On 5/8/2023 4:37 AM, Chris Holden wrote:
Hi,
I'm planning the next stage of track on my layout and am considering some double slips.
while i don't know double-slips, my thinking is, i believe, generic to signal mast logic in general.
I'm guessing that the recommended approach from a JMRI point of view would be for any double slips, and turnouts for that matter, to be in their own isolated block?
Perhaps. it depends on one's track arrangement. If a double-slip affects a route which enters another signalled track, then it may need to be in its own block. Note that it will probobly need to be its own block if it has any one or more route fron on ignaled area to another signaled area!
The thing that I can't quite get my head around with that is signal masts, as once I went down that route, JMRI really seemed to want me to assign a signal mast to every block, and observed in the system console any block that did not have a signal mast assigned to it, albeit with a 'but sometimes that's OK' kind of caveat.
This is unexpected, to me. You need to give an example, via the 'Filen to be worked on' (or similar!) files location of the files area!
The thing is, I can't get my head around having multiple signal masts so close together - there would be one 'protecting' that turnout / double slip block too.
You CAN have multiple switches within a single block under certain circumstances. Again, you should post the file!
And if I just put a virtual one there but no physical one, it would break the 'chain' if you like, and the whole danger - caution - proceed process would be broken.
Signals, including virtual ones, MUST be placed at a block boundary, if they are to be managed by ignal mast logic!
Also, just anecdotally from experience, it seems to me that Dispatcher won't start a train from a block that has no signal mast, if dispatcher is set to use signal mast logic.
No direct ue of Dispatcher, so no suggestions. I would, however, NOT set up dispatcher while setting up signalling! Do the signalling first, then dispatcher!
Regards,
Billybob
