QUOTE(clasko @ Oct 14 2008, 05:27 PM)
heh. thats quite an explanation. thanx. btw im still trying to understand how the signal works actually. if u click the signal once it became a two way signal. click it again and it became one way for both direction respectively. then if u ctrl+click it it changes into several mode again. can u explain it? meanwhile ill try to experiment it to look at the effects.
Sure thing. The more you play, the more you will understand. I also quite pening with signals, but apparently the pros online all tell me it's easy
Your first signal will be two way, click it again, one way, click it again, it's still one way, but in a different direction, then back to two ways.
Now, for the special signals, you can actually simplify the method of signal selection by Configuring the Patches under interface and select 'New Signal GUI', or something along the line. So, when you click signals, a window will pop up and you can select which signal you want by just looking at the picture, altho purist will stick to CTRL-clicking, dunno, it seems fun
Like one click for pre, two clicks for exit, 3 clicks for combo.
Here's how the New Signal GUI look btw:
http://wiki.openttd.org/wiki/index.php/Sig...al_GUI_in_0.6.0I'll use openttd wiki as reference, and I'll break it down to you.
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Pre-SignalsSee this situation: Two trains unloading/loading at a station. And the new train that's coming in, has decided to pick the 'easiest and fastest' path. That's what the train AI aims to do in this game due to maximum profit.
http://wiki.openttd.org/wiki/index.php/Ima...pre-signals.pngPicture comments:
the left train may leave first.
What if the left train leaves? The third train is still stuck behind the second train, thus, slowing down delivery process and etc. etc. To fix this, we need pre-signals.
http://wiki.openttd.org/wiki/images/1/15/S...pre-signals.pngWith pre-signals, the signal understands that the two exits in-front is currently occupied, therefore is goes RED, so that the train does not move ahead(you can never have signals on splitting/branched tracks)
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Exit-SignalsTaken from wiki OpenTTD:
QUOTE
An exit signal behaves in the same way as a normal signal but is necessary to trigger the correct colour on entry and combo pre-signals.
Like in my previous post, I mentioned that exit signals help BOOK, or CHUP the lane. I'll show you an example.
This is based on my understanding. The above picture demonstrates that exit signals, also work
as if they were stations(that use exit signals). So on the left station, when the train is occupying that line, the train behind will use the free lane. The left station is an example of a one-way double track, same as the right station.
The reason why I used a double-track one-way example is because with big main lines(highways), it can get congested due to trains breaking down. When a train breaks down, it will CHUP the lane it was in, and the moving trains may use the free lane. This is especially useful with long trains, and long tracks, and big/long main lines.
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Combo SignalsTaken from OpenTTD wiki:
QUOTE
There is a third type of presignal that doesn't really introduce any new functionality. It is called the combo signal and simply acts as both an entry and exit signal. This allows you to build large "trees" of presignals as shown on the right.
http://wiki.openttd.org/wiki/images/b/b5/S...re-signals2.pngBasically, like the quote above, combo signals allows you build big branches of tracks. With the combination of exits, combos, and then pre-signals, it all works hand in hand to allow a smooth flow of traffic into the station.
Please see this:
http://wiki.openttd.org/wiki/index.php/Adv...alling_examplesAnd this:
http://wiki.openttd.org/wiki/images/d/d9/S...lained_more.pngQUOTE
* Signals 1 through 12 are Pre-signal Exits
* Signals A, B, C and D are Combo Signals
* The signal E is the only Pre-signal (Entrance)
This is a LARGE RoRo station. It allows a smooth flow of traffic coming into a certain industry.
Basically, the exit signals communicates to the combos, which will then communicate with the pre-signal.
If station tracks 1, 2, 3, and 4 are occupied, they are RED. Therefore telling Combo A to be RED, because it can't accept any more trains.. Therefore Combo B, tells the trains that "I'm open, come here".
I'll make another example for you
This is an advanced train set-up I learned while playing with other people.
We call this
load balancing as opposed to the limited terminus. Load balancing helps distribute trains in a proper manner.
In the above image, it's a 6 track station. Each divided into 3 segments, the right track in, the left track out. Usually the train will go straight, for maximum income and don't waste time. Going straight, means it's going into segment 2, therefore, when another train arrived from behind, it will go to segment 1, or 3 instead. The bridges(or tunnel variations) help trains exiting from station to
not be trapped by the incoming train, as opposed to the terminus design.
One of the best, and efficient designs I have seen so far (I re-created it just to show you, and I use it aswell on good receiving industries). It is meant to handle LOTS of trains.
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Hope this helps you. Hope you enjoy my explanation as much as I enjoy explaining them to you
This post has been edited by sihumchai: Oct 14 2008, 07:05 PM 
Sep 26 2008, 07:00 PM, updated 18y ago
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That's about only enough for a train with 3 cargoes/van long!). 
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