Through trains with work, Through trains with work Options

[SurvivorSean]

Hello All:

I've recently begun creating activities for traffic connecting to the GTA route by MLT. In doing so one of my first attempts is to run a train on the Niagara Corridor. Now I've created switching templates before for NC with no issues. This attempt however I've modified the Niagara Corridor template in the library to suit my needs.

Unlike switching activities, this is an activity for a through manifest train that happens to work at a couple of yards on it's way. The problem I'm having is AG wants to always dump all it's original consist on any of the yards that are worked. Now I want to be able to retain most of my original consist, while setting off and picking up a few along the way. I'm using 4.20 at the moment just in case there is an issue.

The other trick that I haven't come to yet is being able to have a train at the end of the Niagara Corridor route show up as another activity on the GTA route. Now I know I can assume what the train is supposed to look like and that is fine. The plan is if any further switching is required in the GTA that I'll modify the created activity and add in the cars manually to the consist enroute.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

Sean

[SurvivorSean]

Well the workaround seems to be working for now and that is to simply use an area it never reaches as a destination. Still I'm going to have to keep my switching of mainline trains in only 1 territory. I see know way to have this take place without a saving function, and that's still better than just having a train that runs from a to b over 2 territories.

I'll also be releasing betas of the GTA shortly as I start to run trains on the Halton Sub. I'm releasing them as Betas because I'm not going to do the entire GTA all in one shot. It's going to take some time, so for now a little at a time is all I can do but I'm on it.

One thing I will mention that has been mentioned here before is having the program saving data as it progresses. I know Steve mentioned that he didn't crack the save files, and like other things with MSTS that is understandable. I've tried cracking the activities files to do things the AE can't do with no success either.

There are a couple of good programs for Model Railroad operations that do a good job. They too assume that the work is done in order to progress to the next switch list. Of course adding the actual location and order of where stock is can be messy. But right now I'm creating the 1st of a 2 part activity across 2 territories. I already have to assume the train is going to be in a certain order. Cars that move a bit in industries is actually prototypical when you add in car movers, cranes, and trucks that shunt cars from where they're spotted to where they're actually needed.

I'm looking forward to MSTS-X too. But I know for 2009 I have a long wait. Having said that I'm going to do with the limitations of MSTS and Activity Generator to get the best out of the experience. Both programs are great, but if there is any ways to make it better I say go for it. I'll offer as much programming experience that I can within my limited time if needed.

Thanks

Sean

[sgdavis]

Hello All:

I've recently begun creating activities for traffic connecting to the GTA route by MLT. In doing so one of my first attempts is to run a train on the Niagara Corridor. Now I've created switching templates before for NC with no issues. This attempt however I've modified the Niagara Corridor template in the library to suit my needs.

Unlike switching activities, this is an activity for a through manifest train that happens to work at a couple of yards on it's way. The problem I'm having is AG wants to always dump all it's original consist on any of the yards that are worked. Now I want to be able to retain most of my original consist, while setting off and picking up a few along the way. I'm using 4.20 at the moment just in case there is an issue.

The other trick that I haven't come to yet is being able to have a train at the end of the Niagara Corridor route show up as another activity on the GTA route. Now I know I can assume what the train is supposed to look like and that is fine. The plan is if any further switching is required in the GTA that I'll modify the created activity and add in the cars manually to the consist enroute.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks

Sean

Sean,

You should be able to get exactly what you want by setting those yard tracks as "Industry" tracks and set the "number of pickups and setouts at industry tracks" to a lower number, like 3, 4 or 5. Then you'll never dump the whole train (and may pick some up). DO NOT USE ANY "Destination tracks". Now the activity will end after your last pickup, so be sure to schedule one at or near the very end of the route, preferably in a yard. Another idea is to use the "assemble train" ending and the activity won't end until you put your train in a certain order, which you can do whenever you'd like to end the activity (assuming of course you've made all your pickups and setouts correctly).

There is no way in MSTS to have a train end on one route and show up on another route though.

Thanks,

Steve

[SurvivorSean]

Yeah I used that assemble train option and that worked pretty well too. Because Aldershot is part of the GTA route as well I've been setting destinations of Aldershot and basically taking it out of the workorder. Not sure if you could tinker with the Excel file to create dummy tracks (sort of like staging areas in model railroads).

Never thought of changing them to industry tracks though. That should work quite well.

Now if I can only get the double reverse points to work the way I want them too.

Thanks for your help

Sean

p.s. I'm actually creating 2 activities, 1 for each route (GTA & Niagara Corridor). Of course having a work order that knows what is happening between 2 templates is not possible. The good part is Aldershot is represented on both routes and can reduce the need to only require 1 template for a 2 part activity.

Sean,

You should be able to get exactly what you want by setting those yard tracks as "Industry" tracks and set the "number of pickups and setouts at industry tracks" to a lower number, like 3, 4 or 5. Then you'll never dump the whole train (and may pick some up). DO NOT USE ANY "Destination tracks". Now the activity will end after your last pickup, so be sure to schedule one at or near the very end of the route, preferably in a yard. Another idea is to use the "assemble train" ending and the activity won't end until you put your train in a certain order, which you can do whenever you'd like to end the activity (assuming of course you've made all your pickups and setouts correctly).

There is no way in MSTS to have a train end on one route and show up on another route though.

Thanks,

Steve