Interlocking and other queries

Use this forum to report your experience of, or to ask questions about using SigScribe4 version 1.

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Norman B
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Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:58 pm
Location: England

Interlocking and other queries

Post by Norman B »

This is my first post so please excuse me if I have put it in the wrong category.

By way of background, I am actually a signalman on a preseved steam railway in Kent England so I understand the principles of signalling and mechanical interlocking (which I use many weekends). I visited a model railway exhibition recently in Brighton (Sussex) where a large display had your mechanical frames with interlocking - most impressive - and which I thought would suit my ambitions for a 00 layout I am designing.

However, I do have a few questions, some simple, other perhaps more complex, where I would greatly welcome advice:

1. how does one delete unwanted files from the MODRATEC program;

2. is it possible to put disc type shunt signals (we call the dummies) on to a signal post? From an interlocking persepctive, it does not matter too much but it looks more realistic than colour light shunts;

3. I want a ground shunt signal to control routes into both sides of a point but do not understand the difference between "Normal AND Reverse" and "Normal OR Reverse" (the tutorial is not clear on this);

4. with distant signals, I have put a slot in so that the distant cannot clear unless the home signal on the same post is clear, but cannot find a way of locking this into the home signal on the advance post so the distant only clears when both the home on that post and the next is clear;

5. probably my error but after drawing a reasonably complicated track diagram, the "set interlocking" function simply failed to respond. Even after I deleted all the routes and connections and started again with just a few levers, it still failed to function.

All advice gratefully received

Norman
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modadmin
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Post by modadmin »

In answer to your questions:

1. SigScribe4 data fles (*.ss4) are, by default, located as follows:

Windows: c:\My Documents\signal diagrams\ (note that this is the "all users" documents folder - not the user-specific My Documents). Delete using (typically) Windows Explorer.

Mac: /Users/[user name]/Documents/signal diagrams/. Delete using (typically) Finder.

2. You can only show a disc as a ground signal. For a "shunt" signal on a post, use the subsidiary semaphore arm.

3. If you select "Both N & R", then the points are locked both ways by the signal lever. If you select "N or R", then the points will be locked either normal or reverse according to your specified selection. (NOTE that care needs to be exercised when defining multi-route signals. Opposing signals do not necessarily interlock as expected.)

4. To interlock a distant signal with following stop signals, the relevant stop signals must be included as sub-routes of the distant - select "Include Sub" for each stop signal while defining the route for the distant.

5. "Set Interlocking" is only operational while there is one or more routes defined, or if points interlocking or signal interlocking are defined.
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Norman B
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2012 8:58 pm
Location: England

Post by Norman B »

Thanks very much for your advice - that's most of my questions answered.

However, I am still having difficulty because the "set interlocking" fails to function above a certain number of levers (about forty-eight). I defined the routes and interlocking logic as I added each junction and everything worked perfectly until adding another lever, the interlocking system seemed to freeze. I don't know if there is a maximum size of frame and if there is, I will split my layout into separate signal box areas each with smaller fames.

Regards

Norman
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modadmin
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Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:41 am
Location: Australia

Post by modadmin »

Norman,

SigScribe4 does not handle the insertion of levers well once routes have been defined. You may need to use the "Interlocking > Clear all route definitions" function and then redefine your routes.

The limit on number of levers as far as SigScribe4 is concerned is 180. When it comes to manufacture, 60 is the standard limit.
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