Newbie help with signals

[JetlinerX]

Hey all-

Pretty new to this section of simulation, but me being the fanatic I am about sims, I am not disappointed in this one! (MSTS2012/RW3)

Just curious tho, been having a pretty frustrating issue.

I come across a yellow signal, get the alerter, hit Q, and continue on. Then the next signal is sometimes red, or sometimes green, it's random each time I do the mission. But when it's red, there is no way in heck I am gona be able to stop my train, so I blow through it, and fail the mission. But if I slow down the whole way to the signal, I might start running late on my schedule.

Is there a way to see what the signal is before it is too late? It's making me insane now!!!!!

Thanks in advance to all your helpers.

[MattW]

Well, you can use the map and look ahead on your route and see if the signal is red, yellow, or green, the F3 window also displays a signal color and distance to it, but signals are fare more complex than just go, slow, and stop. For instance, on the Cajon pass route, yellow over yellow means "prepare to pass next signal at restricted speed for diverging route" meaning don't stop, just slow down a bit. British signals have two yellow aspects, double yellow means prepare to stop at the signal after the next signal (which should be single yellow). What route and scenario are you having problems with?

[JetlinerX]

The Red Line DBAG in Campagin mode. I think it's only one mission, and it's just before the second station.

The yellows are laid out on top of eachother, but diagonal.

[MattW]

Not sure what you mean by "DBAG Red Line," but I'm going to assume it's either the default Hagen to Siegen or Seebergbahn. The signaling guide says that you should be prepared to stop at the next signal. Sometimes if you're following a train, you'll get a string of yellows, slow to stop, then it changes to green. It's called "riding the yellows." You can either not be so aggressive once passing the green signal, or linger a while longer to let the train in front go a little farther.

[Kali]

A single yellow in many signalling systems ( including what I know of German ones ) means the next signal is red right now and it might still be red when you get to it, so make very sure you can stop in time. It doesn't matter if it's sometimes green when you get to it, treat it like it is going to be red. Most of the time you can see signals well in advance anyway, this is where route knowledge comes into ( or adept reading of the F3 window or the F4 moving track map thing ). For a euro passenger train I tend to allow 0.1miles per 10mph to stop braking quite hard, you can usually see what a signal is displaying at least half a mile away unless it's hidden in some trees or something.

I'm starting to think the UK got the better deal when we switched to colour light, we basically have either three or four aspects ( with some two aspect ones stuck in where the old signalling system is still there ) with the feathers/route indicators, and that's more or less it. I can understand the PRR type US ones ( given they're basically semaphore arms anyway ), I get the idea behind the colour lights with the two heads but no way I can remember all those different meanings. At least US folk will have a head start trying to understand French signals...

[Machinist]

A single yellow in many signalling systems ( including what I know of German ones ) means the next signal is red right now and it might still be red when you get to it, so make very sure you can stop in time. It doesn't matter if it's sometimes green when you get to it, treat it like it is going to be red. Most of the time you can see signals well in advance anyway, this is where route knowledge comes into ( or adept reading of the F3 window or the F4 moving track map thing ).

That's the way I drive (ready to stop in time if it's still red), and that's the reason I never use F3, beyond totally unrealistic (it's a tipycal "game" feature) you loose the delicious surprise of next signal aspect when you get to it.

[Kali]

It is a pity F3 shows the next aspect ( specially as it doesn't in career mode ) because otherwise it shows everything else you want until you've learned the route ).

I did look at the german signals a bit more today for someone else's questions, they seem quite a lot like the two-head US ones. The diagonal head ( whether it's standalone or a combination ) is a distant - green means the next stop signal is green, green+yellow means you will be able to pass the next signal at a slower speed - what that is seems to depend on train type, and double yellow means you will have to stop at the next one ( which is a bit confusing when you're used to UK 4-aspects... ). The vertical head is a stop signal, that goes green - clear to pass, green+yellow - clear to pass at a slower speed, and red - stop.

So if you put a vertical head over a diagonal one, you can pass a restricted aspect signal which is showing the next one is less restricted, which you can't do with UK lineside signals.

[JetlinerX]

Ahh! This is all so confusing!

[Kali]

Yeah, it is - don't go near french signals, they've even managed to squeeze purple in...

Stick with UK routes! red = stop! yellow = slow down to stop at the next one! two yellows = stop in 2 signals! green = go! flashing yellow = slow down or you'll derail on a junction! and that's pretty much it.