Frontier's Comment on Block Brakes

Can helper lifts be placed on straight sections of track? The reason I ask is that they could act as a form of a block brake, whereby the train wouldn't slow down at all, but would be caught by it if the next block isn't clear.

A lot of my wood designs already used helper lifts for blocks so this won't change my designs all that radically.

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...they could act as a form of a block brake, whereby the train wouldn't slow down at all, but would be caught by it if the next block isn't clear.

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No idea if it works on flat track, but the effect would be the same. Just don't add the regular brakes to the flat section (referring to the screenshot I linked to), now there is no slowdown and the helper will still catch if it has to (or won't if it doesn't have to).

Block with no slowdown.

Or am I misunderstanding?

Helper lifts don't work on flat sections in RCT2, must be a rise-to-flat.

To keep trains from starting at the top of a lift stop the chain before leveling off. As long as your trains aren't too short this isn't a problem.

Now if they allowed you to designate parking/starting areas for trains it would be a lot easier to run numerous trains on a mobius-racer.

Edit: changed do to don't in first sentence, the whole point of this post. DOH!
*** Edited 10/7/2004 6:04:14 PM UTC by boblogone***

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To keep trains from starting at the top of a lift stop the chain before leveling off.

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Haven't personally tried that yet. It worked in RCT2, but I think the downside is that you lose the lift as a block.

Edit - Mental Note: Type Slower!

*** Edited 10/7/2004 6:57:46 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

LG,true you lose the lift as a block, but I find the lift is usally too short as block for me and I hate trains stopping at the top of the lift. I usually put a helper-lift/anti-roll-back at the crest of the second hill to extend that first block section.

I've not had any experience wtih RCT3 since my little Dell Lattitude CPi lacks the necessary horsepower.

I've used that fix a few times in RCT2 for a longer layouts in the front half, but usually ended up ok on the lift.

In RCT3 using the 4.47 MPH lift speed works for average sized coasters.

Still like the idea though, it's another angle to work around the stupid block brake situation.

I just tried putting the chain section on a flat piece of track. And it works, exactly like the real block brake should.

Example:
http://www.sfgamworld.com/tpmodels/Random/Blockbrakes.gif

From now on Im working out my block's like this.

Well there you go!

If it works on flats, then that makes perfect sense!

Voila! We have controllable blocks :)

I may need a new PC. ;)

This may also solve the problem I've had with stopped trains not being able to start again. With a chain as the block, the chain will propel the train forward and get it going again. I cannot wait to get home and give this a try!

woo, we can have 40mph blocks. so it acts as a block and a booster.

Exactly, Ross. It's quite versatile.

The flat chain piece works exactly like a block brake should (pretty ironic if you think about it).

Just start putting a flat chain piece where you'd normally put the block. If it stops the train, when the block ahead does become clear it sends the train off at the speed you have the lift hill set for. If it doesn't need to stop the train, the train passes by at the speed of the brake directly before it.

The code is already there for the chain lift piece and it acts correctly, all they have to do is apply this (already existing) logic to the block brake graphic and you have totally realistic blocks.

Yeah, pretty much on any block I would set in RCT2 I'd use the flat helper lifts to make sure that the trains would advance. At least we've found a way around the lack of motivation of the design team.

Be amusing if they wipe out the lift hill code as a "bug" in the final edition ;)

*knocks on wood*

You just had to say it Ross. ;-)

Ross is the Devil!