How to Use Track Priority Markers

The information in this Wiki Page applies to TANE, TRS19, Trainz Plus and TRS22.

In Summary: Track Priority Markers are purple coloured track markers that are invisible in Driver Mode but visible in Surveyor Mode. They are used to direct specific trains under AI control through the track section where they are placed Track Priority Markers only work on AI controlled trains. They have no effect on manually controlled trains The direction that the marker is pointing has absolutely NO EFFECT on its operation Track Priority Markers are used with Priority Levels that are assigned to each train

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 Markers 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.

A better way of thinking about the meaning of Priority is to use the word Preference instead. Preference indicates a choice between different paths while Priority is often mistakenly taken to mean importance.

Route or Session?

Priority Markers can be placed in a Route layer or in a Session layer

Notes: Placing Priority Markers in a Route layer (e.g. in the same layer as the track) means that they will be available in all Sessions created using that particular Route. Placing Priority Markers in a Session layer means that they will only be available in that Session. This can be useful if two or more Sessions are being created and you want to use different Priority Markers in each Session.

Information on Route and Session layers can be found at:- How to Use Layers

Adding a Track Priority Marker

Notes: A Track Priority Marker has no useful properties other than its Priority Level (1, 2 or 3).

 In Surveyor Classic (S10) 

Steps: Open the Track Tool Select the Trackmark button Select the Track Priority Marker Select the + (add) button - it may already be selected Click on the track location where the priority marker is to be placed This will place the Track Priority Marker on the track and open its properties window. Click the default Priority value shown to select one 1, 2 or 3. Each click will cycle to the next value. You can also assign the Priority Marker:- a name (which is not necessary for its operation) a layer and a bound layer

 In Surveyor 2.0 (S20) 

 Adding a Priority Marker 

In the Asset Palette either:-

Left click the Track Mesh Filter icon

OR

Left click the Content Drop-down Box Then select Track Objects

Shortcut  If you already have a Priority Marker in your route then:- select the Eyedropper Tool in the Tools Palette (or press the  R  key) Left click on the existing Priority Marker object This will instantly select the Priority Marker in the filter list. Jump down to Step below.

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. Select the item AI Routing Priority Marker. If you are not sure about an asset then double-click on the name to bring up its image and description.

Place the Priority Marker on the track.

Notes: To delete a Priority Marker (or any asset):- select either the:- Free Move Tool (or press  S ) or Fine Adjustment Tool (or press  D ) Left click on the Priority Marker press the  Delete  key

Steps: Select the Placement Tool (or press the  E  key) from the Tools Palette Left click on the track at the position where you want to place the Priority Marker The Priority Marker can be easily moved if needed - see below.

If you need to rotate the Priority Marker to face the opposite direction then:- Left click on its Context Tool ( in the image below or press the  T  key if the asset has already been selected) from the popup menu select Rotate Trackside But note that the direction it faces has no effect on its operation.

 Set the Priority Marker Properties 

Set its Priority Level This is its only important property. Steps: Left click on the Context Tool ( in the image on the left or press the  T  key if the asset has already been selected) to open up the object property and control menu Left click on Edit Properties click on the Priority Level number - it will start at Priority 0 (meaning "not set"). Then select a value from the choices 1, 2 and 3 click the to accept the change or the to reject it Change Its Name The name of the marker is only useful for finding it in the route. It is not needed for any operational purpose. Steps: Left click on the Context Tool ( in the image above or press the  T  key if the asset has already been selected) to open up the object property and control menu Left click on Edit Properties enter a name for the Priority Marker click the to accept the change or the to reject it

Set its Trigger Radius
The trigger radius can be adjusted so that the marker can fit between two close junctions without overlapping them.

	Steps: Left click and hold down the mouse button on the Green Dot next to the Priority Marker ( in the image above) While holding down the Left mouse button, move the mouse Forward or Backward to increase or reduce the trigger radius

 Move the Priority Marker 

Move it Along the Track

	Steps: Left click and hold down the mouse button on the Yellow Dot next to the Priority Marker ( in the image above) While holding down the Left mouse button, move the mouse Forward or Backward to drag the Priority Marker along the track

Reposition it Up/Down This feature allows a Priority Marker to be physically placed above the track so that it will not be hidden if a consist is parked on the Priority Marker. Steps: Select the Fine Adjustment Tool (or press the  D  key) Left click and hold down the mouse button on the Blue Vertical Axis Line above the Priority Marker ( in the image on the left) While holding down the Left mouse button, move the mouse Forward or Backward to move the Priority Marker Up or Down If you need to return the Priority Marker to its original position then:- Left click on its Context Tool (or press the  T  key if the asset has already been selected) from the popup menu select Reattach to Track

Reposition the it Left/Right
This feature allows a Priority Marker to be physically placed left or right alongside the track so that it will not be hidden if a consist is parked on the Priority Marker.

	Steps: Select the Fine Adjustment Tool (or press the  D  key) Left click and hold down the mouse button on the Red Horizontal Axis Line on the Priority Marker ( in the image above) While holding down the Left mouse button, move the mouse Forward or Backward to move the Priority Marker Left or Right of the track
Notes: The Green Horizontal Axis Line also shown in the image above pointing forward from the Priority Marker will move the Priority Marker forward/backward regardless of whether it is on the track or not. It has the same effect as the instructions shown in Move it Along the Track above.

If you need to return the Priority Marker to its original position then:- Left click on its Context Tool (or press the  T  key if the asset has already been selected) from the popup menu select Reattach to Track

 Assign a Priority Marker to a New Layer 

The Info Palette will show the layer assigned to the currently selected object. To the left of the layer name is a small arrow object.

Steps: click the small arrow next to the layer name. This will open the layer properties for the selected object click the Layer drop down box to select a new layer for the object if required, click the Binding drop down box to select a new binding layer for the object if required, click the  Lock Layer  button to lock the selected layer. If the layer is already locked then this will be shown as an  Unlock Layer  button WARNING: 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. Information on layers can be found at:- How to Use Layers

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.

Notes: Every locomotive (and its consist) must have a Priority Level of 1, 2 or 3. The default priority level of every locomotive is 2. You cannot assign NO Priority to a locomotive

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 locomotive.

	Steps: Open the properties window of the locomotive Click the Train Priority value - each click will cycle through the values 1, 2, 3. The default priority level for all consists is 2 Click the to accept the change or the to reject it

 In Surveyor 2.0 (S20) 

To assign a priority level to a locomotive.

Steps: select either the:- Free Move Tool (or press  S ) or Fine Adjustment Tool (or press  D ) Left click on the selected locomotive Left click on the Context Tool (shown in the image on the left or press the  T  key) to open up the loco property and control menu Left click on Edit Properties option in the popup menu click the Train Priority value - each click will cycle through the values 1, 2, 3. The default priority level for all consists is 2 click the to accept the change or the to reject it

Priority Marker Operation

Main Points:
	Track Priority Markers only work on AI controlled trains. They have no effect on manually controlled trains
	Track Priority Markers fool an AI train that has the same priority level into thinking that the path containing the marker is the shortest possible path, even when it is not
	AI trains will avoid, where possible, a path containing a Track Priority Marker that does not match its own priority level
	If the specified path is blocked, then the AI will ignore the Track Priority Marker and find another path
	The direction that the Track Priority Marker is pointing has NO effect on its operation

Consider the situation 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.

Figure 1

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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.

Figure 2

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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.

Figure 3

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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.

Figure 4

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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.

Figure 5

Notes: An AI controlled train will not attempt to find an alternative path around a blockage if:- the Drive To driver command is used, and the blocked path is the shortest path and has the same priority value as the consist This is the normal operation of the Drive To command and is not caused by the Track Priority Markers or consist priority levels. This situation would occur with or without the use of priority levels and markers.

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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.

Figure 6

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The Special Case of Priority 2
Figure 7 below shows a situation that does not fit the points made above. A Track Priority Marker has been set to priority level 2 and placed on the lower loop. The green train has been given the command to drive to the trackmark but ignores its assigned priority 2 path and proceeds via the shortest actual path. Track that has not been assigned a Track Priority Marker will have a default priority level of 2. In this situation, the green train "sees" two paths that match its priority level so it takes the shorter of the two.

Figure 7

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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.

Figure 8

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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.

Figure 9

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Modifying Train Priority Levels

You can alter the Priority Level of a train in Driver mode

Manually in Driver Mode

This can be done "on the fly" using the mouse.

Steps: Hold down the CTRL key and right mouse click on the locomotive or on any of the wagons in the consist Select View Details from the popup menu Click the current priority setting to cycle through the values to the one you want

Using a Driver Command

This can be done in Surveyor in the session Driver Setup Rule or by adding a driver command to the command bar in Driver.

• Insert the driver command Priorityz into the driver command bar and set it to the new level
  
  

Information on adding driver commands can be found on the Trainz Wiki Page at:- How to Use the Driver Setup Rule

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.

Tracks that have not been given a priority marker will be shown as dark blue indicating that they have the default priority level 2.

Related Links

How to Use Track Direction Markers How to Use Track Markers How to Use Track Triggers

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Trainz Wiki

More Tutorials and Guides to Using Trainz How to Guides Driver Commands List Session Rules List (Alphabetical) with Parameters Session Rules List (Categories) With Parameters

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This page was created by Trainz user pware in September 2019 and was last updated as shown below.

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