Section 3 Signalling Guide

RAILWORKS SIGNALLING

Using Default Signals

While this Wiki is generally aimed at the devleoper, there is also reference available to users who would like a deeper insight into some of the content available in RailWorks?.

For detailed information on the signalling systems provided in RailWorks?, please see the Signal Asset Glossary

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Source Files

You can obtain a copy of all the default signal source files for educational purposes by clicking this link (35Mb).

This download includes all four default signal systems provided in RailWorks:

• UK Modern Colour Light
• UK Sempahore
• German Modern HP
• US Modern Colour Light

The download will allow you to examine the signalling blueprints setup for use in RailWorks?, as well as the 3D Studio Max artwork used to create the models.

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Developing Signals

What follows is detailed information regarding the devleopment of Signal systems for use in RailWorks?.

Every signal in the RailWorks? world is an instance of a particular signal blueprint which defines that signal type. The blueprint controls everything from the 3D model that’s used in the game to the name that’s displayed in the Editor to which LUA script is used to control the signal’s behaviour.

These scripts react to events such as a train passing the signal or a message being received from another signal, and then change the appearance of the signal as appropriate, switching lights on or off or animating any moving parts the signal might have.

This document will explain how to set up signals using the Blueprint Editor and the LUA scripting language, and how the various signal scripting functions work. It assumes some understanding of LUA, although a user without scripting experience should be able to make modifications to the existing scripts so that they work for a custom signal.

This document should give the user a working knowledge of how signals are set up, how scripts control their behaviour, which functions the scripts require, and how those functions all fit together.

Although RailWorks's signalling system is undeniably complex, the good news is that much of the hard work has already been done. Many of the signal scripts that shipped with the game are fairly generic, and can be easily adapted to work with a wide range of different signal types. New signals can often be created simply by copying an existing signal script and editing it to suit.

A good place to start is to look at existing scripts that behave similarly to the signal you are trying to create. RailWorks's signal scripts tend to contain a lot of comments and debug messages, which should help explain what the signals do and why.

Table of contents:

• Setting Up and Using Signals
  • Using the Asset Editor
  • Exporting Blueprints
  • Signal Link Placement
  • Link Placement Rules
• Basic Signal Scripting
  • Initialise()
  • Update(time)
  • OnJunctionStateChange
  • OnSignalMessage
  • OnConsistPass
• Signal Scripting Essentials
  • Track Occupancy
    • OnConsistPass advanced
    • Occupation Increment/Decrement Messages
  • Signal State
    • Occupied/Not Occupied
    • SetState
    • GetSignalState
  • Route State
    • gLinkState
    • Signal State Messages
    • OnJunctionStateChange advanced
    • Signal Message Directionality
    • PASS_Messages
  • Including Common Script Functions
    • SetLights
• Advanced Signal Scripting
  • Animation
  • Flashing Lights
  • Train Warning Systems
    • SPADs
    • AWS
    • TPWS
    • Creating Your Own Warning System
  • Handling Yard Entries
  • Covering Reverse Junctions
  • Handling Signals with Lots of Aspects
• Signal Debugging
  • Using Logmate
  • Debug Messages
  • Signal Validation Tool
• Signaling Interface Parameters
  • Script Function Reference
  • Engine Function Reference
• Signal Asset Glossary
  • Principals of Signalling
    • Signal Blocks
    • Track Circuits
  • UK Modern Signals
    • Asp
    • AutoSig
    • CtrlSig
    • JuncSig
    • Shunt
    • SigHd
    • Entry (UK)
    • Exit (UK)
    • ApFY
    • F Numbers
    • T Numbers (UK)
    • E Numbers (UK)
    • F, T & E Combinations
  • UK Semaphore Signals
  • German HP Signalling
    • HP
    • HP2
    • VR
    • VR Reduced
    • VR Repeater
    • Combined Signals
    • SH
    • Exit (HP)
    • Entry (HP)
    • T Numbers (HP)
    • E Numbers (HP)
  • US Modern Signals
  • Appendix A1

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