Tracks crossing each other at grade

[dcarleton]

In MSTS, especially before XTracks was fully developed, some route builders created junctions with track pieces crossing each other at odd angles. Depending on how carefully the track pieces were placed the results might look okay, but there was no node to indicate to the signal system if there were conflicting movements. Thus, this method led to crashes. Game over, in MSTS.

A method was concocted which could (presumably) add the necessary nodes for proper signaling, but it involved hand editing the track database.

Does TSRE have tools which can perform this function without hand editing? Such tools would be particularly useful for adding proper signal functionality to legacy MSTS routes without having to tear out and rebuild any track.

[ebnertra000]

There was the old 'hazard-to-node' method. You don't have to take up any track, but it does take some editing of files. To my knowledge TSRE doesn't have an automatic function for that

[eolesen]

Nothing I'm aware of in TSRE, and it might be a good addition. I've used the two speedposts to node method, but it does require diving into the TDB.

[joe_star]

There was the old 'hazard-to-node' method. You don't have to take up any track, but it does take some editing of files. To my knowledge TSRE doesn't have an automatic function for that

You mean this method, correct.

https://msts.steam4me.net/tutorials/make_xover.html

That still has to be manually done. TSRE does not automatically handle it.

[eolesen]

And the Speedpost method is probably safer now that TSRE only places it on one track unless you click on Expand.

[Vince]

@>>>dcarleton

Most of the XTracks crossover sections I've used in both the PRR-East v2 and the Long Island Rail Road DO indeed have the proper Crossover Nodes defined.
In fact I've never come across a crossover section without a properly defined Crossover Node.

regards,

[dcarleton]

Vince - There's a few of them on the Lehigh Valley, including on main lines.

[eolesen]

My problem with being limited to defined crossover sections is having to tweak track geometry to fit the pre-defined crossovers, sometimes at the expense of having accurate track. Having to choose which 5d increment is available can be disastrous to a track profile...

[Vince]

I think using the number of XTracks crossover sections built with proper Nodes but with slight angle differences far outweighs tracks to horrible look of track crossings with NO frogs.

I for one probably would never notice a slightly wrong angle of a crossing unless it was a gross mismatch but I certainly DO notice missing frogs every time.

A gross example is the missing frogs in the Scale Rail switches in the PRR-East routes NY Penn Station.
I have no idea why they were constructed that way but they look like crap.

regards,

[eolesen]

Won't disagree about missing frogs, which is why I use short BRG sections with inner rails for manual crossovers. Gives 95% of the visual effect of a diamond frog minus the cuts.

Given the choice between visual candy and signaling accuracy, I suspect most will gladly overlook the visual....