Signals aren't really clicking for me. I've read the TTDX forums a few times and sometimes even though I realize something works, I don't really understand how it works.
Lesson 1:
From here
To me, with the one ways on the outside (away from the depot) it seems like those signals would stop any train from ever taking the outside. Is it not the case that trains should never come down a track where a one way signal has it's back to their oncoming direction?
Lesson 2:
How do you handle a situation like this? There are resources to the south and destinations to the north. The resources are in a line to the south but a bit separated to the north.
This was one of the first things I did wrong, and was only a couple nights ago. And I realize the section for the southbound north train was clear to come on through and butt heads with the northbound train from the south. What I needed was a passing area to the south and to kill that southernmost two way, right?
The reason I included this in my list of problems today is that I'm wondering how you would have handled it. I think if I were doing that again i'd build the passing area at the north of the tunnel. Or is there a better way?
Lesson 3:
Now we get to the good stuff!
Okay, there is a sawmill and a coal mine to the NE. the power plant is north of the woods. Each of the trains had only two orders (load/unload). Yet, the coal train was going down to the woods and the woods train was going to the power plant... Cats and Dogs, living together... it was ANARCHY!
Lesson 4:
I saved the best for last. Multi part, and we get in to the save games!
4a:
Actually...
4a(1):
Simlple.
Did I need two stations here? since the coverage area of the one station encompassed both mines, did this do me any good?
4a(2):
Medium.
If these were two different sources (coal + wood) then would I need two different stations or "should" one station cover both? I ask this because it seems like every time I try that it only lets me pick up one of the resources.
4a(3):
Difficult.
Does it ever make sense to have two different types of cars on the same train? Like maybe... have four stops? 2 pickup and 2 drop off? Or does it always make more sense to have dedicated trains?
4a(4):
Here is the save, and I might be getting ahead of myself, may want to read "b" before answering this.
It seemed to me that I had more than enough resources in this setup to take coal south and north from the south station. So I ran a new line down south and had trains coming to the southern station from both the north and south. But my trains that were supposed to go to the power plant down south were running up to the north end of the map and sometimes even unloading there against their orders!
4a(4a): This is related to #3, above. How do you forbid the southbound trains from going further stouth than that station and vice versa for the northbound trains from the south?
4a(4b): Why were they unloading where they shouldn't be?
4b, extended OR How I learned to stop worrying and love Transport Tycoon:
Would you do me a favor and download and signal this? Name that file "Signaled" or something like that (maybe include your name). Then erase what I did badly, rebuild it yourself and name that "TheRightWay" or "[yourName] way"?
This not being able to view demos in OpenTTD thing is holding me back. Some hands on/studyable critique/reworking would do me wonders!
If you want to email me the files, mrdetermination AT gmail DAWT com would be best

For reference, and commentary if you are so inclined, here is how I signaled that and here are things a while later.
Thanks for reading this far!