Phantom Signals: An Aid To Their Removal
by Yuri Sos

Overview

This problem cropped up recently when I was beta-testing a forthcoming route. Route author Brian Bere-Streeter came up with a solution, but I've also discovered that Maurie Daly independently came up with the same solution on train-sim.com.

A Phantom Signal is a signal that doesn't appear in the simulation, but controls and generally inteferes with the progress of trains in activities.

Here's a typical scenario: the signal appears to be green, but the Heads Up Display (HUD) indicates that the signal appears to be red:

Let's look at this problem's diagnosis and treatment.

 

The Problem

If you try to proceed past this signal, the activity ends, thus:

Looking at this location in Activity Editor (AE), you can see that there appears to be two signals, one superimposed on the other:

If you "Play" an activity in the AE, the player consist comes to a halt at this signal because it hasn't cleared, but it's invisible in the simulation and the visible signal is green behind this phantom signal:

If you go into RE, there is only one signal and one "pyramid" vsible on the track:

So that's the problem - the solution is quite easy.

 

The Solution

First go into RE and browse to the visible signal; press F2, select the pyramid, right-click and make a note of the x y z co-ordinates: it will make putting this signal back so much easier:

Now delete this signal: here the mast is a static piece but the signal (with two semaphore arms has vanished, as has the red pyramid:

If you save at this point and look at the junction in AE, you will see that there appears to be one signal still present; this is our "phantom signal"; it's a signal that doesn't have an entry in the World files, but is still present in the TDB:

The next step is to select and delete the track where the signal was:

Now Click Route | Save | Save World Placement Changes | Yes.

Up pops the following message: victory is at hand!

Click on Delete Markers/Objects and exit to the Desktop.

It's now a simple matter to return to RE, replace the track and the signal you deleted. Once you've placed the signal, select it, right-click and enter the x y z co-ordinates as above. It will then be a simple matter to rotate the signal into its correct position. Set up the links, if necessary, and save.

The signal and route now work properly.