Seeding multiple trains into a siding?

I’ve imagined a scenario where at startup you have multiple trains seeded into a single track siding (or platform) with staggered departures both up and down. Assume departure signals in opposite directions at either end.

The Wiki suggests that only one train can seed at each signal, and if you have multiple trains, you need to start with a single mass of train and then divide into the trains you actually require. I’ve got a couple of queries from that starting point.

Before checking the manual, I’d supposed that you could seed multiple trains from a given signal by factoring the respective lengths and varying the seeding distance from the signal, e.g. seed the first train 5m from the signal, and if that train is say 100m long, seed the second one 110m from the signal, etc as required. Can we confirm that this won’t work?

If we have to do a large, unprototypical divide from a single mass, into say half a dozen trains, would we have to do it in 5 divides with intermediate consists? So a seeded 600m “all the trains” consist divides into a 100m “train A” and a 500m “trains B,C,D,E,F” consist, which then divides into a 100m “train B” and a 400m “train C,D,E,F” and so on until you have all your trains? Could we split the initial 600m into 2x 300m, then have those simultaneously split off singles? When they divide, how do they get their correct direction (up/down)? Is it from their next location?

If we wanted 3 trains seeded in our siding or platform, and 2 departed up while the other departed down, could we seed the up trains from the up departure signal, and the down trains from the down departure signal, assuming they all fit? Same block, different seeds by direction?

Sorry if these are unusual questions, hopefully someone can get straight to a logical answer. Thanks.

[quote=drew;post=160081]

You have to seed only one train which you then have to split. The splitting is exactly the same as splitting a train in a platform. You need to keep your head round which is the front and rear and may take a couple of tests before you get it right.