[Weter]

Have an idea about freight trains at Timetable: chain of paths equal to stretch from station's siding to next station's siding;
And elementary instances of "goods train"(columns) and previous forms next, which have to be activated some time after reaching and stopping at siding.

[rickloader]

Yes, I agree a chain of paths and separate train columns is the way for freight trains. Each link in the chain is $formed or $triggered from the previous.
If you make a single complex train with several $commands and path reversals you will end up with what I call a "stuck" train. A stuck train may work in testing, but subsequently the $commands are not executed so the train becomes "stuck" A chain avoids this.
Another advantage is that path control commands will work. Commands like $wait $hold $activate $noclaim etc do not work after path reversals
The disadvantage is that you will need a clear naming scheme for each stage of a freight train and the timetable is hard to follow in the spreadsheet ( I use a suffix A, B, C etc)
I find that if you try to start a player train by picking a later train in the chain, you will sometimes get a "prevoious train did not arrive after midnight " error. It seems OR can not always follow the chain during pre-run
Rick

[Weter]

Suffixes like "_nn" alter 4-digit numbers.
Midnight is another problem for separate topic.
The main problem of this one - is that trains yet can't use sidings as they use platforms (for making stops with defined timings, location commands) so I'm searching the best way to overcome that.
<they can, but it demands unique name for each siding of the route, so many routes with repeatable sidings names as "track 1" "platform 2" etc. should be modified>

[roeter]

rickloader, on 15 February 2021 - 05:10 AM, said:

I find that if you try to start a player train by picking a later train in the chain, you will sometimes get a "prevoious train did not arrive after midnight " error. It seems OR can not always follow the chain during pre-run
Rick

Yes, there is a little snag there. It can happen that somehow a train gets stuck, and will not arrive to form the player train. To avoid the program waiting for this train to arrive until eternity, the program stops if the train still has not started at midnight. But if the train is not supposed to start until after midnight, the program also stops. Not quite correct but it does not occur all that often.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

[Weter]

I've seen, that trains, which stuck, are simply disappear.

[rickloader]

Thanks Rob for your input.
Weter, in my definition of "stuck" trains, they don`t disappear. They remain in game but do not complete the $commands. Callon Signals do not clear for them to couple. My stuck trains have tested ok but later they do not complete the run, even though at one time they did.
If you have disappearing trains it might be that they have reached the end of path, the next train path does not connect,or there is a problem with the command in the #dispose field.
If you do not have a platform at the location where you want location commands, you just end the path of train 1 and $form train2 at the same location. You put the location command in the #dispose field. train1 path end and train2 path start overlap. The start time for train 2 controls the length of stop
$forms=train2$pickup /static ................. in the #dispose field - or any other location command
Rick

[Weter]

I meant the case, if while the one of trains is preparing to start from platform, and other arrives to the same track from side, where the first one have to travel.
The reason-choosing wrong paths, as each of trains have to be at different tracks for the right outcome to happen.
This I called "stuck" because that two is blocking each other. So after some time, they both disappeared.

Hm, the situation, that You describe looks like "ghost" trains MSTS phenomenon: they are still exist, following their path, but system don't "see" them.

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If you do not have a platform at the location where you want location commands, you just end the path of train 1 and $form train2 at the same location. You put the location command in the #dispose field. train1 path end and train2 path start overlap. The start time for train 2 controls the length of stop

Thank you, Rick: you've just clearly and exactly formulated, what I would to define.

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$pickup /static ...

How must it work, if my planned goods train runs forward and only performs more or less long stops at sidings to pass everything?

[rickloader]

You could try in #dispose
$forms=train2$wait=train3 ......... or maybe $waitany
I think you can also put these commands in the #note field. But I haven`t tried it
Rick

[Weter]

It seems to me, thats no possible to place trains without a locomotive, the other way, than as #static (but in this case, they will appear just at 0:00)
My task is placing trains on sidings at specified time (as station on modeled route has no proper trackwork for hauling those trains there, as in real life)
For them to be taken by mainline locomotives, which went from pool, then - lead by them along a line.

Other issue: locomotive from pool, having path with reverse point don't attach to train on siding: it disappears instead.

[roeter]

Weter, on 10 March 2022 - 04:26 PM, said:

It seems to me, thats no possible to place trains without a locomotive, the other way, than as #static (but in this case, they will appear just at 0:00)

Have you tried $create with time value in #start field? That should work for trains without engines (as long as you do not select it as player train).

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Other issue: locomotive from pool, having path with reverse point don't attach to train on siding: it disappears instead.

Reversal points around pools can always be tricky. Try to split the path and set it up as two workings.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

[Weter]

Hello, Robert.
Thank You for still being here and for assistance attempt.
Then, I'll type my questions here.
1. About $create, I think, yes: as freight train on siding never starts immediately after spawning - there is obligate time for brakes test at least (5-10 minutes)
As long as consist had a locomotive - there were no problem. Since I've removed locomotive, train is not spawned, and log-file contains string: "can't place train here".
I thought, that is because absence of locomotive, but else, maybe at specified time, the locomotive from pool is already at that siding and that is obstacle...
2. Locomotives from pool (those, which use straight paths without any reverse points-as well) reach desired sidings, but don't couple to trains there, and disappear in front of them.

For more detailed description (as I guess, the questions need to be more specific), I'll use Suojarvi timetable thread.
So would be grateful, if You'll see.

[shadowmane]

This is interesting. Timetable Mode was created for passenger railroading, but now it can be used to run goods trains? How much work would it take to make shunting/switching in yards and industries possible? I've always advocated for doing away with activities and developing a work order system with the timetable mode. I just visited the Suojarvi timetable thread and it seems Weter has it working, somewhat.

Could this be used with a pure freight railroad like would be found in North America?

[Laci1959]

shadowmane, on 29 March 2024 - 04:06 AM, said:

This is interesting. Timetable Mode was created for passenger railroading, but now it can be used to run goods trains? How much work would it take to make shunting/switching in yards and industries possible? I've always advocated for doing away with activities and developing a work order system with the timetable mode. I just visited the Suojarvi timetable thread and it seems Weter has it working, somewhat.

Could this be used with a pure freight railroad like would be found in North America?

Hello.

There is a 75-year-old gentleman, he made a 24-hour schedule in it with night reversing trains. At certain stations, cars had to be placed on suitable tracks, and cars had to be taken on the train from there. For example, at Siófok station, I take cars from the front of the train and place them on the loader, while the reversing locomotive at the station puts cars at the end of the train. But there is also the case where the station reversing locomotive has to stand on the end of the heavy freight train and push it to the next station as an auxiliary locomotive. Of course, six or seven freight trains run 24 hours a day. Maybe there are more, I don't remember exactly.

Sincerely, Laci 1959

[Weter]

Hello.
The key problem, as I think, is with routes.
Each siding SHOULD HAVE UNIQUE NAME to be used as a location with timetable mode.
The rest is quite similar to passenger service.

There is a compromiss way, that I don't favor: placing a platform marker over each siding (including those ones, which have no actual platforms and used for non-passenger purposes)
Anyway, once the route's author didn't care about that, you, as a timetable's author will have to modify the route (siding/platform markers) in some way.

[Laci1959]

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Each siding SHOULD HAVE UNIQUE NAME to be used as a location with timetable mode.

Unfortunately, this is a big problem in Hungary as well. In many places, Siding is used for loading tracks instead of Platform.