Make train wait on correct rail

[Chuck]

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2817870641

So there are three trains that go on these rails., two are both meant to stop at a station on the left, the third goes up. What I want to have happen is when one of the trains is already at the station on the left, the other needs to wait on the rail on the left, that way the center track is kept clear for that third train to come through if it needs to. is there any way i can make this happen? Trains are weird, and although im learning, this problem here has me stuck.

[Jupiter3927]

Change the top left rail signal to a chain signal and it should work the way you want it to.
Chain signals tell the train to wait at them until the block ahead (and the block ahead of the next chain signal, if chained together) is clear.

[Frotrej]

Tain will always pick the shortest path.
Maybe you can add a train stop on the left one so trains will go on the leftrail and then forward. It won't solve the problem tho. I'm feeling like you are build base that is too compact for trains, in factorio you have to think big.
On the second thought I think I would cut the rail where middle and left rail are merging.

[Cristi]

first of all, this rail is one way loop?

[Frotrej]

Originally posted by Cristi:

first of all, this rail is one way loop?

Based on the signals, it's one way rail

[Frotrej]

Originally posted by Frotrej:

Tain will always pick the shortest path.
Maybe you can add a train stop on the left one so trains will go on the leftrail and then forward. It won't solve the problem tho. I'm feeling like you are build base that is too compact for trains, in factorio you have to think big.
On the second thought I think I would cut the rail where middle and left rail are merging.

https://pasteboard.co/CX3GVwAMuG6G.png

[Cristi]

https://postimg.cc/MX3qXv71

[Warlord]

Originally posted by Cristi:

https://postimg.cc/MX3qXv71

That might not work well. The train might choose to move forward on the central rail rather than the left-side offshoot (train pathing, amirite?), in which case it will get stuck at the top-left signal waiting for the station to open up. (depending on length of train).

Do what Frotrej says, and remove that section of rail. There is no reason to have that section there.

Actually, looking at your minimap, if you have two trains stopping at the station just to the left of the image, there should be more than enough space on that line for a second train to park and wait just behind a train at the station. Put a signal JUST BEHIND where the last car for a train at the station would sit when unloading. This will let a second train park within a few inches of the currently-unloading train.

[AlexMBrennan]

Change the top left rail signal to a chain signal and it should work the way you want it to.

No, the straight path is still shorter which means that the train will wait forever at the chain signal on the bottom right instead of taking a slight detour to the left track of the "stacker" where the train could stop.

first of all, this rail is one way loop?

Based on the signals, it's one way rail

Do you not see the two pairs of signals? The route running form the bottom right to the middle top is two-way while trains going left presumably have some kind of loop (sorry, the image quality is not sufficient for me to make out any detail when looking at the minimap)

As a general rule, you can only use chain signals on two-way tracks until you split them again into a pair of one-way rails. Do not use two-way rails if you plan to run more than one train per route.

[Chuck]

Originally posted by Jupiter3927:

Change the top left rail signal to a chain signal and it should work the way you want it to.
Chain signals tell the train to wait at them until the block ahead (and the block ahead of the next chain signal, if chained together) is clear.

Yeah so this worked. I dont know how it worked because i dont understand trains enough but it did work.

[Kiranos]

Originally posted by Chuck:

Originally posted by Jupiter3927:

Change the top left rail signal to a chain signal and it should work the way you want it to.
Chain signals tell the train to wait at them until the block ahead (and the block ahead of the next chain signal, if chained together) is clear.

Yeah so this worked. I dont know how it worked because i dont understand trains enough but it did work.

How do you expect to understand if you just change things without taking the time to understand what you're doing ?

[Jupiter3927]

Might want to look into replaying the train tutorials the game provides...
Nothing wrong with a bit of a refresher.

[knighttemplar1960]

Originally posted by Jupiter3927:

Might want to look into replaying the train tutorials the game provides...
Nothing wrong with a bit of a refresher.

The in game train tutorials are not very well done. Its better to look at some of the Factorio train tutorials on You tube.