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JMRI: Basic Enhanced Signaling Definition

This directory contains basic signaling definitions understood by many model railroaders. They don't model any specific prototype, but are similar to transition era ARR signaling techniques. This "basic-enhanced" definition is based on the "basic" definition and brings the following enhancements:
  1. Addition of "Advanced Approach" aspect.
  2. Addition of a 3-head mast.
  3. All mast image files collected together under the "basic-enhanced" directory.
  4. Mast image files renamed to indicated displayed light color rather than a rule number
    • In the case of multi-head masts, colors are arranged top to bottom in filename.
    • The light colors are represented as:
      • R = Red
      • Y = Yellow
      • FY = Flashing Yellow (with suffix to indicate animated or static gif)
      • G = Green
    • Example: "SL-2-high-G-R.gif" for a Searchlight two head high mast in Green over Red appearance.

See the aspect page.

USAGE INFORMATION: When using the basic-enhanced signal system with Signal Mast Logic (SML) set the Global Thrown speed to Limited. On Panel Pro window, navigate to Tools>Tables>Turnouts page, select Speeds>Defaults... and selecting "Limited" from the Thrown Speed pulldown. By default, JMRI sets at the Global Thrown speed to "Restricted" and the Global Closed speed to "Normal."

USING SPEED TO SELECT SECONDARY DIVERGING ASPECTS: When using the three-head mast contained in this basic-enhanced signal system with SML, set the speed of the diverging route to be signaled by the bottom head to "Medium". This is easily accomplished by creating a dummy block whose speed is set to "Medium" and including it in that route's logic with a test setting of "Any State". The dummy block is not part of the actual layout and does not need to be placed on the layout panel.

In JMRI, a route is either Normal or Diverging. If a route contains even one turnout in Thrown state, then that entire route is Diverging. If a route contains two turnouts or two crossovers, that means there are two diverging paths. SML uses a route's speed to determine which head on a mast is used to signal the second diverging path. In the case of the three head mast contained in the basic-enhanced signal system, the bottom head has its speed set to Medium (slower than Limited) and is intended to signal this two-turnout case. It can be used to indicate the route will take the second of two successive, closely spaced turnouts, or that the route passes through both closely spaced crossovers, as in the case of a three-track crossover move. Usage of the dummy block set to Medium speed as discussed above is an easy method to inform SML to use the bottom head to signal this secondary route.

DISCUSSION ON ROUTE SPEED: The speed of a given route between two Signal Masts is equal to the slowest speed assigned to any element in the route. When a block is created, JMRI assigns the Global Normal speed to it. By default this is "Normal" speed. When a turnout is created, JMRI assigns the Global Normal speed to its Closed path and the Global Thrown speed to its Thrown path. These by default are "Normal" and "Restricting", respectively. The usage recommendation for the basic-enhanced signal system is the set the Global Thrown speed to "Limited." See above for instructions. If a route between two masts contains blocks and turnouts that are all Closed, then the speed of that route is the Global Normal speed. If a route contains a turnout in the Thrown state, the speed of that route is the Global Thrown speed. A route's speed can be modified individually by overriding the defaults. JMRI provides several options for doing this. For example, the speeds for an element in the route, such as a turnout's path or a block, can be individually set, or a virtual element can be created and included in that route to set the route's speed. Remember that the slowest speed of any element in the route sets the speed of the entire route. The speed names (Restricted, Medium, etc) and their relative magnitude are found in file xml/signals/signalSpeeds.xml located under the JMRI install directory.

Signal Mast definitions: