Elvas Tower: Trying to write a script for the British AWS - Elvas Tower

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Trying to write a script for the British AWS Rate Topic: -----

#61 User is offline   Coolhand101 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 10:29 AM

Re-Reading some of the post here. I need to clarify something.

2-aspect stop signals( RED/GREEN), these are also found in long track circuit sections and have a colour light repeater signal, which should have "Approach_1". Both signals have AWS. Will these 2-aspect stop signals work as intended or are they ignored?

Thanks

#62 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 12:19 PM

Quote

2-aspect stop signals( RED/GREEN), these are also found in long track circuit sections and have a colour light repeater signal, which should have "Approach_1". Both signals have AWS. Will these 2-aspect stop signals work as intended or are they ignored?

I have not yet come across a signal like that. Can you give me an example of where one is found or more information about them. The only two aspect signals I have come across (although I may be out of date) are essentially colour light replacements for semaphore home signals. They may be used as intermediate block signals, but an intermediate block signal would not have AWS. What you refer to as a repeater is equivalent to the semaphore distant and would have AWS.


#63 User is offline   Csantucci 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 12:28 PM

Darwin is correct. And to provide a specific answer, the entries of such signal within the sigscr.dat file of such line must be examined.
Re shunting signals: I must confess that I didn't devote much time to that. I'm waiting from feedbacks from the field by you, and if necessary and simple I could consider some fine-tuning on the matter.

I'm happy with the fact that in general things seem to behave as desired.

#64 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 12:32 PM

Some further testing using other routes and rolling stock leads me to the following observations:
In general the system is working very well both for MAS and semaphore and colour light block signalling, for air braked trains.

I believe the TCS is at the moment cutting off power. Hopefully as brakes are developed in OR then we can as in real life have a knock on effect - the TCS applies the brake and the brake cuts the power.
To be honest with modern traction it makes little difference, but I just tried it out on a steam loco where it makes a considerable difference.
The effect of failing to acknowledge a warning is to physically close the regulator - it moves across the quadrant in the cab view.
In fact there was no mechanism on steam locos to cut power or close the regulator - AWS simply applied the brakes and that was that.

Although with diesel and electric locos the power is cut, I do not observe the throttle closing and power is restored when the warning is acknowledged.
At present the TCS does not seem able to apply vacuum brakes.

#65 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 12:37 PM

Quote

Re shunting signals: I must confess that I didn't devote much time to that. I'm waiting from feedbacks from the field by you, and if necessary and simple I could consider some fine-tuning on the matter.

I have not yet tried shunt or calling on signals. A shunt signal alone would not have an approach aspect and so could not present a problem.
However one that is combined or associated with a main line signal that does have an approach aspect would be a different matter.

You are probably going to need to put out a beta and get a few more testers on board. I don't think Coolhand and myself will find all the possibilities between the two of us!


#66 User is offline   Csantucci 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 01:00 PM

In the meantime I was able to solve the problem of the Poulton distant that did not open the sunflower. I have already modified the demo pack in the usual post. For simplicity I attach also here the file to be modified, which is the script file that resides within the SCRIPT subfolder of the trainset's folder.
Attached File  TCS_AWS_UK.zip (5.01K)
Number of downloads: 399

The braking issue cannot be solved within the TCS code, but is part of the braking code.
Within the parameters of the .ini file there is one (which can be modified by the player) in the AWS subgroup, which is AppliesCutsPower=true .

#67 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 01:35 PM

Meanwhile this UKTS download is one of several has a nice bell sound for older diesels and electrics and all steam locos.
So much nicer than the Bing on modern trains!

#68 User is offline   Coolhand101 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 02:13 PM

View Postdarwins, on 07 February 2020 - 12:19 PM, said:

I have not yet come across a signal like that. Can you give me an example of where one is found or more information about them. The only two aspect signals I have come across (although I may be out of date) are essentially colour light replacements for semaphore home signals. They may be used as intermediate block signals, but an intermediate block signal would not have AWS. What you refer to as a repeater is equivalent to the semaphore distant and would have AWS.


I'm quite surprise. They have been around for a long as I can remember( decades). They are used for track circuit block lines, where there are quite long distances between block sections or low traffic frequency.

The term "colour light repeater" is for TCB lines. These only repeat what the next stop signal is showing.


2-Aspect repeater signal.

These are identified by the letter "R" with the stop signal number ahead ie ( Sorry could not find a pic or diagram at this time )

2-Aspect Colour light Repeater signal C158R = Yellow Aspect


2-Aspect Colour Light Stop signal C158 = Red Aspect

-----------------------------------------------------------


2-Aspect Colour light Repeater signal C158R = Green Aspect

2-Aspect Colour Light Stop signal C158 = Green Aspect


Dorset Coast route have these signals. You can find them between Basingstoke and Yeovil Junction( and for real ). They also scattered on other areas on the route and other MSTS routes.

I did say at the beginning of the thread, the need to identify a 2-aspect stop signal between Absolute Block lines and Track Circuit Block lines.

https://www.railforu...-signals.26633/


https://www.railforu...gnalling.20677/


Thanks

#69 User is offline   Coolhand101 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 02:42 PM

Regarding shunt and calling on signals. I did notice on the MEP+, that if a semaphore stop signal has a combined siding signal. The AWS will initiate Clear, and play the bing/bell sound.

I also notice that if a separate "Clack board" info signal is place on the same post as the semaphore stop signal, the AWS will also intiate clear and play the bing/bell sound.

I also notice that on the AWS3 MEP+ activity, as soon as I cancelled the AWS warning for the caution signal, the sunflower change from warning to clear( the next signal was a semphore stop signal set to clear ). I don't remember this happening on other areas, as I can remember when I cancelled the AWS for other distant signals, the Sunflower stayed at warning until I approach a signal that has AWS and set to green( Clear).

All of the above happen in a certain area on that activity( Approaching Boston station ). I admit that my version of MEP+ is slightly modified, so I shall test this thoroughly on the original version tomorrow.

As it stands now, if a shunt/calling on/ siding signal is set to "normal". The AWS will see these as main signals and operate accordingly. There never has been AWS for these signals. Be interesting to see if this can be achieve, like the semaphore stop signals.

Thanks

#70 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 10:41 PM


Quote

2-Aspect repeater signal.

These are identified by the letter "R" with the stop signal number ahead ie ( Sorry could not find a pic or diagram at this time )

2-Aspect Colour light Repeater signal C158R = Yellow Aspect


2-Aspect Colour Light Stop signal C158 = Red Aspect

-----------------------------------------------------------


2-Aspect Colour light Repeater signal C158R = Green Aspect

2-Aspect Colour Light Stop signal C158 = Green Aspect

The description is exactly the same as what in older times would have been called a colour light automatic intermediate block signal - and I am sure there are many around. What I am not convinced of is the placement of an AWS ramp at the stop signal. Given the way that AWS functions it does not make sense to me to have AWS at a signal that can not show a yellow aspect. In the above case, following signal C158 then there must be another distant signal (or colour light repeater) before the next home or stop signal - at which there should be AWS.

Assuming C158 did have AWS would the idea be that it would be a repeat AWS of the one that was at C158R? So if that one did not stop the train before C158 then the one at the stop signal would stop the train when it entered the next section.


#71 User is offline   Coolhand101 

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Posted 07 February 2020 - 11:53 PM

Remember, these signals are in TCB areas. AWS would of present at these 2-aspect stop signals. I can see your logic as to why not, and because of that, I will investigate further.

Thanks

#72 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 08 February 2020 - 12:06 AM

In the meantime I have some independent confirmation of the placement of AWS at such stop signals, but no explanation of why it is there or how it works.

#73 User is online   darwins 

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Posted 08 February 2020 - 12:21 AM

The nice thing about Carlo's script at the moment is that it seems to be a small addition that can be added to individual locomotives.

This means that it should easily be possible to customise it to suit different trains.

Some of the variations in individual trains may need to be built into the script - others might be better as part of the eng file rather than part of the script. Variations in different stock that I am aware of so far might be:

Brake is applied immediately vs 3-5 seconds delay before brake application begins

Air brake pipe pressure is dropped to full service level (45 psi) vs ABP pressure is dropped to emergency level (0 psi)

Driver can regain control anytime warning is cancelled vs

When brake application begins driver can only regain control when speed is below 5 mph vs

Train must come to a halt and there is a delay of 40s, 60s or 120s before the controls are unlocked

Power is not cut vs
Power is cut by drop in brake pipe vacuum or pressure vs
Power is cut


BR AWS (with Sunflower) vs GWR ATC (without Sunflower)

I am sure Coolhand can also suggest how it could form the basis of modern TPWS as I am less familiar with this.



#74 User is offline   Icik 

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Posted 08 February 2020 - 02:51 AM

Hi Carlo,
I am testing AWS functionality. The green signal announcement will play, but I still receive a warning sound and need to be acknowledged by the alert button. I have a clear path set with Clear_2 signals. I have done everything according to your instructions.

#75 User is offline   Coolhand101 

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Posted 08 February 2020 - 03:09 AM

View Postdarwins, on 08 February 2020 - 12:06 AM, said:

In the meantime I have some independent confirmation of the placement of AWS at such stop signals, but no explanation of why it is there or how it works.


The driver could forget about the repeater signal and it could be up to 2 miles from the stop signal. Or thick fog could extremely limited the drivers view of the stop signal, and miss it completely. If that happened, the next signal could be a repeater and there could be a train at a stand at that stop signal. Another reason is the red aspect has failed or unlit. The AWS would intervene and get the drivers attention.
In absolute block, if the starter or advance starter is on, the signalman would
not set any home signals to clear, until the train is almost at stand. This is a signalman rule number which I cannot remember ATM. Because of this rule, there be no point having AWS at semaphore stop signals. In thick fog, the fog signalman
Will lay a detonator at the semaphore stop signal incase the driver miss it. All of this wasn't 100% fail safe until ATP and TPWS was implemented.

Regarding the approach control method for semaphore stop signals, we do need to write an approach control script to allow any semaphore stop signals to be keep at danger if the starter signal is on.

Thanks

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