How to Use Track Priority Markers
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===Move a Priority Mark Along the Track (S20)=== | ===Move a Priority Mark Along the Track (S20)=== | ||
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− | <td><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;">WARNING:</span>< | + | <td><span style="font-size: 15px; font-weight: 700;">WARNING:</span> |
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+ | <td>You will not be allowed to place a track object in a layer that is higher up the list than the layer containing the track</td> | ||
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+ | <td>Moving an object from one layer group to another (e.g. from the '''Route Layer Group''' to the '''Session Layer Group''') will change where the object is saved (in the Route or in the Session)</td> | ||
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='''Assigning Priority Levels to Trains'''= | ='''Assigning Priority Levels to Trains'''= | ||
Revision as of 08:57, 27 September 2023
The information in this Wiki Page applies to TANE, TRS19, Trainz Plus and TRS22.
What are Track Priority Markers?
Priority Levels have no set meanings but can be assigned to specific AI trains to force them through selected sections of track (the track sections are defined as between consecutive junction sets) |
Priority Marks are used to assign different levels of Priority to track sections. Trains under AI control that have the same Priority Level as the track will, usually, be directed along that track. |
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Route or Session?
Priority Marks can be placed in a Route Layer or in a Session Layer |
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Information on Route and Session layers can be found at:- |
Adding a Track Priority Marker
In Surveyor Classic (S10)
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In Surveyor 2.0 (S20)
Surveyor 2.0 is currently only available for Trainz Plus and TRS22 Platinum.
Adding a Priority Mark (S20)
In the Asset Palette either:-
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OR |
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To narrow down the filter list, type "mark" (UPPER/lower case does not matter) in the Search Text Box
This will list all the Track Objects containing the text "mark" in the filter list.
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Place the Priority Mark on the track.
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Set its Priority Level (S20)
The Priority Level is the ONLY important property of a Priority Mark. Its possible values are 1, 2 and 3. |
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Change Its Name (S20)
The name of the marker is only useful for finding it in the route. It is not used for any operational purpose.
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Set its Trigger Radius (S20)
The trigger radius can be adjusted so that the marker can fit between two close junctions without overlapping them.
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Move a Priority Mark Along the Track (S20)
Priority Marks can be moved along the track or to other tracks.
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Move the Priority Mark Vertically (S20)
Priority Marks can be physically placed above (or below) the track. This feature allows them to be placed, for example, above the track so that they will not be hidden in Surveyor if a consist is parked on a marker. |
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Move the Priority Mark Horizontally (S20)
Priority Marks can be physically placed left or right alongside the track. This feature allows them to be placed, for example, beside the track so that they will not be hidden in Surveyor if a consist is parked on a marker. |
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Assign a Priority Marker to a New Layer (S20)
The Info Palette will show the layer assigned to the currently selected object. To the left of the layer name is a small arrowhead object. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Assigning Priority Levels to Trains
A higher priority level does not mean that one consist is more important than another. A priority 1 consist will not be given first access to a junction, for example, or be the first one to depart. The priority levels have no set meaning beyond what you decide they will mean. |
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For example you could assign priority 1 to express trains and 3 to slow general "all stops" freight trains, or you could assign priority 3 to express trains and 1 to slow general "all stops" freight trains, it is up to you. These values will not alter the speed or importance of these trains but will only decide which paths they should take. |
In Surveyor Classic (S10)
To assign a priority level to a consist.
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In Surveyor 2.0 (S20)
Surveyor 2.0 is currently only available for Trainz Plus and TRS22 Platinum.
To assign a priority level to a locomotive.
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Priority Marker Operation
Priority Marks only work on AI controlled trains. They have no effect on manually controlled trains | |
Priority Marks force a AI trains that with the same priority level into taking the path containing the marker | |
AI trains will ignore a path containing a Priority Mark that does not match its own priority level unless that path is also the shortest available | |
If the specified path is blocked, then the AI will ignore the Priority Mark and find another path | |
The direction that the Priority Mark is pointing has NO effect on its operation |
Consider the situations represented in the diagrams below. Three trains - Red, Green, Yellow - have been given priority levels of 1, 2 and 3 as shown. Each is given the driver command Drive to Trackmark or Navigate to Trackmark. The destination trackmark is shown on the right. In Figure 1 below, no Track Priority Markers have been set. All three trains will take the shortest path, assuming there are no blockages.
In Figure 2 below, a Track Priority Marker has been placed on the top loop line and has been given a priority level of 1. The red train (priority level 1) will now take the priority 1 path because it will "see" that as being the shortest of the three possible paths. The green and yellow trains (priority levels 2 and 3) will still "see" the middle path as the shortest.
In Figure 3 below, a Track Priority Marker has been placed on the lower loop line and has been given a priority level of 3. For the same reasons as explained above, the yellow train (priority level 3) will now take the priority 3 path because it now sees that as the shortest.
In Figure 4 below, Track Priority Markers have been placed on the upper and lower loop lines and set as shown. The red and yellow trains will take their respective loop paths while the green train is unaffected.
An exception, shown in Figure 5 below, will occur when a Track Priority Marker path has been blocked, for example by another train under AI or manual control. In the figure the lower loop path has been blocked. The red train will take its assigned path, the green train takes its shortest path and yellow train will be forced to take what it "sees" as the next shortest path.
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Another exception, shown in Figure 6 below, will occur when a driver command overrides a Track Priority Marker. In the figure the yellow train (priority level 3) has been given the driver command Drive To Station followed by Drive to Trackmark. As the station is not on the priority 3 path, that path will be ignored to reach the station and then the trackmark. After stopping at the station the train will not reverse back onto the main line to then use the priority 3 track.
The Special Case of Priority 2 Track Priority Markers can also be used to direct trains away from specific paths. Figure 8 below shows how this can be done. A Track Priority Marker set to priority level 1 has been positioned on the shortest physical path. This will block all trains of priority level 2 and 3 from using that path - they will see it as the longest available path. A second Track Priority Marker set to priority level 3 has been positioned on the 2nd shortest physical path. This will block all trains of priority level 1 and 2 from using that path. The end result is that the green train (priority level 2) has only one path available - the longest physical path.
The situation shown in Figure 8 above only works up to a point. Figure 9 below shows what will happen when ALL paths are set to a blocking priority level. The green train (priority level 2) will ignore all the priority markers and choose its own shortest path. Track Priority Markers will only make a path *look* longer or shorter. When all paths have conflicting priorities to an AI train, then the AI will go back to selecting the actual shortest physical path.
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Modifying Train Priority Levels
The Priority Level of a consist in Driver can be altered manually or automatically |
Manually in Driver
This can be done "on the fly" using the mouse.
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Using the Session Editor
This can be done in Surveyor in the Session Editor Driver Setup Rule
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Information on adding driver commands can be found on the Trainz Wiki Page at:- |
Track Priority in Map View
In Surveyor when using Map View or zooming the camera right out, the tracks will be shown colour coded according to their assigned track priority level. If the track layout shown in Figure 4 above, with the priority markers as used in that figure, was shown in Map View then this would be the result.
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Related Links
Trainz Wiki
More Tutorials and Guides to Using Trainz |
This page was created by Trainz user pware in September 2019 and was last updated as shown below.