Rail Construction on layout with semaphores

[Fiend]

When I built my first few sections of track I had no semaphores anywhere and this worked fine.
Now that I have a more complex layout with semaphores, it is impossible for the construction trains to reach the construction site unless I set every semaphore to two-way and send all the regular trains back to the depot.

Construction trains need to ignore the ordinary semaphores, and also we need a semaphore that can tell the construction train to turn around, so that it can go back to the construction office in the correct direction and not collide with the regular trains.

One further issue - Tracks that have not been built yet should not require semaphores!

[forzion]

I have done quite extensive track building with rail construction office and I do not recommend to change the way it works. I would only suggest some tweaks but it is hard to explain ti now but you do not want any train on your railroad that ignores semaphores. That leads to disasters.

I have about 10-15 km track with multiple lines and few quite difficult intersections and I am using those builders to build more tracks. I spent tens of hour to figure out how to do it and I had train of stuck trains multiple times mainly because I placed my signals wrong or some trains got through the red signal when multiple chain signals in series were used.

In my opinion the most simple solution is to add an option to stop any train any time. That way you can micromanage your building in less exhausting and not so frustrating way. You just stop the first train send in those builders do it as fast as possible and release you stopped trains when you are done.

If you want tips I can share some but it is not the most optimal idea to build during heavy railroad traffic. And it can be much more expensive than instabuild.

I would say I found out how to do most of building and sometimes it is much easier just to build the rail construction office and build those tracks separately. But it can be done even in heavy traffic if you like huge challenges, can afford losses in profits, maybe some burned down buildings and you can live with stuck traffic and traffic jams. But you really need know-how to do it at least somewhat effectively.

[Fiend]

I agree that ignoring semaphores is not ideal, but how else can you build a spur off a double-track line? The spur in the direction of travel is fine (or would be if we could tell the train to turn around), but the return spur will always be against travel. The only way to get a construction train there is to set every semaphore to two-way, and remove all other traffic from the line. Doing that shuts down most of the economy and makes it impossible to complete the line.

Building a new construction office for every line would usually work, but that's not very realistic either, and it's completely overkill for short lines.

Maybe if we were able to set way-points that would turn the construction trains around then it would be possible.

We also need a semaphore that marks a section for construction trains only.

[forzion]

Originally posted by Fiend:

I agree that ignoring semaphores is not ideal, but how else can you build a spur off a double-track line? The spur in the direction of travel is fine (or would be if we could tell the train to turn around), but the return spur will always be against travel. The only way to get a construction train there is to set every semaphore to two-way, and remove all other traffic from the line. Doing that shuts down most of the economy and makes it impossible to complete the line.

Building a new construction office for every line would usually work, but that's not very realistic either, and it's completely overkill for short lines.

Maybe if we were able to set way-points that would turn the construction trains around then it would be possible.

We also need a semaphore that marks a section for construction trains only.

My strategy is this. I utilize wooden tracks to build temporary connection and tracks for builders. This way I can connect both direction of the railroad to allow builders to turn around near the planned intersection. This can be done in single run. To get the builder there I replace remove all signals on that track to the site from nearest intersection where the builders can enter with chain signals for each entry. Then I send the builder to build the connection. As it is done I set signals for new intersection and put all I removed back where they were and now I can get my builders there without interupting the traffic. They come on the normal track, do their task, then turn around and get through temporary track to opposite line to go back to office. There is just little delay until builders build in new intersection and trains must stop there for moment if there is a train passing in opposite direction and they are slowing other trains on their way because ther top speed is only 50 km/h.

I can show you some screenshots or do a video to show you how it looks like, if you cannot imagine that.

This way I was able to build tracks into new direction even the rail construction offices were few km away down the two directional tracks witt heavy traffic.

[forzion]

Originally posted by forzion:

Originally posted by Fiend:

I agree that ignoring semaphores is not ideal, but how else can you build a spur off a double-track line? The spur in the direction of travel is fine (or would be if we could tell the train to turn around), but the return spur will always be against travel. The only way to get a construction train there is to set every semaphore to two-way, and remove all other traffic from the line. Doing that shuts down most of the economy and makes it impossible to complete the line.

Building a new construction office for every line would usually work, but that's not very realistic either, and it's completely overkill for short lines.

Maybe if we were able to set way-points that would turn the construction trains around then it would be possible.

We also need a semaphore that marks a section for construction trains only.

My strategy is this. I utilize wooden tracks to build temporary connection and tracks for builders. This way I can connect both direction of the railroad to allow builders to turn around near the planned intersection. This can be done in single run. To get the builder there I replace remove all signals on that track to the site from nearest intersection where the builders can enter with chain signals for each entry.thatonly one train would be there at the time. Then I send the builder to build the connection. As it is done I set signals for new intersection and put all I removed back where they were and now I can get my builders there without interupting the traffic. They come on the normal track, do their task, then turn around and get through temporary track to opposite line to go back to office. There is just little delay until builders build in new intersection and trains must stop there for moment if there is a train passing in opposite direction and they are slowing other trains on their way because ther top speed is only 50 km/h.

I can show you some screenshots or do a video to show you how it looks like, if you cannot imagine that.

This way I was able to build tracks into new direction even the rail construction offices were few km away down the two directional tracks witt heavy traffic.

[Fiend]

In some situations I have done similar things to what you describe, but usually there isn't enough room for a temporary track.

[forzion]

Well, there were situations when I did not know how to build it but later I found out way to do that. But there are still some situation where I depend on import building. But that are those where I would need to approach from opposite side. And then some esthetic correction are better to be done through instabuild.

And I usually build tracks before I build other buildings around them. I build the station first then residential building around it later.

But all railroad building during full railway traffic is quite complicated puzzle to solve. Mainly because there are situation when a train goes through red signal if there are more chain signals in serie.

I consider to do some tutorial videos on railroad building and you can share some ideas if you have any.

I think for the kind of building I have done you need be very calm and have strong nerves. It can be the most challenging part of the game because of unpredictability of builders.