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There is an important difference between blocks and nodes with regard to operation,
though: nodes are ignored during operation, i.e. they are just used to reduce the number
of necessary routes or links in the block diagram, but they have no counterpart on the
real layout and cannot be reserved by trains. Concurrent trains may “share” or “pass”
the same node simultaneously. Interlocking of concurrent trains must be done on the
base of the reservation of blocks and routes. In the example above this means that concurrent
routes on the same side of the node must not be activated at the same time. This
can be achieved for instance by including common track elements into concurrent
routes.
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13.3 Virtual Contacts and
Virtual Occupancy Indication
General
Virtual Contacts are similar to normal contact indicators (see section 4, “Contact Indicators”).
But unlike contact indicators there is no related track contact or real sensor on
the model railroad. Instead virtual contacts are assumed to be located in a certain distance
from another indicator, which is called reference indicator.
Virtual contacts can be used to reduce the number of necessary track sensors on your
model railroad. Typical applications are stopping trains or triggering operations by
passing trains in a certain distance from an existing sensor (see also section 12.3,
“Operations”). Another application is stopping of trains depending on the length of the
trains - e.g. in order to stop trains in the middle of a platform.
After creation of a virtual contact the following properties are specified:
• a maximum of two reference indicators, one for each direction of travel (see section
5.3, “Direction of Travel vs. Engine Orientation”). These indicators must be already
assigned to a block.
• the distance from the specified reference indicator
• whether the virtual contact shall be turned on, when the head, the middle or the tail
of a train passes the point, where the virtual contact is assumed to be located