Automatic Route Setting

Automatic Route Setting (ARS) is the Automatic setting of routes according to the trains' planned timetables.

Its sophistication depends on the particular simulation area to which it applies.

Full ARS

Here the sim sets virtually all the routes according to the planned timetable. Manual intervention to set routes is normally required where a train is due to turn into a siding or requires routing from a siding onto the main line i.e. from or to non-track circuited areas.

ARS normally sets sufficient route to clear 2 signals to green aspects. This is to give trains a clear run without locking up excessive routing. Similarly routes will not be set from a scheduled station stop until approximately 1 minute before departure.

ARS has moderate regulation features but players may need to manually divert trains from their planned route. If a train is not on its planned route the ARS, for that train, normally switches off, but once the train finds itself back on route the ARS may return automatically. If it does not pick up automatically you can re-set the ARS manually.

On a sim with full ARS trains under ARS control have a blue TD and those that are non-ARS will have a pink (magenta) TD.

Simple ARS

This is more of a first come first served ARS which can be found at specific locations and controls the routing in that area only. An example of this would be the Moorgate branch on the King's Cross Sim.