A couple of suggestions

[tve]

Just thought to drop in a few...


Equilateral ("Y") switches
Could you add Y switches to the selection?

Option to interlock two (or more) switches permanently together
While there is a feature within routes dialog for auto-lining switches that are not a part of the route, in some cases it would be handy to have two or more turnouts permanently coupled together. This way they would all throw with one click, and they would become locked/unlocked together as a group. This type of function is fairly common in Sweden. Clearly this needs a dialog box in editor where the grouping and default states for those turnouts are set.

Assigning default states of switches
It would be nice to be able set the default states for turnouts (the states where the turnouts should be when the simulation is started). Also, by default sometimes switches (and blocks) are locked/blocked for variety of reasons.

Self-restoring and spring-loaded turnouts
Fairly common in the UK: power-operated turnouts that will self-restore to default position after a set time has elapsed.
Also, spring-loaded (uncontrollable by user) turnouts would be a nice addition.

Overlap protection
Within routes dialog you can set a switch to act as an overlap protection by forcing it to throw and lock in a certain position, thus preventing other routes within the overlap. Could this be extended so that track sections, switches and signals (ones not directly belonging to the route) could be blocked from other routes?

Linking track sections
I use a fairly large amount of non-connected blocks in complex areas, and linking track segments together is sometimes a royal pain in the backside. For simple end-to-end connections, is there a faster way?

Group moving of track elements within block details view
Currently it is possible to move track elements one by one from block details window. Group moving is impossible this way. Could it be enabled?

Text display options
When adding plain text, there are no possibilities to set defaults for fonts or font size. Also, text is always aligned to the left with the "handle" in the left corner. It would be nice if the "handle" could also be in the center, so that for example a station name could be easily centered neatly over the station. (sorry, don't know if that made any sense, not my first language etc.)

[DPump]

First of all, thanks for your interest and for your suggestions.

Let's get through this:

(1) Y-switches: Since all other switches have speed restrictions on the diverging path, but not on the straight one, one would have to apply the speed restriction on both paths, an impact to consider, which has made the introduction of them a low priority. Not impossible, but requires changes in route handling.

(2) Hard interlock of switches: As you mentioned, CTC features "protect switches", which is part of routing. Also, you don't really have many situations which requires to throw switches manually - essentially if you want to prepare a path for a train to be moved via passing a red signal. In real life, I don't think switches are linked such that only one motor operates more than one (you may have one button or knob that activates all motors involved). Even in the mechanical days, you would have to apply more muscle power to throw 2 switches at once with just one handle, although I know examples where derail devices and switches are operated together. So that's why we don't link them together, unlike TDP (where you don't have a choice and can get undesired results). So that would be a very low priority.

(3) Default states of switches: this is worth considering. We have already certain default values stored in the config file (per territory). So that can be expanded. Of course, one need to solve conflicts from the config file vs. saved game state files.

(4a) Self restore of switches: I believe that in real life that is controlled by the software controlling switches and signals from the control tower. I know from Germany, that this is done sometimes - and has led to an accident when a route was manually released and switches turned to default position while the train was still out there.

(4b) Spring-loaded switches: It is currently under consideration to enhance switch features such as spring-loaded switches, switches not to be controlled by the dispatcher, needs to be thrown by the train crew (locking controlled by the dispatcher). Technically, within CTC, a switch needs to be turned away from the default if a route is laid in requiring it (it is also route-locked), so after the train is through a switch can be turned back after a time out (also good for point 4a).

(5) Overlap: Not sure I understand the point about switches - it is already part of the protection scheme. Signals cannot be cleared if a route cannot be laid in, so not sure if it would add anything. Track sections is worth considering.

(6) Linking: I know, there must be a better way doing this. Will think about it.

(7) Group move: Within the detailed block window you can select more than one track element (hold shift key down while clicking on track elements to toggle them on or off) and you can move them all at once. When moving from the pool, the positions of the moved elements may be adjusted as to not conflict any elements already on the scene.

(8 ) Texts: Makes sense.

[tve]

Thanks for the reply 

About moving track elements: Set position button is grayed out whenever more than one element is selected.

I have tried many, many times but still have not figured out how the Shifting tool is supposed to work...

Switch locking: with complex routes, protected switches can (and will) become unlocked before the train has used the entire path. Perhaps there should be an option that the route is kept locked until the train has passed the last (or user-defined) control point along the path? Then again, routes can also be released in segments...

[DPump]

The "Set Position" function allows you to place a single track element in the main screen, the track element being selected in the track element list, so it is disabled when you select more than one element. While this method is very basic, it requires to switch the windows between the detailed block info and the main window just to see if the track element selected is the one you want to move. For this reason there is a tool to make it much easier, and you stay on the main window: for that go to the shifting tool (Edit -> Tools -> Shifting). There are two modes available, a "Group Shift" where you can move any number of elements the same way, and a "Single Shift" where you can move elements one by one with simple mouse clicks.

For more information about the shifting tool see http://webrailroader.com/ctc/shift-tool/

Routes can be partially released in CTC. You need to have signals in the opposite direction that protects against reverse movements. CTC will create a temporary route for the remainder of the way. The "Pos" column in the "Protectors" List of the detailed route window indicates to which group the protection switch belongs if a route split occurs. That way you can release protection switches before the whole initial route has been traveled.

[tve]

Thanks 

It seems I have somehow completely missed the part about Shifting tool in the manual... 

[tve]

If I may return to the topic...

Hard interlock of switches:

While two or more switches might not commonly operate on one throw (although I have seen a few manual ones), derails and perhaps catchpoints on adjacent tracks are commonly operated by a single motor. This is a quite common arrangement in Nordic countries.

Although the wedge-type double derail is commonly located at a switch where the two derail wedges (usually one for each track, however derails with four wedges do exist) are close to one another, sometimes a long connecting rod is used to connect two wedges with one throw/motor on parallel tracks.

Just my thought. Would add a slight detail.

[DPump]

An Update:

Y-Switches have now been added, available in the next version.

Default states of switches at startup: It will be possible (in the editor) to choose the initial state of the switches. This is of more relevance for slip switches which's initial state seem to be awkward right now to say the least. This seems to be a better way than tinkering with start up or config files, as per my initial response  Also available in the next version

Text display option: not yet started, but solutions are in discussion. Good chance to have something for next version.

[DPump]

An update:
Y-switches and assigning default states of switches is now included in Release 5.1.

[DPump]

Version 5.3 includes a change in the block tool: the "Link nearby Objects" now places yellow dots in areas where a connection to another object has not been established yet. If you want to connect two of them, click on the appropriate dots (first with left then with right mouse button), and it will be done.

Also the Display only ("Other") has been modified with regard to text handling. It is now possible to select how the text is anchored, so that if you type in the text, the letters will be spread left and right if anchored in the center (default is upper left corner to be consistent with existing territories). Furthermore, defaults can be set for font style, color, size, and anchor, so if you add new text somewhere else, these parameters will be set accordingly. For existing texts, the current parameter can be overridden with the default - if you have saved them previously (you can set the defaults from any existing text object).