[darwins]

You have used a very old unstable version of OpenRails
Version = X1.3.1-123-g332ddb9c
You must use a more recent version. January 2020 or later.
The most recent version is available here
Or on the updates tab choose 'Unstable'
.. although the warning says that unstable versions may contain serious bugs, in reality they very rarely do.

[slipperman]

Hi Darwin,
The version of Open Rails you quoted is the one I am using - it was released 31 January 2020. There have been no further "week-end" versions released, as far as I can tell!

Cheers,
Ged

[darwins]

Quote

Hi Darwin,
The version of Open Rails you quoted is the one I am using - it was released 31 January 2020. There have been no further "week-end" versions released, as far as I can tell!

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged,
Thanks for that information. It now leaves me confused. Perhaps a member of development team can explain when new features from the U versions get incorporated into the X versions.
The new token for vacuum brakes TrainBrakesControllerVacuumApplyContinuousServiceStart replacing the former token TrainBrakesControllerApplyStart (which should now only be used for air brakes) has been working in the U versions since the date of my original post on 15 January.

So I am a bit confused that a version of OpenRails released later than that date did include the same functionality.
Regards
Darwin

[Traindude]

darwins, on 23 March 2020 - 11:16 PM, said:

You have used a very old unstable version of OpenRails
Version = X1.3.1-123-g332ddb9c
You must use a more recent version. January 2020 or later.
The most recent version is available here
Or on the updates tab choose 'Unstable'
.. although the warning says that unstable versions may contain serious bugs, in reality they very rarely do.

I've downloaded the latest version you mentioned and it now works perfectly.

[steamer_ctn]

darwins, on 24 March 2020 - 11:27 AM, said:

Perhaps a member of development team can explain when new features from the U versions get incorporated into the X versions.
The new token for vacuum brakes TrainBrakesControllerVacuumApplyContinuousServiceStart replacing the former token TrainBrakesControllerApplyStart (which should now only be used for air brakes) has been working in the U versions since the date of my original post on 15 January.

So I am a bit confused that a version of OpenRails released later than that date did include the same functionality.

The current OR release process is a bit fragmented.

There are currently three versions as follows:

i) Unstable - this is a "sandpit" to try new functions and features and will have releases applied as developers added new code patches.

ii) Testing (I assume this is the X version that you referred to) - This will be released on a regular basis. However a feature included in the Unstable version does not automatically transition to the Testing version. It must be reviewed by a developer other then the author, and approved before it will move into the testing version.

iii) Stable - released on a very approximate 12 month cycle - current version was last released in Dec 2018. I am not sure how features are moved from Testing to Stable. I suspect that they need to be approved.

Currently there are a number of feature patches waiting approval to go from Unstable to Testing version. This is purely a "workload" issue where the small number of developers do not have time to do their own releases as well as review other developers work.

So it is possible to have a Testing release version that won't have some or all of the Unstable release features.

Added to this we also have some unofficial versions, such as the MG version.

So lots of choice.

If you want the latest features, I would suggest that you use the Unstable version, however you may need to be prepared to suffer the impact of a bug or two. You can choose when you upgrade, so perhaps you stay with an Unstable version for a while until you see a new feature that interests you.

If you don't want to be bothered by bugs, stick with the Stable version.

You could try the MG version as well, however it use the Unstable version as a base, and therefore form time to time bugs will creep in.
Contributors to both the Unstable version and MG versions tend to try and be responsive to fixing bugs reasonably quickly.

Sadly this situation is not ideal, but this is based upon the current process.

[Aldarion]

Can anyone tell me what is going on in here?
Please note the values on VacRes and the fact that the brake is not released in the loco on the stable version.
https://i.ibb.co/WzgHKLG/Open-Rails-2020-07-18-04-04-08.png
https://i.ibb.co/W3X9Kcn/Open-Rails-2020-07-18-04-23-31.png
Adding to this, if I engage the throttle, I have no power in the loco!

Loco eng

	BrakeEquipmentType				( "Vacuum_brake, Auxilary_reservoir, Handbrake" )
	BrakeSystemType					( "Vacuum_single_pipe" )
	MaxBrakeForce					( 114.737kN )
	MaxHandbrakeForce				( 66kN )

	MaxReleaseRate 					( 4.0inHg/s )
	MaxApplicationRate 				( 3.4inHg/s )
	BrakePipePolume 				( 1.35ft^3 )
	ORTSDirectAdmissionValve 			( 0 )
	ORTSAuxilaryResCapacity 			( 5.76ft^3 )
	ORTSNumberBrakeCylinders 			( 4 )
	ORTSBrakeCylinderSize 				( 12in )
	BrakeCylinderPressureForMaxBrakeBrakeForce 	( 21inHg )

	BrakesTrainBrakeType ( "Vacuum_single_pipe_eq" ) Comment (* Dual *)
	BrakesEngineBrakeType ( "Vacuum_single_pipe"  ) Comment (* air brake *)
	BrakesEngineControllers ( "Hand, Train, Engine" )

	ORTSBrakePipeChargingRate 				( 38InHg/s )
	TrainPipeLeakRate 					( 0.06InHg/s )
	ORTSBrakePipeTimeFactor 				( 0.36InHg/s )
	ORTSBrakeServiceTimeFactor 				( 10s)
	ORTSBrakeEmergencyTimeFactor 				( 5s )
Comment (
 	ORTSDoesVacuumBrakeCutPower				( 0 )
 	ORTSBrakeCutsPowerAtBrakePipePressure			( 12.5inHg )
 	ORTSBrakeRestoresPowerAtBrakePipePressure		( 16inHg )
)
 	MaxSteamHeatingPressure					( 60psi )

Comment ( === Exhausters === )
 	ORTSBrakePipeChargingRate				( 0.55InHg/s )

Comment ( == Automatic Brake valve - Train == )
	TrainBrakesControllerMaxSystemPressure 			( 21InHg )

Comment ( == Independent Brake valve - Engine == )
	EngineBrakesControllerMaxSystemPressure			( 21InHg )
	EngineBrakesControllerMaxReleaseRate			( 10 )
	EngineBrakesControllerMaxApplicationRate		( 10 )
 	EngineBrakesControllerMinPressureReduction		( 2inHg )

	Brake_Engine ( 0 1 0.1 0.1
		NumNotches ( 1
			Notch( 0 1 EngineBrakesControllerVacuumContinuousServiceStart )
		)
	)
	Brake_Train ( 0 1 0.1 0.2
		NumNotches ( 4
			Notch ( 0.0  0 TrainBrakesControllerFullQuickReleaseStart ) Comment ( RELEASE )
			Notch ( 0.2  0 TrainBrakesControllerReleaseStart ) Comment ( RUNNING )
			Notch ( 0.3  1 TrainBrakesControllerVacuumContinuousServiceStart )
			Notch ( 1.0  0 TrainBrakesControllerEmergencyStart )
		)
	)
	Brake_Hand ( 0 1 0.0125 0
		NumNotches( 0 )
	)
	SmallEjectorOrCompressor ( 0 1 0.1 0.5 )
	ORTSSteamHeat( 0 1 0.0125 0 )
        DirControl ( -1 0 1 1 )
        EmergencyStopResetToggle( 0 1 0 )
        EmergencyStopToggle( 0 1 0 )
	Sanding ( 0 1 0 )
	Wipers ( 0 1 0 )
	Vigilance ( 0 1 0 )
	Horn ( 0 1 0 )
	AWS ( 0 0 0 )
	Vigilance ( 0 1 0 )
	Overspeed ( 0 0 0 )
	ShutsDownEngine ( 0 1 0 )
	PantographToggle1 ( 0 1 0 )
	PantographToggle2 ( 0 1 1 )
	PantographsToggle_4 ( 1 1 1 )
	Headlights ( 0 0.25 1 0 )
	BellToggle ( 0 1 0 )
	CABToggle ( 0 1 0 )
	BailOffButton ( 0 1 0 )
        )

[darwins]

Looking deeper into the eng and wag files which Aldarion sent through
One of them has a value of ORTSAuxilaryResCapacity ( 0.825ft^3 ) which is about 10 times too small and may account for the strange figure in one of the auxiliary reservoirs - not sure how out of range values are being handled there.
There are lots of include files being used for everything - and it is possible that the problem with the loco may be due to something not compatible with vacuum brake systems being put into one of the include files - one possible suspect here is a reference to a brake controller script.

[Aldarion]

Thanks for the help darwins!
All is working now.
After spending so many hours and days and weeks around hundreds of wag and eng files... the eyes play tricks on us. That's for sure!

[joe_star]

Hello,

I noticed that with diesel engines, the vacuum exhauster continues running and charging the brake system even when the engine is switched off.

Is this by design? Doesn't seem right to me.

[joe_star]

While reading up on vacuum brakes recently, I also realized that running a train at elevation would have the effect of reducing the effectiveness of vacuum brakes.

I am wondering if this is also something that can be considered in future improvements to the vacuum braking system.