Signal Tags on Rail Loaders

[jssykes2819]

Where can I find information about signal tags?

I've got a cart running wood, and the signal tag is Wood1, which I want to deliver to my wood mill to make paper, but it's being picked up by my wood mill making fluid pipes. Both have unloaders, and my fluid pipe mill is Wood2, which comes before my paper mill, which is tagged Wood1.

Do carts ignore loader signal tags?

[Erik Asmussen]

Ah, that is definitely a bug! It's basically ignoring tags when performing the instantaneous Load Minecart action. Will fix that in the next update.

To work around this, if you have Steam Locomotives yet, use one of those, and have it pull some minecarts. On your Rail Loader, uncheck 'minecart cargo'. It will treat the whole thing like a regular train and perform the correct signal tag check.

Sorry for the hassle!

[Ryika]

If the bug's specifically with the loader, then you could also create a little side track with a tag-less loader and use a pusher block with the tag to only push the appropriate mine cart into it.

If traffic on the main rail isn't fluid, you'll also need a filter blocker block that prevents other cars from accidentally going into that side track when the main rail is jammed.

[Erik Asmussen]

That's a good point, logistic blocks like Pushers do work on minecarts, and their signal tags function correctly. So just bump it over to a side rail to avoid the wrong building.

[cainboy]

I really need to learn how signal tags work... and logic systems in this game :o

[Erik Asmussen]

Originally posted by cainboy:

I really need to learn how signal tags work... and logic systems in this game :o

The Computational blocks will receive a large overhaul so don't worry about that stuff just yet. The Logistic blocks are very useful though.

Pusher = Tries to send an item in its direction, but will let it through if no room
Sorter = Strict version of Pusher that forces an item to go in its direction, will stop it otherwise
Splitter = Tries to evenly distribute items out of its 3 directions
Merger = Strict block that only accepts items from each of its three directions (directions & quantity can be configured)
Blocker = stops matching items from progressing
Filter = only allows matching items to progress
Priority Sorter = Will prioritize items coming through the block in the specified direction

Each of these can have an item filter, so that only matching items are affected by the block. You can shift-click to select more than one item.

Signal Tags are another type of filter that will only apply the block effects to rail cars that match the signal tag (e.g. block tag is "A" and train tag is "A")

[GreyW00lf]

Is it possible to put multi - Signal Tags in an Filter, like you can with the regular item Filters?
Of course it would all have to be manually put in, maybe use "Sometag""Someothertag" etc etc?

[Erik Asmussen]

Yes, you can use the format "A,B" on a block to have it include trains that have either A or B tag.

It doesn't yet work in the reverse - that is, you can't put "A,B" on a *train* to have it interact with rail loader with tag A or rail loader with tag B. However, that is coming in the next version.

[GreyW00lf]

Originally posted by Erik Asmussen:

Yes, you can use the format "A,B" on a block to have it include trains that have either A or B tag.

It doesn't yet work in the reverse - that is, you can't put "A,B" on a *train* to have it interact with rail loader with tag A or rail loader with tag B. However, that is coming in the next version.

Ah cool, thanks.

[pat]

Originally posted by Erik Asmussen:

Yes, you can use the format "A,B" on a block to have it include trains that have either A or B tag.

Is this relatively new? I don't remember that from the last time I played (a year ago maybe).

[Erik Asmussen]

Yep, is brand new!

[GabeTeuton]

Originally posted by Erik Asmussen:

Yes, you can use the format "A,B" on a block to have it include trains that have either A or B tag.

It doesn't yet work in the reverse - that is, you can't put "A,B" on a *train* to have it interact with rail loader with tag A or rail loader with tag B. However, that is coming in the next version.

Hey! I hope you don't find this comment offensive in any way, but YOU REALLY need to specify this information somewhere inside the game, it's so incredibly useful to know that you can use two or more tags at the same time, i was doing it with multiple pushers next to each other (in different lines) and then merging the lines a little bit ahead.

if this is already somewhere, then i did not see it, so i'm sorry, please tell me where it is as i guess there's much more i missed!

also, i'm already on campaign level 5 and just recently found there are some tutorial maps (searching for info on the topic of this discussion), on one there's a rail logic tutorial, quite interesting and very useful, this should be thrown to the face of new players.

Lovely game thanks devs

edit1: missing letter fix