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I need some help, I have designed a city block but I feel as if I am using too many / the wrong signals. Can someone have a look over and if you need a better picture just say. the general idea for the city block is 4 roboports, it is for krastorio 2, doesn't need to be for an absolute massive base.
- thanks
(Trains are running for me to test, that s why some signals are closed in some of the pictures)

I'm not going to attempt to help with this one as I'm not at my computer, and I know that no matter what I do someone else is going to come along later and tell me I did it wrong... but you should (at some point) have a look at the top post of this thread: viewtopic.php?f=194&t=100614

There are a lot of intersection designs in there. A couple in the 4-way, 2 lane unbuffered section look pretty close to yours in design. You can probably look them over to see how they're signaled, or even decide to just use one of them.

FuryoftheStars wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 9:54 pm I'm not going to attempt to help with this one as I'm not at my computer, and I know that no matter what I do someone else is going to come along later and tell me I did it wrong..

Yup, that's the risk

Anyways, here's by 20 cents:
Looks good to me, should work reliably. However, a few details:
1) You shouldn't need the chain signal when turning right, there's no harm in occupying the next block. Could be removed, but I'd make that a normal signal.
2) When coming from the left, there is a chain signal. Not sure if that's just the cutoff, but it's not on all sides. Anyways, I don't think you need that. Could be a normal signal, or removed.

Perhaps not strictly necessary, but that entry Chain Signal keeps trains from entering if their desired route is somehow blocked (usually by another train passing through). The Chain Signals in that intersection after that first split serve the same function - not letting the train block anything but whatever is behind it - but its good to keep the same methodology throughout. If putting Chain Signals at some entrances before the first split, put them at all entrances before the first split. If not putting them there, then don’t put a signal there at any entrance to the junction.

DarkShadow44 wrote: Sun Jan 15, 2023 3:08 am

FuryoftheStars wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 9:54 pm I'm not going to attempt to help with this one as I'm not at my computer, and I know that no matter what I do someone else is going to come along later and tell me I did it wrong..

Yup, that's the risk

Anyways, here's by 20 cents:
Looks good to me, should work reliably. However, a few details:
1) You shouldn't need the chain signal when turning right, there's no harm in occupying the next block. Could be removed, but I'd make that a normal signal.
2) When coming from the left, there is a chain signal. Not sure if that's just the cutoff, but it's not on all sides. Anyways, I don't think you need that. Could be a normal signal, or removed.

image_2023-01-14_195218976.png

The Whole junction when connected with the other blocks looks like this I believe that's why I put those chain signals as on the right turn the train can turn off again to go into a station, every right turn is designed to have this so each block has four stations, i should have really put this in the original post. But there is still probably something i missed.

speccycat wrote: Sat Jan 14, 2023 7:56 pm I need some help, I have designed a city block but I feel as if I am using too many / the wrong signals. Can someone have a look over and if you need a better picture just say. the general idea for the city block is 4 roboports, it is for krastorio 2, doesn't need to be for an absolute massive base.
- thanks
(Trains are running for me to test, that s why some signals are closed in some of the pictures)

from what it worth i don't see any problem with signals they are functionning an will not create deadlock.

As mentionned earlier you could remove some signals, although the performance gain for train delivery would be minimal it may help if you duplicate junction a lot for perfomance ?

You can merge some of your exit blocks by replacing even more chain signal by regular signals, in the area that are circled , the chain signals could be replaced by a regular signal and this would allow to remove the regular signal that is crossed. as an alternative as the previous (1)

i agree on the (2), if you remove those signals you will be left with only 1 regular signal when turning right where is the current chained signal (1).
It may behave differently in case a train was stuck in front of a junction as it would be no longer be allowed to repath avoiding the junction but those situation should be resolved by resolving the cause of the jam, and not offering alternative path
it look similar to this one :
https://factoriobin.com/post/yMbcDG_S/1
from this thread :
viewtopic.php?f=194&t=100614

except the version from the thread has 1 more regular signal at the entrance here you have a chain signal ( location 2) which could be removed since you are making a grid you know there will be enough space between 2 junctions for only 1 train, so you may as well make just 1 block.

At this point not sure the reason, it's somewhat of a choice, it may hinder a little the throughput of the junction if the blocks are longer, but help performance if there are less of them, it would make building the grid faster if you reduce the amount of signals on each junctions that's an important metric too