ACoAs and Level Crossings

I had a signal lamp failure in a sim earlier (the green lamp had failed). As a train approached the signal, I though it best to cancel the route so that the signal at least showed red rather than nothing at all (thinking a little about what I'd like to encounter if I was a driver in real-life). When I did this, I received an Adverse Change of Aspect on the signal, which surprised me as I thought unlit signals were meant to be treated as danger aspects anyway. Is this expected behaviour?

I also left one of the level crossings down for a little too long before the train arrived (oops!). I received a penalty saying that there was an excessive delay without a train at the crossing. Five seconds later I received a second penalty and message saying that there was an excessive delay at the crossing (no mention of 'without a train'). I thought you were only meant to be penalised once for every block of time the barriers were down (something like five minutes, I believe).

Both of these were on Trent, but I posted here because they are more general queries.

I also left one of the level crossings down for a little too long before the train arrived (oops!). I received a penalty saying that there was an excessive delay without a train at the crossing. Five seconds later I received a second penalty and message saying that there was an excessive delay at the crossing (no mention of 'without a train')

The train would have already passed a green signal, judging by your explanation, so would not have been expecting a red signal to follow immediately afterwards. I'm assuming the failure happened after the train passed the previous signal?

That seems to be standard behavior, though usually the "excessive delay" without "without a train" time is somewhat longer. This discourages you from sending four trains back-to-back through the same LC and blocking the road for a half hour without actually giving cars a turn.

I then realised that if I was the driver of the train, I’d prefer to see a red than an unlit signal, so I cancelled the route again, the signal went from unlit to red, and I received an ACoA.

Talking in real world terms it's possible that the fault lies within the lamp proving circuitry and that the signal is actually lit. You could have therefore actually caused a CoA

I don't suppose you had the option of causing the faulty signal to display a different proceed aspect. i.e. if it was a green lamp failure could you have forced the signal to display a single yellow by replacing the signal in advance to danger?

FF

Also worthy of note, unlit is a more restrictive aspect than red.

As far as the penalty for keeping the gates down too long, if a train is signalled through a LC and another train on the opposite line is approaching before the first train clears , there shouldn't be a penalty for keeping the gates down for the second train. As a retired signaller, I can vouch for the majority of signallers that in the real world delay to road users is far better than getting an OB or OC delay against you. Thoughts on this would be appreciated then maybe Geoff can change the penalty for excessive delay?

fruitnnut

As far as the penalty for keeping the gates down too long, if a train is signalled through a LC and another train on the opposite line is approaching before the first train clears , there shouldn't be a penalty for keeping the gates down for the second train. As a retired signaller, I can vouch for the majority of signallers that in the real world delay to road users is far better than getting an OB or OC delay against you. Thoughts on this would be appreciated then maybe Geoff can change the penalty for excessive delay?

fruitnnut

"We are paid to move trains not cars" springs to mind. Ive lost count of how many times i have heard signallers and LOMs saying that!

I have never been penalised for leaving barriers down for too long, but I have no doubt I would be if I chose to delay a train to let a build up of cars accross a level crossing.