[jan111]

Anybody who knows why the boarding time for passengers at some stations always are 3 minutes no matter what time you arrive?

[rdamurphy]

Slow passengers?

Seriously, though, it would seem logical that even if you're late, you have to wait a reasonable time for people to board the train, and their luggage to be loaded...

Robert

[jan111]

Maybe I should explain my question. For example if you arrive 2 minutes before departure time then the loading is 2 minutes, if you arrrive 4 minutes before the loading time is 4 minutes but at some stations the loading is always 3 minutes.

[roeter]

The boarding time is derived from 2 definitions :

• Difference between arrival and departure time as defined in the timetable
  
• Minimum boarding time as defined in the route data (platform details)

The minimal required boarding time is the minimum of the two values above, except when the difference between departure and arrival is 0, in which case the route defined time is always used.
The departure time is either actual arrival + minimal boarding time, or the booked departure time in the timetable, whichever is the latest.

So, the station with 3 mins. boarding time probably has that value set in the route data (could that be the MSTS default?), and also has same arrival and departure time in the timetable (which is MSTS default unless both values are specifically defined).

Regards,

Rob Roeterdink

[railguy]

In real world operations where arrival and departure times are defined for a station in a timetable, a scheduled train may never leave a station ahead of its scheduled departure time, unless permission is secured from the dispatcher to do so. In railroads operating under train order rules, that usually requires the dispatcher to issue a train order to the conductor and engineer of the scheduled train giving them permission to deviate from the schedule.

[roeter]

Not 100% true : trains stopping to set down only are usually allowed to depart when ready, whatever their booked time.

Apart from that - that is exactly what the rules above define as well :

Quote

The departure time is either actual arrival + minimal boarding time, or the booked departure time in the timetable, whichever is the latest.

So, a train will never leave before it's booked departure time.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

[dennisat]

 roeter, on 16 November 2013 - 04:43 AM, said:

... except when the difference between departure and arrival is 0... in which case the route defined time is always used...

I have noticed that many activity writers have not calculated the station arrive / depart times for the AI, they have left them at 0 / 0. Once proper arrive / depart times have been calculated, the AI will mostly run as planned by the activity writer.

Dennis