Best way to use depots at mainline

[DijkeMark]

Hey guys,
I am having a long mainline.
Along the mainline I placed a few depots.
I currently placed them like what you can see in the attachment.

mainline + depots.png

(376.18 KiB) Downloaded 1 time

I connected more lines to the mainline, so I had to place more depots and placed them like I previously did.
But I start to get problems. Sometimes the trains leaving the waiting line from the depot enter the mainline and thus slowing down the mainline.
I also already had a train chrash around one of the depots.

My question is if there is a more efficient way to build my depots along the mainline(s), so that I can reduce the amount of depots and the they don't slow down the mainline(s).

Thanks in Advance,
Mark

[FooBar]

You could use some priority signalling (but when done properly will be quite ugly with this small signal distance, as that involves building additional track that isn't supposed to be used by trains). But maybe the best solution is to build depots not along the main line, but close to stations. Trains slow down there anyways.

[DijkeMark]

I used to build depots at station entrances and exits, but in a other game, I got problems with that when the stations get crowded.

[Hazzard]

You could use some priority signalling

I would use that. You can read more here: http://wiki.openttdcoop.org/Priority

[DijkeMark]

So I tried to put them to practise, but I don't really understand it. Is there some kind of save game that demonstrates this priority signaling?

[FooBar]

Just build the examples exactly as in the pictures. Then you have your savegame

[DijkeMark]

Haha, yes you are right, except I don't get it to work properly.
But I'll give it another try.

[Hazzard]

DijkeMark: Are the signals in the picture path based signals or block signals?

[DijkeMark]

they are path based and a few 1-way path based signals to prevent the trains coming out of the depots from going the wrong way.

[Hazzard]

Then the simplest way to build a priority is like this:

McAlpine & Co., 13th Jan 2250.png (11.49 KiB) Viewed 5067 times

Block signals turn red if there is a train anywhere in the "block". The block in this case is the weird looking extra rail. If a train enters the block, then the signal will turn red, even though it is impossible for the 2 trains to collide. The length of the block can be adjusted to best fit your network.

[DijkeMark]

But the trains don't use the extra weird looking part, right?
And does the start of a block, needs a specific signal to get it work?

Sorry for all these question. I am trying to understand this correctly.

[Intigo]

They don't use the extra part, no. All of the signals look like regular path signals except for the outlined block signal.

Hazzard's setup is a good display of how you can build priority tracks and a nice double depot.

[Hazzard]

McAlpine & Co., 13th Jan 2250.png (115.16 KiB) Viewed 4996 times

The block signals turns red if there is any train in the "block" following it (skillfully colored red). Priorities work because when a train enters the start of the block, the block signal turns red, stopping them from getting blocked.

[JacobD88]

A long time ago, on the wiki, i produced a design for a pass through station with train priority configurations for mainline and station, you could apply a similar set up for waiting areas re-joining the mainline...

http://wiki.openttd.org/Railway_Station ... u_stations

Notice where the COMBO and EXIT signals on the mainline are placed, if there is a train on the mainline, in this space, the ENTRY signal from the station/depot will be red, giving the mainline priority... You can adjust the space between combo and exit to increase the timespan that a train waiting to join the mainline has to wait...


Also check my signature for other depot ideas, i will update eventually to include train prioritised versions for you too

[kamnet]

McAlpine & Co., 13th Jan 2250.png

The block signals turns red if there is any train in the "block" following it (skillfully colored red). Priorities work because when a train enters the start of the block, the block signal turns red, stopping them from getting blocked.

Nearly 100% of anything posted on openttdcoop generally goes right over my head. This is a GREAT and dead-simple explanation that I'll be using in the future when building out realistic-style depots along the mainline. Thanks!

[DijkeMark]

Thank you all for your patients with me. xD
I think I understand the principle now. Hope I can get it to practice soon.