British Trainz

I am having issues setting up path rule, I have read a web page by a user called mutton he gives a description on roughly how to set it up but I'm having trouble. I need to set up about 12 different paths and have failed at the first one.

the problem ; the first image shows a section of my track plan. I'm trying to set up paths so trains can get into each platform. the first train i've tried to set should go into platform 1 from the fast line. i have set the path as shown in image 2. however, the train arrives at the "Nottinghm Midland Fast Hold" track mark. then i get a red bug and it tells me something has timed out and the train goes no further. i have named all my signals as that what was recommended. anyone fluent in the path rule able t help!!!!!!!!!!!

Shippy2013 wrote:...the train arrives at the "Nottinghm Midland Fast Hold" track mark. then i get a red bug and it tells me something has timed out and the train goes no further. i have named all my signals as that what was recommended. anyone fluent in the path rule able t help!!!!!!!!!!!

What driver command are you using to drive past NG E2? Normal drive to/navigate to/call at won't work; it tries to acquire an exclusive lock on the junctions that the path driver command has previously just locked (don't ask me why the locks can't be reentrant - they just aren't). Instead you must use an "autodrive" driver command. There's a slew on the DLS, and probably at least one built in - I think the main one I use is <kuid2:192081:4:4>, "Autodrive". Autodrive is in some ways a bit simpler than the normal driver commands: it doesn't attempt to set any junctions, just drives until it meets a signal at danger or it reaches whatever its exit condition is - normally a trackmark, but as you'll see from the DLS, there are lots of other options.

I hope this helps. From your post it looks like you're in a similar state of frustration to the one I was in before I figured this out! Another small hint: if you haven't discovered this already, when you're using the set path driver command, you'll probably want to change it's mode to "wait for clearance", otherwise the command exits immediately, and if signal NG E2 is clear, the autodrive command will barrel on along whatever route happened to be set, even if it wasn't the one you wanted. As a bonus, once it's done this, the train and the rest of the station tends to get totally stuck, because everyone has all the wrong junctions locked and can't reach whatever the release entity for their path is. If someone knows how (or when) to use the other modes of set path, I'd love to hear it; any time I've attempted it, it goes wrong.

I’m hoping I’ve sussed it know, I’ve probably gone a long way about it but this seems to work. I took out the signal command from the path rule. I use the standard navigate Via commands up to the track mark previous to Nottingham Midland Slow (or Fast) Hold. Then I use Navigate To the Hold track marks this makes every train stop at either signal NG E1 or NG E2. Then the path rule command followed by Autodrive To “Platform ‘X’”. I then use the wait for minute command till departure time and path rule to exit to either Fast Or Slow lines Autodrive to next track mark then back to the normal navigate Via or to commands. I’ve test this on 2 of the 19 Trains per hour that go in and out and it seems to be working so far.... I set the last junction in the path rule command as the release so that when the last car has cleared the junctions set back to defaults, these defaults are set to allow freight trains to travel east and west through the through lines Un hindered. The main bonus is the theatre route indicators now show the correct platforms or departure road......

Shippy2013 wrote:I’m hoping I’ve sussed it know, I’ve probably gone a long way about it but this seems to work. I took out the signal command from the path rule. I use the standard navigate Via commands up to the track mark previous to Nottingham Midland Slow (or Fast) Hold. Then I use Navigate To the Hold track marks this makes every train stop at either signal NG E1 or NG E2. Then the path rule command followed by Autodrive To “Platform ‘X’”. I then use the wait for minute command till departure time and path rule to exit to either Fast Or Slow lines Autodrive to next track mark then back to the normal navigate Via or to commands. I’ve test this on 2 of the 19 Trains per hour that go in and out and it seems to be working so far.... I set the last junction in the path rule command as the release so that when the last car has cleared the junctions set back to defaults, these defaults are set to allow freight trains to travel east and west through the through lines Un hindered. The main bonus is the theatre route indicators now show the correct platforms or departure road......

Yup. That's exactly how I'd set it up. The path rule's a right fouter to get set up, but it's well worth it when you get a busy station running smoothly.

Hi scottAS2, thanks for the advice. I’ve now managed to get this all setup and have the full timetable working flawlessly. Finger crossed, had a session running for 7 hours without even a single message in the message window. One thing I did forget at first was using the Autodrive command you have to also us the change direction command for terminating trains.