SAR Scenarios Tutorial

Interlocking Towers (ITs) are included in the SAR Peterborough Base Session (they are not part of the route or layout) to provide easier navigation in some of the more complex yards in the layout. They provide paths into and out of those yards and in some cases they provide direct paths through the yards.

ITs are optional, they do not have to be used

ITs are setup at the following locations:-

• Gladstone Down - to provide paths out of Gladstone towards Peterborough and the Wilmington Line.
• Gladstone Up - to provide paths into Gladstone from Peterborough and the Wilmington Line.
• Caltowie - to provide paths into, out of and through Caltowie towards/from Gladstone and Peterborough.
• Jamestown - to provide paths into, out of and through Jamestown towards/from Gladstone and Peterborough.
• Peterborough West - to provide paths into and out of Peterborough towards/from Gladstone and Quorn.
• Peterborough East - to provide paths into and out of Peterborough towards/from Terowie and Paratoo.
• Paratoo - to provide paths into and out of Paratoo towards/from Peterborough.
• Terowie - to provide paths into and out of Terowie towards/from Peterborough.
• Orroroo - to provide paths into, out of and through Orroroo towards/from Peterborough and Quorn.
• Carrieton - to provide paths into, out of and through Carrieton towards/from Peterborough and Quorn.
• Quorn - to provide paths into and out of Quorn towards/from Peterborough.

Gladstone and Peterborough have each been split into two ITs because of the large number of paths at each location. Three of these ITs are used in this tutorial - Gladstone Down, Caltowie and Jamestown.

Deleting the ITs If you never want to use the ITs then they can be removed from the Session:- load the Session in Surveyor open the Layers tool, select the Interlocking Towers layer and then click Delete (this will take a minute or two). save the edited Session with a new name or overwrite the old Session name - whichever you prefer This will also delete some of the invisible signals that have been specifically added to support the ITs but their absence will have no effect on anything else.

 The Tutorial Scenario 

The scenario used in this tutorial is  Gladstone-Peterborough Depot Fuel which has the consist already fully assembled with its locomotive (T 258) on the  Goods Loop . This tutorial will follow the scenario until the consist arrives at Jamestown.

The task in this tutorial scenario is to drive the coal and fuel oil train out of Gladstone yard and onto the main Port Pirie to Broken Hill main line. Continue through Caltowie yard and into Jamestown yard.

 Gladstone Interlocking Tower 

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 ITs that have been placed in the Session.

Because an IT Starting Signal, in this case invisible signal  GSX G27D IT Start , is directly in front of your loco, the signal will be included in the list of available ITs as shown below left. If no IT Starting Signal is directly ahead of your loco then only the available ITs will be listed, as shown below right.

A Starting Signal Present

No Starting Signal Present

	All Interlocking Tower Starting Signals have IT Start at the end of their names.
	All IT Starting Signals are invisible signals. Some have been placed directly in front of visible (semaphore) signals to prevent the IT paths locking the visible signals.

Select the starting signal  GSX G27D IT Start . 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 .

Every path is named according to its starting point (one of six "outside" locations or a track in the local yard) and its destination (one of six "outside" locations or a track in the local yard). The six "outside" locations are Port Pirie, Broken Hill, Terowie, Quorn, Wilmington and Peterborough. Those locations may not be the destination or starting point of the consist and they indicate the direction of travel only.

Selecting a path to or from an outside location will NOT set the entire path to/from that location (e.g. all the way to Broken Hill). It will only set the path between the Starting Signal and the Exit Signal. Either both signals will be just outside the yard or one will be within the yard and the other just outside

In the track diagram on the left, the Starting Signal is at the location marked and the Exit Signal is at . The path, the yellow line between the two points, has now been set. All junction switches and signals along the selected path from the Start Signal ( GSX G27D IT Start ) to the Exit 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.

Once the path has been set, use the Driver Speed Dial, the keyboard controls (W, S, X), advanced on-screen controls, or the AI to drive the train out of Gladstone Yard to Caltowie.

Check Train Heading If you are using the manual driving controls (either the keyboard or on-screen controls) then it is a good idea to check the train heading (its forward direction) first by clicking the Train Heading Button in the lower right of the screen. This will set and reveal the red and green direction arrows on the consist and establish the heading (the green arrow).

 Cancelling a Set IT Path 

Paths that have been set can be cancelled so that their signals and junction switches will be returned to their previous states.

Set paths are automatically returned to their initial states after the consist has cleared the Exit Signal, but if you change your mind and decide to take a different path or not use the IT 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 IT and path to cancel.

 Gladstone to Caltowie 

There is a minor location, Yangya, between Gladstone and Caltowie but it has no IT, minimal yard infrastructure, no visible signals and its switches are set for the main line through to Caltowie

You have two options for driving to Caltowie - Manual and AI control.

  Manual Control 

You can manually drive the train through to Caltowie without using the AI Driver Commands or setting IT Paths. This requires that all the switches along the path are correctly set. You can do this 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 the consist is beyond the switch.

You can now use the Driver Speed Dial or the keyboard controls (W, S, X) 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 other various devices in the loco cab.

To provide a stopping guide for manual driving, especially for those locations without signals, all locations have a Caution track sign placed just in front of the yard entry point and clear of all invisible signals.

Check Train Heading If you are using the manual driving controls (either the keyboard or on-screen controls) then it is a good idea to check the train heading (its forward direction) first by clicking the Train Heading Button in the lower right of the screen. This will set and reveal the red and green direction arrows on the consist and establish the heading (the green arrow).

  AI Control 

	Because the ITs lock the path starting signals at STOP it is not possible to use the AI Drive To commands at locations that have ITs without first setting an IT path for the train. The Drive To commands will not override any IT locked signals.
	Locations without ITs, such as Yangya between Gladstone and Caltowie, can be navigated using AI Drive To commands without any problems.

You can drive by adding AI Driver Commands directly into the Driver Command Bar on the bottom right of the screen. A large number of track marks and some industies have been added to provide destinations for these commands.

The approach to every location in the route has  Track Marks added to allow you to let the AI do most of the driving work.

Apart from the standard commands (Drive To, Load, Unload, Couple, Wait For, etc), additional commands have been added to the session. Specifically:-

• Instant Load Command - to instantly load all wagons (except locos) with the first item in their product queues
• InstantLoadLocos - to instantly load all locos (or their tenders) with water and either coal or bunker c oil
• InstantUnload - to instantly unload all wagons (except locos)

All locations in the route have an Approach Track Mark placed a short distance ahead of the approach signals, both visible and invisible, that protect the yard entry points. Alongside each is a Caution track sign.

The Track Marks are shown on the Caltowie  page (link via - link will open in this window).

 Caltowie Interlocking Tower 

Caltowie does not have a coal stage or a fuel oil store in need of a refill so the consist will not be stopping here. A through path is the best option.

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

To Set a Remote Path To set a path for a distant IT, open the Driver Command Menu and select the  IT SetPath (TANE SP4 and later)  option. Then select the required IT and path from the lists. This can be repeated for as many ITs as needed along the path of the train.

Open the Driver Command Menu and select the  IT SetPath (TANE SP4 and later)  option. Then select the  Caltowie Interlocking Tower . This will open a list of ALL the IT paths controlled by the Caltowie IT, including any paths that will not be directly accessable to your consist.

On the Caltowie  page (link via - link will open in this window) the path we will select is identified as:- Select the path  Port Pirie to Broken Hill . This will set a direct path, via the  Main  Line, through Caltowie Yard and out towards Broken Hill.

You could also select any of the  Port Pirie to ...  paths. The only other through path is  Port Pirie to Station to Broken Hill  which will take you through the yard via the Station. The other  Port Pirie to ...  paths will take you into the yard but will not provide a set path out. You will need to select and set the appropriate  ... to Broken Hill  path to exit the yard.

If you have manually driven to the Caltowie Home Dn signal (or used the AI Drive To Trackmark Caltowie Main Approach Dn command) then open the Driver Command Menu and select the  IT SetPath (TANE SP4 and later)  option. The name of the Start Signal  Caltowie Home Dn IT Start  will appear in the IT list.

The Ideal Stop Position If you are using the manual driving controls (the keyboard or on-screen controls) and want to stop clear of an invisible IT Start signal that controls the entry IT paths into a location, such as Caltowie, then stop at the Caution marker placed alongside the track in front of the semaphore signal.

Select  Caltowie Home Dn IT Start . This will open a list of all its assigned paths. Select the through path you want, for example  Port Pirie to Broken Hill  or  Port Pirie to Station to Broken Hill . Path via Caltowie Station

Starting Signal Not Showing If you have stopped in front of an IT Starting Signal but it does not appear in the IT list, then you may be positioned too close to the signal. In which case either:- move the train back a few metres and check again, or follow the instructions in step   above and select the path through its IT there are track objects such as other signals (even those facing the opposite direction) or track junctions between the loco and the signal. In which case either:- move the loco closer so that it is clear of any other signal or junction and check again, or follow the instructions in step   above and select the path through its IT

Once the path has been set, use the Driver Speed Dial, the keyboard controls (W, S, X), advanced on screen controls, or the AI to drive the train through Caltowie Yard to Jamestown.

Caltowie does not have a coal stage or a fuel oil store in need of a refill so the consist will not be stopping here. A through path is the best option.

  Manual Control 

To manually drive the train through Caltowie to Jamestown without first setting IT Paths you will have to set all the switches yourself using the information on the Caltowie  page (link via - link will open in this window).

Because Caltowie is a fairly simple yard, the switch sets are not complex.  Port Pirie to Broken Hill  via  Main  -  1 -R  2 -L  6 -R  7 -L  Port Pirie to Broken Hill  via Station -  1 -L  7 -R Once the switches have been set, use the Driver Speed Dial, the keyboard controls (W, S, X) or the advanced on screen controls to drive the train through Caltowie.

 Catchpoints 

Notice that the Switch Track Diagram above shows three switches in red with letters as IDs -  A    B    C .

These special switches are identified on the Caltowie  page as Catch Points which are also known as Derails. They are designed to derail runaway wagons and prevent them from fouling the running lines. Most yards in the route have at least one Catch Point.

The information above shows that the default position of the Catch Points, the first direction setting shown as an (L) or an (R), is set to  Catchpoint  which is the Derail position.

	If you are manually driving through a yard, then you MUST correctly set each  Catchpoint  on your path yourself otherwise your train will DERAIL
	If you have set the path through a yard using the IT option, then any  Catchpoints  along the path of your train will be automatically set to allow the train to safely pass.

The Catchpoints used in major yards have mechanical indicators. Smaller yards use a simplier version with a static sign. The Catchpoint switch green arrow MUST point to the opposite side of the track from the Catchpoint Rail for the train to safely pass.

  AI Control 

After reaching Caltowie you can use the Track Marks placed in the yard to navigate your way through. The track marks are shown on the Caltowie  page (link via - link will open in this window) with a section containing a few that are relevant to this tutorial reproduced below with a secion of the Track Mark details from the same page.

All stations on the route, including the passenger enabled stations, have track marks on both their Up and Down sides. This allows you to use the Drive To Trackmark command to reach any passenger station. The track marks are named using the name of the station (e.g. Caltowie), the word Station and the direction of travel, Up or Dn. So Caltowie has the station track marks Caltowie Station Dn and Caltowie Station Up (not shown above).

	Most stations on the route are NOT passenger enabled which reflects the level of passenger traffic that existed at those locations. The Drive To Trackmark command has to be used to bring a train alongside these stations when using the AI
	The  page at each location () will show the status of each station
	Because the ITs lock the path starting signals at STOP it is not possible to use the AI Drive To commands at locations that have ITs without first setting an IT path for the train. The Drive To commands will not override any IT locked signals.

Once you have set an IT path through Caltowie, the best option is to use the AI  Drive To Trackmark  Driver Command and then select the Track Mark  Jamestown Main Approach Dn  to navigate to Jamestown

Jamestown is the final destination of this tutorial but the Gladstone-Peterborough Depot Fuel Scenario continues on to Peterborough.

In this tutorial scenario, we will be using the path into the  Loop  road. The Jamestown  page (link via - link will open in this window) shows all the IT paths into and out of Jamestown.

The Jamestown  page identifies the path as

1. Open the Driver Command Menu and select the  IT SetPath (TANE SP4 and later)  option.
   • If you prefer to set the path into Jamestown well before arriving, then  Jamestown Interlocking Tower  will appear in the IT list. Select it.
   • If you have manually driven to the Jamestown Home Dn signal (or used the AI Drive To Trackmark Jamestown Main Approach Dn command) then the Start Signal  Jamestown Home Dn IT Start  will appear in the IT list. Select this Start Signal.
2. In either case, the path name  Port Pirie to Loop  will appear in the list of available or assigned paths. Select this path.

The path has now been set All that remains now is to use the Driver Speed Dial, the keyboard controls (W, S, X), advanced on screen controls or the AI to drive the train into Jamestown  Loop  and halt at the end of the loop. This ends the tutorial but you can continue the Gladstone-Peterborough Depot Fuel Scenario.

Jamestown is the final destination of this tutorial but the Gladstone-Peterborough Depot Fuel Scenario continues on to Peterborough. We will be using the  Loop  road as the destination in Jamestown.

  Manual Control 

As at Caltowie, to drive into Jamestown without first setting an IT Path you will have to set all the switches manually. The Jamestown  page (link via - link will open in this window) shows all the switches into Jamestown and their settings.

The Jamestown Switch Set is identified on the Jamestown  page as Use the Driver Speed Dial, the keyboard controls (W, S, X) or the advanced on screen controls to drive the train into Jamestown  Loop  and halt at the end of the loop.

  AI Control 

The Jamestown  page (link via - link will open in this window) shows all the Jamestown track marks.

Because the ITs lock the path starting signals at STOP it is not possible to use the AI Drive To commands at locations that have ITs without first setting an IT path for the train. The Drive To commands will not override any IT locked signals.

The important Track Marks for this tutorial scenario are identified on the Jamestown  page as From the open Driver Command Menu select the  Drive To Trackmark  command which will open up a long alphabetical list of track marks. Find and select the track mark  Jamestown Loop Dn .

This ends the tutorial but you can continue the Gladstone-Peterborough Depot Fuel Scenario.