SAR Caltowie TrackMarks

 Setting an EIT Path from a Starting Signal 

The first path to be set in this tutorial is from the Gladstone  Goods Loop  to  Broken Hill . On the Gladstone  page (link via - link will open in this window) this is identified on that page as:-

From the open Driver Command Menu, select the  IT SetPath (TANE SP4 and later)  option. This will open a list of all the EITs that have been placed in the Session. Because an EIT Starting Signal, in this case invisible signal GSX G27D, is directly in front of the loco, the signal will be included in the EIT list.

Select the starting signal  GSX G27D . This will reveal that two different paths out of Gladstone start from this signal.  Goods Loop to Broken Hill , and  Goods Loop to Wilmington

Select the path  Goods Loop to Broken Hill .

Selecting this path will NOT set the entire path from Gladstone to Broken Hill. It will only set the path from the Starting Signal (in this case GSX G27D) to the End Signal (Gladstone Home Up on the Broken Hill side of the yard). Every path is named according to its starting point (one of five locations or a track in the local yard) and its destination (one of five locations or a track in the local yard). The five locations are Port Pirie, Broken Hill, Terowie, Quorn and Wilmington even if that location is not the destination or starting point of the consist. This is intended to indicate the direction of travel only.

The path has now been set. All junction switches and signals along that path from the Start Signal (GSX G27D) to the End Signal (Gladstone Home Up) are set to give loco T 258 the road out of Gladstone towards Broken Hill. Note: not all signals will automatically show Proceed once the path has been set. Some signals, semaphore signals for example, will only show Proceed when a train starts moving towards the signal.

 Cancelling a Set EIT Path 

Paths that have been set can be cancelled so that their signals and junction switches will be returned to their previous states. They will be returned automatically after the consist has cleared the Exit Signal for a path but if you change your mind and decide to take a different path or not use the EITs then a set path can be cancelled.

From the Driver Command Menu select the IT CancelEnhancedPath command.

You will have the option of cancelling ALL PATHS or selecting a particular EIT and path to cancel.

 Driving to the Next EIT Location 

You have several options for driving to Caltowie, the next EIT location. There is a minor location, Yangya, between Gladstone and Caltowie but it has no EIT, minimal yard infrastructure, no signals and its switches are set for the main line through to Caltowie.

  Manual Control 

You can manually drive the train through to Caltowie without using the EIT as described in Step  1  above. This would require that all the switches along the path be correctly set first. You can do this by manually setting all the switches yourself using the information on the Gladstone  page (link via - link will open in this window).

Part of this page is shown left with only those switches relevant to this tutorial scenario. The red dots indicate the yard Start and Exit positions for the train path. Also shown left below is the Switch Set data, taken from the same page, for the path Gladstone  Goods Loop  to  Broken Hill . The switch directions, L or R are the directions when facing the junction fork i.e. the L and R that determine which direction a train will take when passing over the junction. Switch  20  does not need to be set as it is already correctly set and occupied by the train.

You can now use the Driver Control Dial or the keyboard controls to drive the train out of Gladstone Yard to Caltowie. Alternatively, for those with advanced steam loco driving skills, you can take control of the throttle, brake and various valves wheels in the loco cab.

  AI Control 

You can also drive by adding Driver Commands directly into the Driver Command Bar on the bottom right of the screen. The Drive To, Drive to Trackmark, Drive via and other commands are available for use.

The approach to every location in the route has Trackmarks added to allow you to use this method to let the AI do most of the driving work. The Trackmarks are shown on the Caltowie  page (link via - link will open in this window).

The approach trackmarks are placed a short distance ahead of the approach home signal, a semaphore signal, at those locations that have visible signals. Where the location has no visible signals (the majority of locations in the division were unsignalled) then a visible Caution track sign has been placed alongside the trackmark.

Using the Drive commands in yards with many switches, such as Gladstone, will work but the consist will display a "stop-start" motion as it slowly navigates its way through the switches. If you use the EIT to set the path first then use the Drive commands, the consist will move without any delays.

 Setting the Next EIT 

You can set an EIT path without having to be directly in front of a Starting Signal. For example, you can set all the EIT paths for the train through Caltowie and into Jamestown (the first stop in the scenario) before you leave Gladstone.