Passing Points Options

[nbeveridge]

I am just curious if any of our template developers are using passing points (or passing paths) in the templates. I have run across several routes where passing points will not work, so as a rule I always direct the player path to the RH track and the AI path to the opposite track. Or in some cases the LH track if the prototype used LH running. Denis? Moe? Pete? Jim? Eric? Don? Peter? Steve?

[dispatcher]

I am just curious if any of our template developers are using passing points (or passing paths) in the templates. I have run across several routes where passing points will not work, so as a rule I always direct the player path to the RH track and the AI path to the opposite track. Or in some cases the LH track if the prototype used LH running. Denis? Moe? Pete? Jim? Eric? Don? Peter? Steve?

I have not tried activities in a "dark" route as yet but all my others use the same criteria as you. The player train takes RH running and the AI trains therefore become right hand as well. The exception to that is when the industries you need to visit are on the left side. I will direct the player to the left and the AI to the left or the main if that is what it is. Everything is sort of timed as to where a meet would occur and normally they work. Things do change when there is a lot of switching to slow the player train down and I have had to sit in a siding for up to 25 minutes because the dispatcher did not see the next passing track between the player and the AI train as a good place for a meet. That, I suppose is due to the fact that the dispatcher looks ahead two or three blocks and decides to hold the player train and wait. I also notice if you save an activity while an AI train is in those two forward blocks, the dispatcher forgets that the AI train is there and you will have a headon when you run the saved game.

Moe

[nbeveridge]

I also notice if you save an activity while an AI train is in those two forward blocks, the dispatcher forgets that the AI train is there and you will have a headon when you run the saved game.

Moe

I have noticed this also. This, in combination with funny signal scripts on some routes, has caused me to begin to recommend that players should save the activity upon entering each and every passing track, just in case something like this happens. Then, at worst, you have to back up to the previous save. If the player is not in the habit of saving frequently, then the activity may well be lost and the player would have to start over. My suggestion of saving when entering the track is so that if you find the AI train coming at you, then when you restart you will have time to stop the train. If you save at the end of the passing track while the player train is at speed, then you are doomed regardless.

[jrmeindl]

I have noticed this also. This, in combination with funny signal scripts on some routes, has caused me to begin to recommend that players should save the activity upon entering each and every passing track, just in case something like this happens. Then, at worst, you have to back up to the previous save. If the player is not in the habit of saving frequently, then the activity may well be lost and the player would have to start over. My suggestion of saving when entering the track is so that if you find the AI train coming at you, then when you restart you will have time to stop the train. If you save at the end of the passing track while the player train is at speed, then you are doomed regardless.

To add to Norm's reasoning, I also save before leaving the siding and doing any switching that might be called for off that passing siding. Any reverse moving by a player train will trick the AI dispatcher to allow traffic to continue on it's way if it is near any passing siding up the mainline causing head on meets as well. At times, the player might get a green at the next coverging switch, when in reality the AI train might already be in that block making it a false signal indication. This way, if I get caught, I restart and hold my train at the switch until the traffic passes. In the real world, the signals should all go red to the next passing siding once a train enters the single track, but in our world here that is not always the case. AI dispatchers will at times, give orders for trains to pass absolute signals.

Jim