Hello Rinus,

Just to be sure:
1- You are currently using Lissy system
2- You are going to replace it by S88 like system

Is it correct ?
Cheers

Fabrice

OK,

So please remind: The real concept to master is Block, not track occupation.

For automated trains using blocks, each block needs to have some sensor(s) in it.
As you already use Rocrail, you know about sensors which are associated with Events (like Enter, Pre2In, In events).

Another reminder: to manage blocks, an Event is fired only on the first occurrence of track detection occupation.

A feature introduced in Rocrail since a few years is BBT, which allow smooth deceleration in blocks.
When using BBT, 2 sensors are enough i.e. Sensor associated to Enter event and Sensor associated to In Event.

When a train has to slow down in a block with BBT, the slow down starts when the Enter event is triggered, until VMin is reached, then when In event is fired, the train goes from VMin to 0.
For such behavior, I think 9 cm for Enter sensor zone is enough, and depending on the inertia and CV settings, 18cm or 27cm is enough for In sensor zone.
Of course, this suppose the train has enough room to decelerate (the block is long enough) until reaching In sensor. But this depends also on the incoming speed at Enter sensor...
In case your block is bidirectional, then In and Enter sensor zones should have same length (18 or 27 cm)

A use case with a 3rd sensor (pre2in) in the block is for some station tracks where a "short train" have to stop not at the end of the block (In location) , but at the pre2in zone (close to the station or in the middle of the platform...)

That's a quick answer.
Cheers
Fabrice

Frankly, I've not seen such behavior.

Because when 1st time event is fired, the "state" of the block changes.
As a result, the software ignores other same event for Enter sensor related to other axles firing the event.

For "In" sensor (arriving), the additional event for same sensor are also ignored, and for departing from the In zone, the block is freed only when the next block has its zone "In" reached. So, anything related to passing over "In" zone (departure) is ignored whatever the number of axles passing over..

That's a common misconception to think other axles will trigger an other event. In fact it depends on the state of the block.

See https://wiki.rocrail.net/doku.php?id=block-en for block status.

The only thing you have to determine is the right length of the "In" zone, in case it is just before a switch coming from another track. Most of the time, 18 or 27 cm is enough, but the Vmin speed must be low (10 or 15%) of max speed.

Cheers
Fabrice

PS: For sidings tracks, you may wish to add more sensors if you want to trigger special events, some of these additional sensors may not be related to block slow down

Hello Steen,

I'm sorry but I don't know how to answer correctly to this question.
Maybe other forum members have some answers to provide.

However, for automation, the basic rule 1 block = 1 train must still apply. That means if you want to store 2 trains in a very long track, you need 2 blocks.
I think for occupancy detection, a 3rd "long" sensor can be used in addition to 2 short "enter" and "in" sensors, but I don't know how to handle it automatically with Rocrail.

In Rocrail, there is also a concept named "staging blocks" but I doubt it can be used in siding sections with one end "closed".
Cheers

Fabrice

This tutorial explains how Rocrail's "virtual blocks" can be used to implement storage tracks for variable length trains.

Hi Jean and Martti. The video Martti linked most likely explains what I need, but it's in german (as usual... Who knows, maybe I'll pick up the language some day)... So I'll just ask.

I'm building a sort of shunting-staging-classification 'ish area to a terminal siding (bumpers at the end of tracks) in order to achieve this:

1. A freight train drives to one of the tracks in the area loco first
2. A second loco drives to the area on the same track behind the freight train
3. Wagons get uncoupled from the first train
4. Wagons get coupled to the second train

There will be several tracks in the area, but let's focus on just one. Here's what I've planned so far: Just after a turnout: a short one loco length Block 1 (one sensor, enter2in) --> Normal track --> Block 2 (two sensors, enter and in) Long section of normal track --> Uncoupler track --> and right after it the sensor track for In --> Bumper.

Trains maybe variable length, so coupling the wagons to the second loco is somewhat of an issue... I'm currently thinking that maybe the tracks could have a slight incline so when uncoupling happens, the wagons would just roll down and couple with the second loco... But this would not look so nice.

How would you guys build this in Rocrail and physically and would I benefit from having uncoupler track at the short BK1 also for coupling? I don't have any of the track parts yet, so I haven't been able to test anything yet.

EDIT: Also, what happens in Rocrail if a loco leaves a block, but wagons stay there? Doesn't this cause Ghost?