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[MuseOD]

I'm really sorry for being a fool but I can't really fathom how minecarts work. I've made my track and attempted to make a route, but as my track is fairly complex, I'm unsure as to where to place the routes and points and somesuch. Could you guys give me some advice on how to get this to work?

 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[fricy]

Well, that's not really a "route" in the usual sense, but a repeater design, you don't stop it. The point of this is to go on in an infinite loop to trigger the pressure plate and give an always ON signal.

You start it by defining a (h)auling route with one stop: the position where the cart is right now works. Although it would be safer to start it from the position directly above the pressure plate, so your dwarf can walk away safely. You set it to push in the direction you want it to go (South), and off it goes. You can delete the route after it's moving, and you should forbid the minecart after it's launched, so your idiots won't try to pick it up...

If your impulse ramps are OK (the ones on the left should be W-»E, top ones S-»N, floors above, (I'm not an expert on them, sorry)), then it will go on forever.
What do you want to use it for?

[MuseOD]

Upwards spikes. Training.

[MuseOD]

It isn't working. I define the route, tell the route to use the cart, and noone goes off to make it happen. What did I do wrong?

[fricy]

Are there any access routes for the dwarves? The ramps seems to be part of the route, and I think they need to have a floor above them. (not sure, I build my tracks with rollers)

[Larix]

What's your 'depart condition' for the track? You need either 'push <direction> always' or 'push <direction> when empty of desired item' and have no timer setting (those delay departure for a number of days).

If you have a valid depart condition, it's probably caused by obstacles to access. Since i generally launch my minecarts from straight tracks or have them set on rollers, i can't say if your constellation is somehow 'illegal'. You can easily launch a minecart _into_ a closed loop by adding one or two tiles of straight track, define a route stop there and set it to push the cart into the loop, like so:
S-╔---
...╚---
The track is to the east, S is the route stop from which you 'push east'. The 'insertion' track is _not_ connected to the loop proper (would prevent a cart on the loop from getting around the south-to-east corner), but a push gives enough speed to get the cart past the 'dead end' and into the loop track.

As to handling of a minecart that's already orbiting: you don't need to forbid it, dwarfs will not try to pick up a moving cart. You can remove the 'assignment' of the cart to the route, if you want; in this case, your beards won't go and re-start the cart when it stops for whichever reason (e.g. maintenance work...). Me, i just change the depart condition from the station to something that won't be fulfilled.

[MuseOD]

Well, I managed to get my cart onto a side-track leading onto the main track...but now noone wants to push it.

[Larix]

Well, what 'depart condition' is listed at the stop? Direction, action, timing and filling status must all be legitimate:
direction - should be obvious, but i know i always need to look twice to make sure i don't accidentally tell them to move the cart east instead of west.
action - must be 'push', not 'guide' or 'ride' (ride could be unhealthy, especially on a closed loop)
timing - 'immediately', not after 20 days...
filling status - 'always' or 'when empty of desired items' (you don't want to transport items on this route).

And of course, if there's currently no depart condition at all, nothing will happen until you order a 'n'ew depart command and edit it to the appropriate shape.

And don't get discouraged, just change things around a bit and try again. I know my first attempts to get a minecart into motion consisted of massive flailing around and numerous failures; the interface is really hard to grasp.

[MuseOD]

Okay, I got it to work at last, but it slows to a halt after the second go. How do I into more momentum?

[fricy]

Okay, I got it to work at last, but it slows to a halt after the second go. How do I into more momentum?

1. powered rollers

2. impulse ramps
You build (not carve!) ramps that are perpendicular to your tracks. So on a S-»N track you build a ramp that has a E-»W direction, and has a wall at the west edge. This is an exploit, as carts will derail and gain momentum from the invalid ramps making it into a perpetual motion machine. On the picture posted you have 4 ramps, I suppose they were carved, and not built? If they are in fact impulse ramps than you need to build more. Something is amiss, because a single push shouldn't make it through 4 regular ramps...

[backora900]

2. impulse ramps
You build (not carve!) ramps that are perpendicular to your tracks. So on a S-»N track you build a ramp that has a E-»W direction,...

Let me correct that.
1) It doesn't matter wheather those ramps are carved or build. Only difference is that "build" ramps are easier to designate.
2) Those ramps has to be connected to the rest of the track. So on S->N track you has to use W->N or E->N track ramp (+ a wall to the W or E from that ramp to work properly).

MuseOD, I preasume you have already found this thread:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=114695.0
(I am proud for it so I have to propagate it as I can. )
The right ramp is N-W with a wall to the north. Left two ramps are both W-S (+ wall to the west). (open that "spoiler" and you will see the direction).
Also don't forget that track stop on medium friction otherwise the minecart will be going too fast.
To stop the whole contraption use doors (look at the last picture). And I think that for restarting the repeater you only have to open the doors (no more dwarven pushing).

The minecart is pushed from the top right corner to the west.

At the last part you will probably need a floor above the left top ramp to prevent minecart from leaving the track (not sure about that).

[MuseOD]

YES WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA IT WORKS O LORD O RAPTURE IT WORKS.

[fricy]

Let me correct that.
1) It doesn't matter wheather those ramps are carved or build. Only difference is that "build" ramps are easier to designate.
2) Those ramps has to be connected to the rest of the track. So on S->N track you has to use W->N or E->N track ramp (+ a wall to the W or E from that ramp to work properly).

thx for clearing up that for me.

[Hommit]

Guess it fits here:
I tried to do route for hauling cart with sand bags to smelter across few floors. Sand zone, next to it furnirure stockpile for sand bags only, give to minecart, guide north, drop to hole in floor at target stockpile. But it don't works and give me "set dir/connect track" message. I checked wiki on this:

Possible Causes:
    The departure direction of the stop might be invalid. Edit the stop using Enter and pressd until it is pointing in a valid direction.

north is up and south is down, right?

    The track stop might not be built on top of a track. The track stop must be deconstructed to remedy this issue.

checked. removed and rebuilt.

    Your track might not be built correctly. Make sure all connected tracks between destinations are not one-way tracks.
        This can be especially confusing with ramps. To carve a two-way track on a (natural) ramp, you must designate the ramp and one square beyond in the direction you want the track to go.
        Ramps must have a solid block on the side opposite to the track, or they will neither work nor be marked as "unusable". The solid block can be natural or constructed.

fixed, now all track tiles and ramps is two-way

    The desired/kept items might not be configured correctly.

all sand bags

...but it's still doesn't work! Why?

[Di]

I'd say double check ramps to have two directions in their description.
If that doesn't help maybe there's something wrong with second point in route.