JMRI: Set Signals at Turnout Help
Author: Dave Duchamp
Keywords: JMRI help Layout Editor Tool

# Set Signals at Turnout

## Introduction

This tool provides an automated procedure for assigning signals to a turnout. Right-handed turnouts, left-handed turnouts, and wye turnouts are supported. If requested, this tool will place signal icons on the panel at the specified turnout, and will set up Simple Signal Logic for the specified signal heads. Prior to selecting this tool, the turnout must be on the panel, and the required signal heads must be in the Signal Head Table. This tool only places signal heads correctly when the main track of the turnout is vertical or horizontal (or mostly vertical or horizontal) on the panel, so design your panel accordingly.

When this item is selected, a dialog is shown for entry of the turnout name (system or user), and the names of the three or four signal heads to be assigned to the turnout. For each signal head, check boxes are available for selecting whether an icon is to be placed on the panel, and whether Simple Signal Logic is to be created for the signal head. Regardless of whether icons are placed or logic is created, Layout Editor will record that the entered signal heads are assigned to the specified turnout.

Assigning signal heads to turnouts is important to completely describe your layout in Layout Editor. Even if you elect to place your icons and set up your signal logic manually, you should use this tool to assign the signal heads to their turnout.

## The Set Signals at Turnout Dialog

In the Turnout Name field, enter the name (system or user) of the turnout to which the signal heads will be assigned. If the tool cannot find the entered turnout on the panel, an error message results.

Signal Head names (either system or user) are entered in the next section. The Throat - Diverging entry is optional, but the other three must be entered. If signal heads at this turnout have been entered previously, click Get Saved to retrieve the signal head names previously entered. The titles used for the four signal heads follow the model shown below.

If a signal head is entered for Throat - Diverging, then Throat - Continuing signals the continuing track and Throat - Diverging signals the diverging track. If no signal head is entered for Throat - Diverging, the Throat - Continuing signal head reflects the state of whichever track the turnout is switched to. In that case, the logic type for the Throat - Continuing signal head is On Facing-Point Turnout.

Note: If there was a signal head previously assigned to one of the two positions, and you enter a different signal head in the same place, the new signal head will replace the previous signal head, and the icon of the previous signal head (if there is one) will be deleted from the panel. Similarly, if you replace a previously assigned Throat - Diverging signal head with a blank entry (no signal head), the previous entry is deleted and the turnout will not have a signal head at that position. If a signal head is changed, you must redo any logic that involves it.

Check Add Signal Icon to Panel to request that an icon for a signal head be placed on the panel at the turnout position indicated. This tool can only place a signal icon on a turnout that is almost vertical or almost horizontal. If this is not so, a message is printed, and you should place the signal icon manually using the Layout Editor tool bar. Regardless, the signal head name is assigned to the specified turnout position.

Check Set up Logic to request that the tool set up a Simple Signal Logic for a signal head. The tool will create the logic and automatically fill in entries from the information available. If the tool does not have enough information available to set up the logic, a message results, and you will have to return later after more signals have been assigned to turnouts and block boundaries on the panel.

## Notes

When setting up logic, this tool will follow track within a block until it finds a signal at the end of the block away from the turnout being signaled. If your layout contains sections that are signaled and sections that are not, to get this tool to set up logic correctly, you may have to place a virtual signal (a signal that does not correspond to an actual signal on the layout) at the unsignaled end of the block that connects a section of track that is signaled with track that is not signaled. If a block ends with an end bumper, no signal is required at the end bumper end.

If a block has an internal turnout (the turnout, and the track segments at its throat and continuing legs are within the block), the program will expect signals at that turnout even if it's not at the end of the block. However, at times the user may not want to signal a seldom used turnout within a block. When following track through a block, the program will skip over unsignaled internal turnouts if Skip Unsignaled Internal Turnouts is checked in the Layout Editor Tools menu. It will always, however, warn that it is doing so. Use this option with caution. There is no signal protecting against a skipped turnout being set incorrectly, so if an unsignaled internal turnout is not set correctly, derailed trains could result.

This tool sets up three-aspect signaling. If the diverging route through the turnout is not mainline track, limited speed (the least restrictive is not green, but yellow) is set up. If you have a special situation at a signal, you may have to edit the information entered by the tool. If you would like four-aspect signaling, you can easily manually edit the logic to achieve this. Similarly, by simple hand edits of the logic, you can add approach lighting. The Simple Signal Logic dialog can be accessed from the popup menu of the signal icon. If your special situation cannot be handled by Simple Signal Logic, you should refer to Logix to tailor the signal logic to your needs.

If you are using two turnouts to represent a double-slip turnout, or if you are using two turnouts to represent a three-way turnout, the logic set up by this tool will not work correctly. For these two cases, you should use the Set Signals at Throat-To-Throat Turnouts or the Set Signals at 3-Way Turnout tools that are available in Layout Editor's Tools menu.

Please remember to save your panel after using this tool.