Detector Rail
First Appearance	Beta 1.5
Type of Block	Non-solid Block
Stackable?	(Max 64)
Tool Used
Data Values	Hex: 1C Dec: 28
Obeys Physics?
Luminosity

OverviewEdit

Detector Rails are a type of rail that acts like a pressure plate, and the first rail switch.

When any kind of Minecart is on top of the Detector Rail, it will generate a redstone signal. The signal will be transmitted to blocks that are adjacent to the detector (including Powered Rail) and redstone placed under the rail, like pressure plates.

UsesEdit

Detector rails can be used for many things. One train station-like feature could be activating a Note Block to indicate that a minecart is approaching, or a note block in conjunction with a redstone torch to have a grade crossing signal. It is easiest to simply wire a series of 4-6 detector rails, one around every 20 blocks, to a note block and an inverter that powers a Redstone Torch. As the cart passes each detector rail, it will trigger the circuit for one flash of the torch and a chime, thus giving you 4-6 chimes before the cart reaches the crossing. Additionally, they can be used to create a one-way gate to a Powered Rail, with any carts coming the other way slowing down if not stopping completely. They also can be used to activate dispensers to create a minecart-friendly mob trap.

TriviaEdit

• When the detector rail was first added to the game it could not be placed next to any rail without the game crashing due to a bug.
• If a detector rail was placed on a slope and the next rail had the opposite slope, the detector would only generate signals for occupied carts (like a stone pressure plate). This bug was fixed in update 1.6.
• If a detector rail is on a slope with a powered rail adjacent to it on flat ground, the Detector will not activate it when a Minecart runs over it.

Blocks
Natural	Air • Bedrock • Clay Block • Cobblestone ( Mossy) • Cobweb • Dirt • Gravel • Ice • Monster Spawner • Sand • Sandstone • Obsidian • Snow • Stone • Stone Brick ( Cracked • Mossy)
Manufactured	Bookshelf • Brick Block • Fence • Glass ( Pane) • Iron Bars • Jack-O-Lantern • Ladder • Slab • Snow Block • Stairs • Wooden Planks • Wool
Ore	Coal Ore • Diamond Ore • Emerald Ore • Gold Ore • Iron Ore • Lapis Lazuli Ore • Redstone Ore
Mineral Blocks	Block of Diamond • Block of Emerald • Block of Gold • Block of Iron • Lapis Lazuli Block • Block of Quartz • Block of Redstone
Utility	Bed • Brewing Stand • Cake • Cauldron • Chest • Crafting Table • Enchantment Table • Furnace • Jukebox • TNT
Mechanisms	Button • Dispenser • Redstone Lamp • Door • Fence Gate • Lever • Note Block • Piston ( Sticky) • Pressure Plate • Rail ( Powered • Detector • Activator) • Redstone ( Wire • Torch • Repeater) • Trapdoor
Plants	Cactus • Dead Bush • Flowers • Grass Block ( Grass • Fern) • Leaves • Lily Pad • Melon • Mushrooms ( Huge)  • Mycelium • Pumpkin • Saplings • Sugar Cane • Vines • Wheat • Wood
Liquids	Lava • Water
Non-Solid	Fire • Sign • Torch
The Nether	Glowstone Block • Netherrack • Nether Brick ( Fence)  • Nether Wart • Soul Sand
The End	Dragon Egg • End Stone
Creative only	Sponge
Pocket Edition only	Cyan Flower • Camera
Technical	Piston Arm • Block 36 • Burning Furnace • Glowing Redstone Ore • Off-state Redstone Torch • Active Redstone Repeater • Flowing Water • Flowing Lava • Farmland • Pumpkin Stem • Melon Stem • Block 97 • Portal Block • End Portal Frame • End Portal
Planned	Hopper • Daylight Sensor • Block 446
Removed	Gear • Dirt Slab
Unimplemented	Crying Obsidian • Lantern