Ohio Rail Build 10, Upgrading to AG4 Options

[dgionet]

Hello to all,

Following a request from one of our users and also with Steve's permission, since he worked the template package for AG3. I have started working on a AG4 template package for the Ohio Rail build 10 route. Thanks again Steve!

Markers have been put on all 333 sidings and there is still lots of work ahead. Eight templates are expected in the package: NB, SB, YARDS and the LOCALS Templates for each the OR&W and the WV&O railroads. A lot of work has been done on the first 2 templates, the YARDS for both railroads, mostly done. The user will be able to choose to do some yard work in 13 different areas with close to 20 starting points. Zanesville have three starting points which the user can choose to start. Some have two starting points like in McConnelsville, Mt.Ephraim, the Byesville-Cambridge, the Caldwell-Florence or the Unionville-Otten Lumber areas.

For both the YARDS templates alone, there are 21 AI trains, mostly eye candy traffic and is not expected to interfere with the area of your work chosen. I have successfully done my first SLG-Generated act in Swik. The required stock package is expected to be among those dedicated for the OH10 route. In addition, I am including a MP15DC package from TS and the MP15DC will be the player engines for the YARDS template in both OR&W and WV&O liveries, as you can see a screenshot of the OR&W version.

Here is a teaser shot, the only one taken so far (Otten Lumber area) as there is lots of work ahead and some head scratching as I am progressing in the package.

Will update later

[dgionet]

Hi Steve and Norm,

Thanks for your replies and also to helping me to understand more the exact signification of facing point and trailing point sidings(My English is not as good as my French). This is one thing I had some trouble grasping their respective signification. Think I got it today!




The Image above shows Dale on the Ohio River 10 route with its four sidings, all accessible on one side only. The 2 sidings to the left are better serviced by Northbound (NB) trains since the markers and the sidings are set up to be easier serviced by NB's. All the NB train has to do is back up to the sidings to pickup the cars. That's why I say that the markers (and the sidings as well,from my personal perspective of course!) are NB oriented. That doesn't mean that the SB trains cannot handle them as well, They can pickup cars with the front coupler but cannot set any cars there unless backing up inside. It will require some runarounds here and in some other areas it may need more complex switching to work with facing point sidings.

That's no problem if there is no AI traffic and the user can take all the time needed to do it.In most of the templates, I try to set some AI traffic every 1¼ to 2 hours between them to add some realism but at the same time to give time to the users to have some switching done between AI trains if required. There are some templates I have done that have no AI traffic because only one daily train ( the player train) makes a return trip in this area,like for the Quebec-Charlevoix template.

Unless someone doesn't like to wait a little for AI, he can always activate the "NO AI" feature of AG. But as we know, most lines have realistically some traffic to different degrees. In such case, the player train have to plan more wisely its moves and will have to take in consideration the traffic patterns and also MSTS limitations in handling AI traffic. That is one of the main reasons to use the maps with their marker's orientation if he wants to select less complex switching and to be done in a quicker way than those requiring some runarounds or more complex moves.

So in the case of NB trains, I believe to understand, with Steve's explanations, that both sidings to the left are trailing point sidings for the NB trains while the other two sidings on the right are considered facing point sidings for the same NB trains.Am I right?

The same principle applies for the two sidings on the right with both markers oriented SB, being better serviced by SB trains and so on. With sidings that are accessible on both sides, Orientation of the markers is to consider if you wish to have some less complex switching. Of course that sould not be a concern to anyone who wants some complex switching and maps may not be needed for such a player.

About having both face point and trailing point sidings available to templates; It is a definite yes for me. There have been some rare exceptions like the NP line between Haugan and Rivulet on the MILW Rocky mountain Sub 4 Route. There were so little sidings to be serviced and so great distance to cover that I felt to have all possible sidings markers set to be trailing point to increase switching possibilities. But in general, it is good for the user to have all sidings, trailing and facing points on the same package to give the user the choice of less or more complex sidings. The provided maps I usually include will help the user who wish less complex switching like myself. With both types of tracks present ( facing point and trailing), the user can, by choice, select the degree of difficulty he wants to do work.He may decide to select personally the sidings with the maps or, for the more experienced switchers, let AG do the selection and in case not need the maps.

Yes, Norm, about the experience referred to it was about facing point sidings. And again, thanks Steve to have this cleared in my mind.

Well, back to work with the template package. Will update later of its progress

[nbeveridge]

Hi Steve and Norm,

Thanks for your replies and also to helping me to understand more the exact signification of facing point and trailing point sidings(My English is not as good as my French). This is one thing I had some trouble grasping their respective signification. Think I got it today!


The Image above shows Dale on the Ohio River 10 route with its four sidings, all accessible on one side only. The 2 sidings to the left are better serviced by Northbound (NB) trains since the markers and the sidings are set up to be easier serviced by NB's. All the NB train has to do is back up to the sidings to pickup the cars. That's why I say that the markers (and the sidings as well,from my personal perspective of course!) are NB oriented. That doesn't mean that the SB trains cannot handle them as well, They can pickup cars with the front coupler but cannot set any cars there unless backing up inside. It will require some runarounds here and in some other areas it may need more complex switching to work with facing point sidings.

That's no problem if there is no AI traffic and the user can take all the time needed to do it.In most of the templates, I try to set some AI traffic every 1¼ to 2 hours between them to add some realism but at the same time to give time to the users to have some switching done between AI trains if required. There are some templates I have done that have no AI traffic because only one daily train ( the player train) makes a return trip in this area,like for the Quebec-Charlevoix template.

Unless someone doesn't like to wait a little for AI, he can always activate the "NO AI" feature of AG. But as we know, most lines have realistically some traffic to different degrees. In such case, the player train have to plan more wisely its moves and will have to take in consideration the traffic patterns and also MSTS limitations in handling AI traffic. That is one of the main reasons to use the maps with their marker's orientation if he wants to select less complex switching and to be done in a quicker way than those requiring some runarounds or more complex moves.

So in the case of NB trains, I believe to understand, with Steve's explanations, that both sidings to the left are trailing point sidings for the NB trains while the other two sidings on the right are considered facing point sidings for the same NB trains.Am I right?

The same principle applies for the two sidings on the right with both markers oriented SB, being better serviced by SB trains and so on. With sidings that are accessible on both sides, Orientation of the markers is to consider if you wish to have some less complex switching. Of course that sould not be a concern to anyone who wants some complex switching and maps may not be needed for such a player.

About having both face point and trailing point sidings available to templates; It is a definite yes for me. There have been some rare exceptions like the NP line between Haugan and Rivulet on the MILW Rocky mountain Sub 4 Route. There were so little sidings to be serviced and so great distance to cover that I felt to have all possible sidings markers set to be trailing point to increase switching possibilities. But in general, it is good for the user to have all sidings, trailing and facing points on the same package to give the user the choice of less or more complex sidings. The provided maps I usually include will help the user who wish less complex switching like myself. With both types of tracks present ( facing point and trailing), the user can, by choice, select the degree of difficulty he wants to do work.He may decide to select personally the sidings with the maps or, for the more experienced switchers, let AG do the selection and in case not need the maps.

Yes, Norm, about the experience referred to it was about facing point sidings. And again, thanks Steve to have this cleared in my mind.

Well, back to work with the template package. Will update later of its progress

Denis,

I was pretty sure that you normally include both facing and trailing point tracks in your templates. I have enjoyed several activities generated by your templates, and I would have noticed if they did not include any facing point tracks. But I did not realize that you did not understand the terminology. Please forgive me.

Your templates are good, even without maps. So if maps are easy to provide, then go for it. If not, well, maybe someone else like schematic meister Craig Kawahara will do the map.