issue: train tutorial cannot be completed "no path"

[yento]

Hello,

I've been going through the demo, playing factorio for the first time.
I had a major issue with the train tutorial

For the last part of the tutorial, you have to repair the base and get the train working.
I eventually managed to fix the train and make it go to the iron mine, then it got stuck there forever with a "no path" error.

I could drive the train perfectly fine in manual mode back and forth but it could only go one way in automatic mode. The train refuses to move the other way saying "path error". The path is completely fine since I can do it in manual mode.

It took me 2 hours, going through dozens of posts on forums with the same issue and watching 4 train videos on youtube before I could get the train to work.
It's super convoluted and not explained at all.

The tutorial comes with broken train tracks + a locomotive + 2 wagons.

What you need to actually do to get the train working:
1) repair the tracks
2) put signals at each end of the track, on the right side of the track
3) put a second locomotive, rotate the locomotive to face the intended direction
4) fill the second locomotive with coal
5) last but not least, create an automatic route

It would be great if the tutorial could actually go over all these steps!

The issue with fuel is especially vicious because the tutorial comes with a locomotive already setup with a coal inserter.
If you try to add a second locomotive by chance (good guess or first google answer), you have'd to be super lucky that it comes in the right direction AND guess that it needs fuel, otherwise you're gonna be stuck for hours.

[Khan Boyzitbig of Mercia]

You do not need two locomotives, nor do you need signals if only one train is involved, you do need a way for a train to go forwards to it's destination and the two stations must be on the correct side of the track.

[malogoss]

Originally posted by yento:

If you try to add a second locomotive by chance (good guess or first google answer), you have'd to be super lucky that it comes in the right direction AND guess that it needs fuel, otherwise you're gonna be stuck for hours.

"R" to rotate items. Do that before placing the locomotive on the track if needed.

When a train runs out of fuel and is stalled on track for that reason, you get an alert icon, flashing at the bottom of the screen. Take a walk to fuel it, then set it up to auto fuel at the station. Or don't, if you enjoyed the walk and you're fine doing it again, sooner or later.

That being said, yes, that scenario can be annoying. It lets you try trains but that's it. I'd say it's much easier in a freeplay mode game (with the full game), where you start with a blank map, no buildings on it. As you progress tips pop up to tell you more about that last thing you unlocked. The fact that you set up trains as you want changes everything.

In the scenario you played, I feel you could achieve all goals just as fast if you started by removing all buildings and rails. Trying to understand how those ruins around you used to work and make them work again is more of a puzzle, but it requires a lot of time.

FYI, I'd give the free demo a 5/10 and the full game a 10/10. A lot more content of course. But more importantly, less rigid, more natural progression, less annoying. In freeplay mode at least.

[Vyndicu]

Alternatively, do a loop track that allows the train to find a path forward only to the first train stop station.

[Warlord]

The biggest issue with trains is when people wonder why they get "No Path" error, but can still move the train manually. This is because "No Path" doesn't mean there is no PHYSICAL route to the location, but that you put up what are essentially "ONE WAY" signs that prevent a (automatic) train from going down a path.

The most likely reason you encounter "No Path" is because a signal on ONE side of a rail turns that train track into a one-way path. If you wish for a train to go along a rail from both directions, that signal MUST have a second one on the opposite side. When attempting to place this second signal, the game will assist with placing the signal properly by highlighting the exact space you need to place a signal.

Another common issue that can cause "No Path" issues, is placing the station on the wrong side of the track. Trains can only approach and park at a station from one direction, so if the station is placed on the opposite side from where it should be, it is quite possible that a train will not be able to dock at the station properly.

The last (but still common) cause for "No Path" issues, is assuming that a train in automatic mode will drive backwards to a destination. You must have at least one engine facing in a particular direction in order for the train to be able to drive in that direction. It can be common to place a reverse-facing train somewhere in a train (usually in the back end as a kind of caboose) to allow backwards direction travel, but most people will suggest you use one-directional trains and utilize loops to allow a trail to turn around.

[Final-Fan]

I had a similar issue, but with the copper mine rather than the iron mine. (Thank goodness, because if I had had as much trouble on the first one as I did on the second one it would have been much more demoralizing ... not to mention that I cut it pretty fine on my iron supply!) Track repaired, train stop reinstalled, "No Path". Looping the track didn't help. The train stop module was installed in the correct location.

In the end, I fixed the problem. I believe what happened in my case is that when trying to set up the stop I accidentally deleted a location and didn't properly re-add it. The copper mine and iron mine use separate tracks so telling the copper train to go to the iron train's station is no good. (You can build anything you want, of course, but the map's preexisting track is built such that iron and copper trains go back and forth without a loop on two separate lines of track, which is why the OP mentioned adding a second engine: as Warlord said, you need the second engine to go backwards if you faithfully re-create the destroyed track.)

In general, I recommend looking at the wiki. The page for train stops is: https://wiki.factorio.com/Train_stop
By looking at this, I was able to notice the train stop's arm's functional lighting indicator system, which helped me rule out possible issues. (The train stop was not invalid, and the train stop recognized the train that was parked there.)

[Warlord]

Braiiiiiiiiiiiiiins.

[Final-Fan]

Originally posted by Warlord:

Braiiiiiiiiiiiiiins.

I had an issue, found a thread with the same issue, did due diligence looking to see if there were any more recent threads regarding the same issue, didn't find any newer threads, and posted regarding the issue.

[Warlord]

Haha, not a bad reason, I suppose. There's been a lot of necro-ing going on here lately, and I felt like responding this way.

I finally re-read your entire post (only skimmed it at first, sorry >.<), and found your original issue to be an interesting case. There are quite a few things that need to be checked to verify a train runs properly, and I hadn't thought about a case where of a schedule includes a train stop that is physically separated from another. I have been using trains for so long, that I am just used to the particulars of everything and can check a dozen cases for why "no path" happens within seconds without even noticing I am checking. Also my networks tend to be complete, except for an hour or so in a new map where I get a single iron-only train set up around blue science.

[Sabrine]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.