Make AI trains not driving through red block signals when needed

[TobbeS]

Hi,

Something that would be awesome is a possibility to send orders to AI trains not to pass red block signals.

Always they do after a few seconds of waiting, making them driving in 20 km/h and, in many cases, destroys the traffic flow. And if another train is behind, that AI will do the same. Other trains then need to wait extra long. Pendolinos for example, are fast and tend to reach red signals faster. Let's say that an IC train is not fast enough (after being held at entrance signal) to run into a siding and the Pendolino starts driving in 20 km/h for about 1,5km. Either the IC could continue with the Pendolino still behind after a while, or the IC is still being held, causing unnecessary delays for the IC and other trains around.
Often it's more than just two trains involved for this scenario, like 3-5 of them, and some are delayed or too early, and actions need to be taken to make trains continue in the right order, depending on delays, max speed, etc.. This scenario is not very rare I think.

Player drivers can always be requested over radio to make something different, but AI's is always living their own life. If it was possible to tell an AI not to pass block signals, it could wait for an extra minute and then continue running at line speed, and extra delays could be avoided.

Cheers

 

[Gazz292]

The rules for Auto Block Signals state that you can pass them on red after stopping for a short time (few seconds)  then travel at a max of 20 Km/h being prepared to stop at any obstruction ahead, 

This is because they are automatic signals and could be 'stuck' showing a red aspect, AFAIK a dispatcher can not give you permission to pass an Auto Block Signal over the radio, as they are not in control of those signals. so you'd be sat forever at a stuck red signal causing a traffic jam behind you.

You can then speed up to route speed when you pass a non red signal,  otherwise you can keep passing red Auto Block Signals,

 

Obviously you can't pass a Semi Automatic Signal at red unless it's showing Sz (flashing white light)
Then it's 40 Km/h, dropping to 20 Km/h when you exit pass the last Semi Automatic Signal and enter into the Auto Block Signal area. 

 

So the Ai trains are just doing what they should be doing, and human driven trains can do the same.

This is just another thing that SimRail is doing correctly according to the Polish railway rules. 

[Dolphin Invasion]

Yes but I get what the suggestion is here. If there is a train stopped at a station for a ph stop and the next AI decides to pass the red after say like 30 seconds. But if the AI had waited say an extra 5 seconds they would have received a better signal indication. Now you have a cycle of all the AI if there happens to be a line of delayed trains now making delays worse because they are in a cycle of all accepting occupied block ABS signal.

This happens frequently between Sosnowiec Glowny and Katowice Zawodzie if there is a line of delayed trains and a commuter is sent first so it has the passenger swap between boxes. Everytime I seen this happen there, if the AI waited an extra 5-10 seconds, they would have gotten a better signal. If its players and I'm on the box, I'll let them know the train ahead is on the move if they want to wait for a better signal

[Gazz292]

oh yeah i realised what was wanted,  but how on earth do you code that,  wait 30 seconds before passing an ABS red, or maybe 35 seconds, what if it had waited another 5 seconds... and repeat. 

What if it's a players train in the station, and they leave 6 seconds late, and the train behind is programmed to wait an extra 5 seconds before passing the signal in that situation (and yes i know there should be at least one semi automatic signal behind the station where a trains stopped)

way i see it. it's just part of railway life where you are allowed to pass red automatic signals,  there will always be a 'if only it had waited another xx seconds it would have got a proceed aspect' situation.

 

[noirceur]

In reality it's probably even 1-3 minutes, I suppose. Especially with Poland enforcing the 20 km/h limit, you really want to avoid doing so until absolutely necessary, because you will take like 3-4 minutes to go through the block instead of what, 40 seconds?

The rule for passing red is there more for special occurrences that would otherwise require dispatcher to use Sz signal, as after autoblock cannot be any switch to cover or any train going across your path or against you. But for example railroad crossings connected to AB signals may stay open and unsecured. Passing it on red is not something you would do every day upon seeing one.

[Dolphin Invasion]

Yeah IRL, I don't accept red auto signals unless I know we are just following a slow train or following in a line of trains.

If we don't know why we have a red ABS, we will call the dispatcher. If he tells us there is no one ahead of us and the reason for the red is unknown, we will proceed but on the lookout for broken rail or some other issue as we use track circuits on all our mains instead of axle counters.

Coding into the game could maybe be on the radio, using a prompt (like to the adjoining boxes on the phone) to enter the train number and to wait before passing a red ABS and maybe like 1 minute timer starts for the AI and the AI won't proceed unless the timer expires and you don't tell it again or the signal upgrades to a better indication. And you could use a limit for anti-griefing purposes like a limit of 2 or 3 times and then the AI will auto accept the red ABS to prevent a griefer from resetting the axle counter and holding an AI there.



Bonus: Making a passenger crew uncomfortable by entering the same block in a related scenario with a freight train. (Extra bonus hi-rail truck)

Edited June 21, 2023 by Dolphin Invasion