How to cause train crashes

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Chuma
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How to cause train crashes

Post by Chuma »

Hi!

I'm kind of new to the game, and I'm trying to understand how train crashes work. As an experiment, I tried a few setups to make one happen on purpose, but the trains always seem to find a way to avoid them. The only way I'm able to do it is by removing signals when the trains are already on their way.

Since trains won't enter an unsafe block, how are crashes possible at all? Could you give a simple example of a design that leads to a crash? Or is there some randomness involved?
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Sylf
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by Sylf »

1. Build a train depot
2. Build a few tiles worths of rails connected to that depot
3. Buy 2 trains that's shorter than the rail built in step 2
4. Start both trains - only 1 train will exit the depot
5. Open the window for the train that's still in the depot
6. Click on the "ignore signal" button on that train from step 5
7. Watch the second train run into the first train


Basically, as long as you have all signals placed so that trains run smoothly, you won't see a crash.
Only when you manually tell the trains to ignore a signal, or remove a signal at the wrong (or right, depending on your purpose) time, then you will cause train crash.


There is an edge case where mixing path signals and block signals can cause a crash, but it's an exception.
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Chrill
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by Chrill »

Trains cannot accidentally collide. They only do it when you mess up, basically. Usually if one is reconstructing a junction in realtime instead of pausing the game or indeed by telling the train to ignore the signal.
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ccomley
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by ccomley »

Best way to cause a crash is to dick about with the signals, or just plain remove a signal just when trains are running either side of it.

most of the time if I cause a crash, it's coz i'm trying to fix a signal snafu whlist the trains are live on the network! I'll think "I just have time to..." but I didn't have time, or, because of what I did, a train re-routed unexpectedly before I could finish the redesign. :)
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growlithe16
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by growlithe16 »

Also trains can crash into road vehicles crossing the tracks. A few times I zoomed in and seen an explosion and a destroyed bus or truck.
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Pyoro
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by Pyoro »

They not only can, they pretty much will, if you use level crossings. I'm convinced that if you ran a OTTD save infinitely with every vehicle route including at least one level crossing you'd at some point have killed off all road vehicles. ^^
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Pyoro wrote:They not only can, they pretty much will, if you use level crossings. I'm convinced that if you ran a OTTD save infinitely with every vehicle route including at least one level crossing you'd at some point have killed off all road vehicles. ^^
In some of my games where I only build trains but buy out diversified AIs,my benign-neglect policy toward acquired road vehicles sees the roster slowly shrink...
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by ccomley »

Pyoro wrote:They not only can, they pretty much will, if you use level crossings. I'm convinced that if you ran a OTTD save infinitely with every vehicle route including at least one level crossing you'd at some point have killed off all road vehicles. ^^
I used to wonder where my buses were disappearing to!

Then I turned off "towns may build level crossings" and the buses now live to a ripe old age. :)
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Re: How to cause train crashes

Post by ccomley »

Baldy's Boss wrote:
In some of my games where I only build trains but buy out diversified AIs,my benign-neglect policy toward acquired road vehicles sees the roster slowly shrink...
Ah - I'm playing one game where I tried out a new AI and it goes wonky coz it builds FAR too many vehicles then gets stuck. If I manually switch-player then delete half its cars it picks up again and continues normally. You just gave me an idea how to have "attrition" of its vehicles without me having to keep popping in! :-)
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