[Csantucci]

@Weter: I write here again the link to a description of the features, with links to examples http://www.interazio...isecontrol.html .
@jtr1962: Please insert following zipped patch into ORNYMG 117. This should solve your problem 3) once you add into your CruiseControl block the line

		KeepSelectedSpeedWhenManualModeSet ( True )

IF your test is OK, this will be added in next ORNYMG revision.
Please note that boolean parameters in the CruiseControl block are false as default, except DynamicBrakeCommandHasPriorityOverCruiseControl. So, if you want, you can remove all lines where its parameter is set to false.
 Orts.Simulation.zip (1.57MB)
Number of downloads: 203

[jtr1962]

Csantucci, on 10 February 2022 - 01:21 AM, said:

@jtr1962: Please insert following zipped patch into ORNYMG 117. This should solve your problem 3) once you add into your CruiseControl block the line

		KeepSelectedSpeedWhenManualModeSet ( True )

IF your test is OK, this will be added in next ORNYMG revision.
Please note that boolean parameters in the CruiseControl block are false as default, except DynamicBrakeCommandHasPriorityOverCruiseControl. So, if you want, you can remove all lines where its parameter is set to false.

Thank you, the patch works great!

I took your suggestion and removed all false parameters from the cruise control block:

	ORTSCruiseControl (
	   SpeedIsMPH ( True )
		MaxForceSteps ( 100 )
		DefaultForceStep ( 0 )
		NominalSpeedStep ( 1 ) comment (** when pressing Shift+A or Shift+D how many speed units should the selected speed change **)
		SpeedSelectorStepTimeSeconds ( 0.3 ) comment (** how fast the selected speed lever adds speed, 0.3 is one step in 0.3 seconds **)
		DynamicBrakeMaxForceAtSelectorStep ( 50 ) comment (** the brake will reach 100% at this step, the lower step the max brake percent will be also lower **)
		StartReducingSpeedDelta ( 0.5 ) (** the lower number, the sooner the regulator will decrease power **)
		StartReducingSpeedDeltaDownwards ( 2.5 )
		MaxForceKeepSelectedStepWhenManualModeSet ( True )
		KeepSelectedSpeedWhenManualModeSet ( True )
		ForceResetIncludeDynamicBrake ( True )
		ThrottleFullRangeIncreaseTimeSeconds ( 4 ) comment (** time in seconds needed for the regulator to reach 0-100% of power **)
		ThrottleFullRangeDecreaseTimeSeconds ( 4 ) comment (** time in seconds needed for the regulator to reach 100-0% of power **)
		comment ( set DynamicBrakeFullRangeIncreaseTimeSeconds to very high value if dynamic brake isn't used by cruise control )
		DynamicBrakeFullRangeIncreaseTimeSeconds ( 200000 ) comment ( ** same as above, but for dynamic braking ** )
		DynamicBrakeFullRangeDecreaseTimeSeconds ( 2 ) comment ( ** same as above, but for dynamic braking ** )
		DynamicBrakeCommandHasPriorityOverCruiseControl ( True )
		DoComputeNumberOfAxles ( True )
		MinimumSpeedForCCEffect ( 8.94 )
		ControllerCruiseControlLogic ( None )
		UseThrottleInCombinedControl ( True )
		UseThrottleAsForceSelector ( True )
		HasProportionalSpeedSelector ( True )
		SpeedSelectorIsDiscrete ( True )
		Options ( "RegulatorManual, RegulatorAuto, SelectorOn, StartFromZero, EngageForceOnNonZeroSpeed" )
	)

I also changed a few things to match how the real AEM-7 cruise control works. It doesn't use the train brake. I had those lines before pertaining to the train brake just to test out the feature. The AEM-7 cruise control also doesn't use the dynamic brake. If you set the speed lower it will just coast down to the new speed. Since there is no parameter to disable the use of the dynamic brake I simply set the DynamicBrakeFullRangeIncreaseTimeSeconds parameter to a very high value. Even letting the train coast down from 125 mph to 0 mph the dynamic brake stayed at 0%.

One minor function of the real cruise control which I can't duplicate is that it can't reduce the motor current to zero. In the operator's manual it mentions the following on page 91:

On descending grades, traction motor current may be reduced to 100 amperes minimum and locomotive speed can exceed the "set speed". The speed cruise control selector system does not completely cut out propulsion power or apply brakes. Therefore, it may be necessary to set the throttle to 0 position and apply brakes as necessary to prevent excessive speed.

If other locomotives also have similar behavoir it might be worthwhile to add a parameter which specifies the minimum throttle percentage when the cruise control is regulating speed. However, if this feature can't easily be implemented it's not terribly important.

[Weter]

Thank You, Carlo.
Laci, doesn't that lever work, if it would be defined as notched in *.eng-file?
Notch ( 0.3  0 ....)

[Laci1959]

Weter, on 10 February 2022 - 07:51 AM, said:

Thank You, Carlo.
Laci, doesn't that lever work, if it would be defined as notched in *.eng-file?
Notch ( 0.3  0 ....)

Once upon a time, the lever had to be defined in the EngineControllers block, if it was notched. The notation division had to be defined here and it was included in the cvf file where the arm positions, more precisely the number of the corresponding frame, had to be assigned to each notch. I downloaded a two files, I take a close look because I may have corrupted them.
I haven't translated the Cabview Controls sheet yet, I'm confident I'll find the solution there.

		Lever (
			Type ( THROTTLE LEVER )
			Position ( 206 350 58 86 )
			Graphic ( Regler.ace )
			Style ( NOT_SPRUNG )
			MouseControl ( 1 )
			NumFrames ( 15 5 3 )
			NumPositions ( 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 )
			NumValues ( 0 0.03 0.07 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.99)
			Orientation ( 0 )
			DirIncrease ( 0 )
			ScaleRange ( 0 1 )
                )
		Lever (
			Type ( ORTS_SELECTED_SPEED_SELECTOR LEVER )
			Position ( 117 360 80 78 )
			Graphic ( CC_Speed.ace )
			Style ( SPRUNG )
			MouseControl ( 1 )
			NumFrames ( 16 4 4 )
			NumPositions ( 16 12 13 14 15 8 9 10 11 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 )
			NumValues ( 16 0 0.06 0.13 0.2 0.27 0.33 0.4 0.47 0.53 0.6 0.67 0.73 0.8 0.87 0.93 1 )
			Orientation ( 0 )
			DirIncrease ( 0 )
			ScaleRange ( 0 160 )
			Units ( KM_PER_HOUR )
		)

Here are the notches, above which is the Throttle.

[Csantucci]

jtr1962, on 10 February 2022 - 03:19 AM, said:

Thank you, the patch works great!
...

I also changed a few things to match how the real AEM-7 cruise control works. It doesn't use the train brake. I had those lines before pertaining to the train brake just to test out the feature. The AEM-7 cruise control also doesn't use the dynamic brake. If you set the speed lower it will just coast down to the new speed. Since there is no parameter to disable the use of the dynamic brake I simply set the DynamicBrakeFullRangeIncreaseTimeSeconds parameter to a very high value. Even letting the train coast down from 125 mph to 0 mph the dynamic brake stayed at 0%.

One minor function of the real cruise control which I can't duplicate is that it can't reduce the motor current to zero. In the operator's manual it mentions the following on page 91:

...

If other locomotives also have similar behavoir it might be worthwhile to add a parameter which specifies the minimum throttle percentage when the cruise control is regulating speed. However, if this feature can't easily be implemented it's not terribly important.

Good that it works!
Your idea to emulate the non-use of the dynamic brake is a good one; it might be useful with someone else.
About the 100A issue, I must admit I haven't understood well how that should work. Anyhow I don't know I'll implement it.

[jtr1962]

Csantucci, on 10 February 2022 - 10:01 AM, said:

Good that it works!
Your idea to emulate the non-use of the dynamic brake is a good one; it might be useful with someone else.
About the 100A issue, I must admit I haven't understood well how that should work. Anyhow I don't know I'll implement it.

The way that feature might work would be to have a parameter called perhaps CruiseControlMinimumThrottlePercent. In the case of the AEM7 100A would correspond to 4.5%, so you would have CruiseControlMinimumThrottlePercent ( 4.5 ). When the cruise control is on, the throttle would never drop under 4.5%, even if you exceeded the set speed.

However, I don't know if any locos other than the AEM7 work this way, so as I said, it's not an important feature. I'm happy with the way the cruise control is working now. Keep in mind 100A on the AEM-7 is only a tractive effort of about 10kN. That makes almost no difference in train behavior. The most important thing was the non-use of the dynamic brake. Fortunately, I found the solution for that.

[FS.E652 091]

Hello everyone, I wanted to point out that for some time there has been a bug on the cruise control which, during a cab change, on cab B does not work well, in fact every time a little dynamic braking occurs, it is necessary to bring the acceleration lever to 0 and reset it to 100, this only happens during a cab change and on cab B .. I hope it will be resolved as soon as possible

[Csantucci]

You should report the link to download the failing locomotive and attach the modified .eng file for it.

[FS.E652 091]

It happens in the cab for E464 of your conception with SCMT system, and with the 3D of E464 Pack from Salvatore Valese, But from the version 118 i saw that the errour doesn't not verify, so i believe that you have already fix it.. howewher, the E464 Pack are from here:

http://www.amicitren...a3cac622644a406

[jtr1962]

After playing around with this some more I'm noticing a stability issue when using advanced physics. When the cruise control starts reducing power before reaching set speed, there are oscillations unless you set StartReducingSpeedDelta to a very high value, like 10. This didn't happen when using simple physics. The reason appears to be that the cruise control uses wheel speed, as opposed to actual train speed, as an input to the algorithm. Wheel speed can be as much as 0.3 or 0.4 m/sec higher than train speed. So the algorithm starts reducing power prematurely. However, when power is reduced, the wheel speed ends up closer to train speed. It then appears to the algorithm like the train actually suddenly reduced speed, so power increases again. Eventually the train settles at a stable speed, but not without a lot of oscillations.

With simple physics wheel speed and train speed are the same. StartReducingSpeedDelta can be a wide range of values without any problems. The solution as near as I can figure would be to use actual train speed instead of wheel speed as the input to the algorithm when using advanced physics. This is probably more realistic anyway as modern locomotives use actual train speed to keep wheelslip to a few percent. I would imagine they also use it as an input to cruise control.