am
Contact:

Re: Train signaling, how frustrating....

Post by Tekky »

steinio wrote:
Wed Oct 17, 2018 5:04 pm
Chain signals can be closed via circuit signal...

... via closing all following normal signals by circuit signal. Case closed.
Closing all following regular signals may also block other trains, not just the train waiting in front of the chain signal. Therefore, this solution will not work in all cases.

However, this discussion is a bit off-topic in this thread. If you want to continue this discussion, I suggest we do so in the appropriate thread mentioned above.

Post Reply

Return to “Ideas and Suggestions”