If you look at the attachment, the trains should not wait on the question mark section, but on W1-3 until their station is free.
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Trains - Shared waiting section for two stations
Trains - Shared waiting section for two stations
Hey, i have the situation that I have two stations (S1, S2) and both should share the same waiting section (W1, W2, W3). How can I protect the connection rails between the stations and the waiting section to not be occupied.
If you look at the attachment, the trains should not wait on the question mark section, but on W1-3 until their station is free.
If you look at the attachment, the trains should not wait on the question mark section, but on W1-3 until their station is free.
Re: Trains - Shared waiting section for two stations
I believe the answer will involve using chain signals.
Re: Trains - Shared waiting section for two stations
Yes, replace the signals between W1-3 and ? with chain signals, but leave the normal signals between ? and S1-2. This will mean that trains will only move leave W1-3 when it can enter the correct station.
Re: Trains - Shared waiting section for two stations
The golden rule of signalling is:
Chain signals before a shared section, regular signals after a shared section.
So in this case you'd put chain signals before the question mark, and regular signals after. Then a train won't reserve the chain signal block unless it can also reserve the regular signal block after it.
Chain signals before a shared section, regular signals after a shared section.
So in this case you'd put chain signals before the question mark, and regular signals after. Then a train won't reserve the chain signal block unless it can also reserve the regular signal block after it.
Re: Trains - Shared waiting section for two stations
It's quite easy to develop the proper chain signal setup, if you are not yet familiar with the concept.
Keep in mind, chain signals are just signals, they have the same effect as regular signals: if a chain signal is red, no train will enter the block that starts with the chain signal. The difference is that the chain signal can be red even if there is no train in that block. The chain signal copies the state of the next regular signal that is before it, and if it is red or yellow, this state is copied onto the chain signal.
In your setup, to design a chain signal setup, start with all regular signals. Manually place a wagon on each station S1/S2, so the regular signal behind the station becomes red. Now replace every regular green signal between this red signal and your waiting area with a chain signal. Keep the regular signal behind the station, since this is the anchor for the chain signals behind it. You will see the regular signals are green, but if they're replaced with a chain signal, this chain signal is red. It becomes green if you remove the wagon at the station and red again, if you place the wagon again.
Now place a train in the waiting area W1/W2/W3. It should have a red chain signal in front of it, so it will stay. If you remove the wagon in front of the station, all chain signals in between get green, so the train gets a green signal, so it's able to proceed to the station. If the train proceeds, you will notice the regular signal at the station will get yellow, because the train reserved it. All chain signals in between get yellow as well, and chain signals guarding the block the train is driving on will turn red on their own.
You will see that in your setup, the 3 signals left of the question mark should be chain signals to keep the middle area free. The 2 signals guarding the S1 and S2 area must stay regular signals of course, since they guard a regular block. As soon as a train leaves S1 or S2, their corresponding regular signal becomes green, so the (now) chain signals at W1/W2/W3 get green as well, so a train will proceed from there, and as soon as one train proceeds, the regular signal at S1/S2 gets yellow, and all other chain signals as well, so no other train will also proceed. And as soon as the proceeding train actually enters the guarded area in the center, all chain signals will become red, since the center area is one big block with a train now.
Keep in mind, chain signals are just signals, they have the same effect as regular signals: if a chain signal is red, no train will enter the block that starts with the chain signal. The difference is that the chain signal can be red even if there is no train in that block. The chain signal copies the state of the next regular signal that is before it, and if it is red or yellow, this state is copied onto the chain signal.
In your setup, to design a chain signal setup, start with all regular signals. Manually place a wagon on each station S1/S2, so the regular signal behind the station becomes red. Now replace every regular green signal between this red signal and your waiting area with a chain signal. Keep the regular signal behind the station, since this is the anchor for the chain signals behind it. You will see the regular signals are green, but if they're replaced with a chain signal, this chain signal is red. It becomes green if you remove the wagon at the station and red again, if you place the wagon again.
Now place a train in the waiting area W1/W2/W3. It should have a red chain signal in front of it, so it will stay. If you remove the wagon in front of the station, all chain signals in between get green, so the train gets a green signal, so it's able to proceed to the station. If the train proceeds, you will notice the regular signal at the station will get yellow, because the train reserved it. All chain signals in between get yellow as well, and chain signals guarding the block the train is driving on will turn red on their own.
You will see that in your setup, the 3 signals left of the question mark should be chain signals to keep the middle area free. The 2 signals guarding the S1 and S2 area must stay regular signals of course, since they guard a regular block. As soon as a train leaves S1 or S2, their corresponding regular signal becomes green, so the (now) chain signals at W1/W2/W3 get green as well, so a train will proceed from there, and as soon as one train proceeds, the regular signal at S1/S2 gets yellow, and all other chain signals as well, so no other train will also proceed. And as soon as the proceeding train actually enters the guarded area in the center, all chain signals will become red, since the center area is one big block with a train now.