Description
The activator rail is a special rail that interacts with minecarts when powered. It looks like a regular rail with a small mechanism and it is used in redstone systems and roller contraptions. When the rail receives a redstone signal it activates any minecart that passes over it. This is useful for ejecting players or entities from minecarts for controlled unloading or for triggering minecart hoppers to drop their contents at specific points. The activator rail can also change the state of certain types of minecarts such as minecart with command block or with a furnace depending on the version and the setup. In many practical builds players use activator rails in combination with detectors and powered rails to create stations where carts stop and perform actions automatically before moving on. Because it relies on redstone power you can hide the wiring under floors or behind walls to create tidy looking transport hubs. It is an important component for anyone building automated transportation systems in survival or creative modes and it is commonly used in adventure maps to control how minecarts behave.
What is Activator Rail?
The activator rail is a type of powered rail that sends a trigger to minecarts when it is powered. It is mainly used to make minecarts perform specific actions at a particular spot such as ejecting riders or activating cart based mechanisms. It works with redstone and is simple to add to rail networks.
Where to find Activator Rail
Activator rails can be crafted and they do not spawn naturally as loose rails. You can find the materials to craft rails in mines and chests and the iron and redstone required are common in underground areas. Players usually build activator rails at stations or in redstone controlled tracks where they want precise control over cart behavior.
How to get Activator Rail
Craft activator rails using iron ingots a stick and redstone in the crafting table. Alternatively you can find them in some chests in structures depending on the game version. In creative mode take them straight from the inventory and in survival mode craft them once you have mined enough iron and redstone.
Release Information
First introduced: One of the original rail types introduced early in Minecraft history
Give Command
/give @p minecraft:activator_rail 1
How to use Activator Rail
Place the activator rail on a rail line and apply redstone power with a lever redstone torch or detector rail. When powered it will activate passing minecarts causing them to eject riders or interact with other components. Use it in stations and unloading zones and combine with detector rails and powered rails for full control of cart movement.
Recipes for Activator Rail
Shaped Crafting Items must be placed in a specific pattern in a crafting table
Iron Ingot
Stick
Iron Ingot
Iron Ingot
Redstone Torch
Iron Ingot
Iron Ingot
Stick
Iron Ingot
Activator Rail
×6