Revision as of 14:54, 1 October 2022

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

What are Track Priority Markers?

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
	Track Priority Markers are NOT a substitute for Driver Commands or Interlocking Towers

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.

Adding a Track Priority Marker

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

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.

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)

Assigning Priority Levels to Trains

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

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.

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.

	Steps: Open the properties window of a 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 OK (tick) to accept the change

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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