[Traindude]

https://trello.com/c/16PYRKmk

I've recently been experimenting with dynamic loads and I've noticed one thing--the existing OR dynamic freight animation scheme is only practical for bulk commodities, such as coal or sand. If it was something non-bulk, like 3 crates in a wagon (illustrated below), then it doesn't really work.

https://i.ibb.co/HxwdL25/Open-Rails-2020-04-15-03-28-21.png

Logic would suggest that with the 3 crates illustrated, each crate would "appear" whenever the wagon is loaded above a certain percentage, and that load would increase in steps corresponding to the estimated weight of the crates

Theoretically, one could set the minimum and maximum height parameters to the same value, as I have done.

FreightAnimContinuous
(
    IntakePoint ( 0.0 0.0 FreightGeneral )
    Shape(..\\common.Loads\\General_Open\\3Crates.s)
    MaxHeight( 0.0 )
    MinHeight( 0.0 )
    FreightWeightWhenFull( 6.5t )
    FullAtStart( 0 )
    FullMaxBrakeForce ( 0kN )
    FullMaxHandbrakeForce ( 7.355kN )
    Comment ( Empty weight - 7.5t, NBR - 0.6, Friction - 0.5 )
    Comment( Assumptions - speed - 50mph (80.0km/h), Friction Bearing, 2 axles, frontal area - 59.5ft2, Wagon Weight - 14 ton (metric))
    FullORTSDavis_A ( 246 )
    FullORTSDavis_B ( 4.9 )
    FullORTSDavis_C ( 0.62 )
    FullCentreOfGravity_Y ( 1.4 )
    FullORTSDavisDragConstant ( 0.0005 )
    FullORTSWagonFrontalArea ( "59.5*(ft^2)" )
)

If you can live with the fact that all the crates appear instantly when the load on the wagon increases above 0% (all three crates constitute one load shape file), and the wagon load varying continuously from 0 to 100%.

Therefore, to accommodate non-bulk loads:

1. Allow the load percentage to increase and decrease in fixed steps (example: 3 steps of 33% each), rather than allowing a continuous range of 0-100%, and
2. Allow multiple load shape files to be used, each of which appropriately appears and disappears based on the wagon load percentage.

I was actually discussing this with steamer_ctn for hid advice and he said why not address these thoughts the forum. Then again, I'm just thinking out loud...