User Guide

This is a short guide to understanding the signaling rules for the default look of the signals provided by this mod.

The Basics

Signals allow you to drive trains more safely, as they can warn you about the state of the track ahead of your train, preventing collisions and other types of accidents. Main signals control mainlines, while shunting signals control tracks within stations. Other types of signals may be present near relevant track points, like buffer stops.

This system is based on the Yugoslav system, itself based on the German one, as such it matches the location of DV. It doesn't have all features of the system however, as that would require manual signal placement for more complex rules, and gameifies some bits to make it easier to use in multiplayer (like the presence of semaphores on all junctions outside stations).

Reserving Signals

The mod adds a new menu to the comms radio that allows reserving signals. Just point the laser at one, choose the duration, and the signal will be reserved, which means any other signal pointing towards these tracks will show a "Stop" aspect. Switches will also be aligned for you, preventing switch trailing.

Mod Settings

• Custom Pack: choose signals from another mod instead of the default look.
• Enable Special Matching Path: enables the optional matching path aspects in signals. Disabling this will not show reds when a switch is set against you. It is not guaranteed this is implemented by other signal packs.
• Exit Signals on Storage Tracks: disable this to have shunting signals rather than exit signals on storage tracks of stations.

Reading Signals

Main Signals

Main signals are made of a black rectangle with rounded top and bottom. They're marked with a red and white stripped pole. These come in 3 variations, depending on where they are and what they can show:

• 3 lights (green, red, and yellow)
• 4 lights (yellow, red, green, and yellow)
• 5 lights (yellow, red, green, and 2x yellow)

Aspect	Meaning
	Stop.
	Clear, expect stop.
	Clear, expect clear.
	Clear, expect restricted speed.
	Restricted speed, expect stop.
	Restricted speed, expect clear.
	Restricted speed, expect restricted speed.
	Entry allowed into station, track may be obstructed, do not exceed 20km/h.

What is Restricted Speed?

This means at least 1 switch in your current path is set to its diverging branch. This usually means the lower speed branch, but may not always be the case.

What is that final aspect?

The restricted entry aspect (red above flashing yellow) is shown only when the track into a station is occupied, and a reservation is made to allow entry. It is only ever shown by an entry signal. If the track is free, another, less restrictive aspect will be shown as usual.

Tip

In case you are confused, remember:

• A signal has 3 states: stop, clear, and restricted speed. This is shown in the top lights.
• A signal can show which of the 3 states the next signal shows. This is shown in the bottom lights.

Additional Indicators

Indicator	Meaning
	Signal acts as the distant signal for the next signal. Also present in all Distant Signals.
	Distance to next signal is shorter than usual, exercise caution.
	Departure allowed.
	Tracks set to [LETTER] yard.
	Signal name.

Distant Signals

Distant signals do not control any track by themselves, they can only show what the next signal is showing. They are made of a black rectangle with a rounded bottom, and flat top. They have a green and a yellow lamp. They're marked with a black and white stripped pole.

Repeater signals are similar, but they are placed much closer to the main signal they repeat, in places of poor visibility. They look like the regular distant signals, but with an extra white lamp below the others.

Distant	Repeater	Meaning
		Expect stop.
		Expect clear.
		Expect restricted speed.

Shunting Signals

These are usually dwarf signals, protecting switches inside stations. They have a red and a white lamp. At major tracks, you may see a larger shunting signal, with a blue stripped pole. Instead of a red and a white lamp, they have a blue and a white lamp.

Behaving in much the same way, but requiring normal trains to respect them, are the Spacing Signals. These are a made of a black rectangle with cut corners, and have 2 red lamps horizontal to eachother, and 2 white lamps diagonal to eachother.

Shunting	Spacing	Meaning
		Stop.
		Clear.

Old Signals

Certain areas of DV have not upgraded to the new colour light signals, which means you will find semaphores on them. Their aspects have the same meanings as the regular signals.

Main Signal	Meaning
	Stop.
	Clear.
	Restricted speed.

Distant Signal	Meaning
	Expect stop.

Shunting Signal	Meaning
	Stop.

Misc Signals

There's a few other signals present in the world.

Signal	Meaning
	Buffer stop.
	Shunting movement limit.
	Stop, turntable disconnected.
	Turntable connected.

Signal Names

Signals are named with a simple convention, depending on what are.

• Block signals use a unique number.
• Entry signals use a letter, starting from A.
• Exit signals use a letter and a number, starting from the last entry signal, depending on which exits they can path to. All exit signals that can exit through the same track have the same letter, with increasing numbers. If a signal can path to multiple exits, the letter is increased once again.
  • If a station has entry signals A and B, the first exit signal is C#.
• Distant signals are named Ps[SIGNAL], with [SIGNAL] being the main signal that controls them.
• Repeater signals are named Pp[SIGNAL].
• Shunting signals, similar to block signals, just use a unique number.
• Spacing signals are named according to the track number, and a unique letter.

Phone Reservation

Before station entry signals, you can find an phone box marked with a T character, next to the tracks.

When you interact with it, you can reserve the entry signal for 60 seconds. If the reservation is a success, it will ring once. If the reservation fails, it will ring thrice. When interacting with the phone box and a reservation for the signal already exists, it will be cleared, and the phone will ring twice. Reserving through these is the same as reserving with the comms radio.