
In that example the second train reaching the intersection will stop at the first chain signal until the first train finishes crossing the intersection. If you use chain signals, the first train to get to the intersection will reserve its path through the intersection, preventing other trains to cross its path. If you use regular signals, unless the intersection is only one huge block, which would cause throughput issues, both train will enter the intersection and get blocked by the other trying to take the turn (deadlock). Imagine a 4 way intersection: two trains arrive at the same time from left and right, and both want to make a left turn (assume RHD network). You can understand chain signals as « wait at this signal until the next regular signal on your path is green » and regular signals as « wait here if there’s a train between me and the next signal (of any kind).īasically, chain signals are there to prevent dead locking intersection. If another train runs the same line, and you only have one stop at the end, your train will not depart from its station until the destination is cleared and no other train crosses its planned path.īasically you need to use chain signals every time a track crosses another, and a regular signal after the crossing.
#Factorio train signals full
(Additional chain signals may do nothing but cannot make the intersection jam.That means your trains will wait for a full path to destination to be available. Place chain signals within an intersection wherever they make usefully smaller blocks.Place rail signals at the exits from an intersection.Place chain signals at the entrances to an intersection.The usual way this is described is that you should: Chain signals allow you to break intersections into smaller parts so multiple trains can use an intersection at once - the trick is that a train will not enter a chain-signaled area until it can reserve a clear path through the entire intersection (or rather, the entire track up to a non-chain signal). The next step is to improve throughput by using chain signals. If you don't have enough room, see if you can make sure that trains only pass through the area in one direction - that way they might be blocked by trains ahead temporarily, but they can't deadlock. You will probably have to tear down your track and redesign it, because right now you have way too many spread-out connections that are not part of widely-spaced intersections. Every non-branching section (which can have as many signals as you like) must be long enough that no train which stops on it will be sticking into an intersection. You must never place a rail signal inside an intersection only after an intersection. The usual way to set this up is to think of the rail network as made up of parts that are intersections, and regular non-branching track. (Or that same situation but with more than 2 trains.) What you need to do to not jam is make sure not to place too many rail signals: a rail signal must not be placed in a location where, if a train stopped before it, the train ahead blocking that train could also not make progress. Doing so will improve throughput, but isn't strictly necessary to make a system that doesn't jam. Many people will tell you as the very first thing to avoid two-way tracks and use a pair of one-way tracks, one in each direction.
