What now?
We still have Multiple Tracks... Signals... Over-bridges... Tunnels... Trees... to add...

Forget about the tunnels!!

There is a bug in the editor which prevents satisfactory reversal sometimes IF tunnels have been placed - even if then removed afterwards.

Let us start this page with signals...

Signals:
Home or Absolute signals are placed by the program to protect all points (switches), whether they are ordinary cross-overs, diamond crossovers, turnouts, single to double-track, multiple tracks reducing to single track, or to double track.

RailSim tracks are all created by the program and signalled as bidirectional - even with double track routes. This is quite useful because it would otherwise not be possible to force left-hand running as is done in Australia and New Zealand.

By bi-directional is meant that trains may travel in either direction on a particular track (with permission, of course). The best known example of bi-directional track is obviously a single track.

You may also choose to place Absolute signals yourself, either on their own, or on double track sections associated with a crossover from right to left, from left to right, or crossovers in both directions (diamond crossover).

They are shown with a red dot on the editor as we can see here.

Automatic signals
are placed manually between them, on both double and single track sections of line.

They are always single aspect signals, except the last one before an absolute, which has an offset lower aspect which gives the train crew an idea of what to expect at the home signal ahead, if its top or main aspect is red.

The distance apart that you place signals depends on many factors - the speed of the line, the grade of the line, difficulties in visibity... and they appear on the editor as a yellow dot as shown here.

As a suggestion, track diagrams for Australian 50 - 75mph single-track main lines with hilly and curved terrain, having average to poor visibility of the route ahead tend to place automatic signals about a mile apart.

If you do not place automatic signals in sections between major locations, the program defaults to the American standard of unsignalled territory for sections 6 miles and longer - similar in many ways to the antiquated system of Train Orders - and the program enforces a timetabled speed of 20mph maximum.

All our Australian train-order and staff-and-ticket routes created as part of this project will have such a low maximum speed, with the exception of the high-speed Salisbury - Port Pirie Broad Gauge route.

Although not prototypical, we have signalled this line to simulate the staff exchanging apparatus by the lineside and on the locomotives to permit a "hurry-up" right up to 1983 when the line was closed for conversion to Standard Gauge, at which time searchlight automatic signals were installed progressively from Dry Creek through to Crystal Brook.

As an example of unsignalled territory, here we have a signal anotation on the narrow gauge (3ft-6ins) Pichi Richi route on leaving Stirling North eastbound that there are no more signals (for 19.22 miles) until we encounter the distant outside Quorn, which we show below - the program displays a single-aspect automatic signal, whereas in real life no signal actually exists, although the adjacent standard gauge railway was equipped with somersault signals!

At this point, the speed of the train can be increased (subject to other restrictions) until the Home signal entering Quorn yard is encountered. Note that the editor screen actually shows a track speed of 50; this is the speed set for the track regardless of signal or rollingstock constraints. The maximum speed of travel is always the minimum of all three parameters.

The program displays an offset 2-aspect automatic signal here, whereas in real life it is a fixed lower quadrant semaphore signal following SAR practice and dating from late in the 19th Century.

Finally, this is the entry to Quorn yard, a Home signal, which is a three aspect colour light in the simulator. In real life, it is a lower quadrant semaphore arm.

Signal Placement Restrictions:
There has to be at least 1/4-mile between consecutive automatic signals along a line. The closest an automatic signal can be placed after the departure signal of a station is 19 cursor steps (19/32-mile), and 13/32-mile for an approach signal before the home signal. The difference is because signals protecting switches are set 3 steps before the switch.

Multiple tracks:
The railway defaults to double track with a four track start station and a 4-track end-station when it first loads in the editor.

Double track Crossovers:
At a home signal (as one approaches a station), the option is given first to place left-hand or right-hand crossovers (or both), at the first of two dashed green lines one editor step past the signal, identified as pos. for turnout

and then one unit forward from the trailing end of those switches there is a further option - also identified as identified as pos. for turnout - to diverge both left and right tracks into one or two extra roads. These options are available at a pair of light green coloured dashed lines located one editor step apart, and one editor step after the home signal.

The first is shown above, the second shown below.

The combinations of crossovers available at the first position are shown here...

using the L key and then R creates crossovers in both directions (a diamond crossing).

Crossovers on Single incoming track:
If the line is single track, then at the home signal, the crossover option is removed.

Left- or Right-hand switches automatically convert the line to dual track prior to reaching the 3 or 4 track option location.

3rd and 4th tracks:
Moving on to the second green dashed line, here we have an image of where both L and R keys have been used to set 4 tracks through the station or siding. It is not possible to set infinitely long sections of 4 tracks; the length is restricted to that of the standard station or siding which is one mile long, no more, no less.

The placement of the third and/or fourth road automatically places a set of 3-aspect absolute signals at the far end... corresponding to departure signals from the yard. We can see these here...

Double or Single ongoing tracks:
You will notice that again there are two sets of dashed green lines at the far end of the station. First the one or two extra tracks combine, and then provision is optionally made for left- and right-hand crossovers as well, which will be placed automatically if the decision is made to convert to a single track.

departure crossovers:
The first green dashed line is for the crossover-option, and here the sense of the letters L and R is reversed.

An L key will produce a crossover from the left track to the right track.

An R key will produce a crossover from the right track to the left track.

Using both L and R keys will produce a diamond crossover as before.

Creating Single Track:
At the crossover location, it is possible to reduce the (now) twin tracks to one, and the choice is offered for removal of either the left-hand or the right-hand track by using Shift-F6

One is presented with the dialogue above which asks which track to remove...

And the result on the editor screen is either of the next two...

Creating Double Track from Single Track:
Pressing Shift-F6 will create double track from the previous single track as shown below, and will obviously creat a turnout in the direction of the previously removed track.

The lower one of the two is the method suggested by Martin Van der Veer to force left-hand track running, and is used in all Australian RailSim double track sections.

Departure from all our double-track start stations in this way enforces a medium speed negotiation of the the switch to the right hand track, and normal speed negotiation of the same switch to the left-hand track. Consequently unless you select a very high speed passenger train, in most cases the simulator program will route you up the left-hand track.

Trees:
As mentioned previously, trees can be set by using the F4 key. This is done randomly by the program, and initially there are no trees along the route until F4 has been pressed once.

Tunnels (and bridges over the railway):
Not yet!!!! Wait until the route is finshed and you are ready to consider reversing its direction to create it from B to A.

Please do not add tunnels or bridges over the line yet.

geography - gradients - curves - features - speeds - reversing the route