Wiring/Sensors: What are the pins at rail posts useful for?

[Robert]

I'm experimenting with robot arms, sensors and signal pins, and have already managed to automate stuff like extractor->silo->train->smelter.

But I wonder what the 2 pins which every rail post has are good for. First I thought they trigger when a rail wagon stops at them / passes through, but that doesn't seem to be the case. So when do they trigger? What are you guys using them for?

[Robert]

Bump, does nobody know this?

[Pesky]

They do act as sensors which detect when a train passes that post. Connect a camera to them, and it'll automatically take a picture as the train passes.

[Alucard †]

Originally posted by Pesky:

They do act as sensors which detect when a train passes that post. Connect a camera to them, and it'll automatically take a picture as the train passes.

Or if you are brave enough.
Wire a hydrogen tnt bomb instead of the camera.

For that thrilling ride.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Pesky:

They do act as sensors which detect when a train passes that post. Connect a camera to them, and it'll automatically take a picture as the train passes.

Thank you. Hm, I didn't try a camera, but I definitely tried some other item (don't remember which one, I think one of the curious objects), and it didn't work.

Oh, or maybe it needs to be a train? I've tried it with a wagon because I didn't have enough mats for a train.

Edit: Okay, I connected a work light to a rail post, and it works now. The light gets toggled on/off when the wagon passes. And it works with trains and/or wagons. Which is weird, I wouldn't have created this thread if I hadn't run into problems earlier.

[Player 1]

I have a rail to my extractor, an auto arm loads a container on a rail car, I use a inventory sensor to send the train to the unload point when the container is full. The pin on the rail post is set to call the next rail car to collect. Also, the rail pin will set the direction on a railway junction so that the rail car will go the direction you choose.

[Robert]

Yeah, thanks. By now I think I found my problem, lol. I tried using the rail post pin to activate/deactivate a nearby auto arm for unloading, to save power. But... I forgot to connect the auto arm to a power source, so obviously that didn't work. User error.