ConBuilder and Cars in a Template Options

[AT RR]

Steve,
Over the past weekend I have been using Norman's new template for the Springfield Terminal.

In the template there is only one seed car for a tank car (T) and a gondola (G) but many hoppers and box cars. I wanted to get a greater mix of types of tank cars as there are about 6 industries that use them I used Conbuilder and opened up the loose consist editor and changed some of the extra box cars into new tank cars.

When I generated a new activity the tank cars I added showed up as box cars (BX) and not at the industries that required tank cars. I then went into AM and checked the type setting of all the cars and they were all correctly marked for the car type.

I was thinking and went back to ConBuilder and changed the car back to a Box car, I then took the only tank car and changed it's location to another consist and placed a box car in its old place.

I ran some more activities tests and the Box car (that was in the old tank location) consistanly showed up marked as a tank (T) at all the locations that were marked to recieve or send tank cars. The moved tank car then showed up at locations that required Box (BX) cars.

It looks like ConBuilder will change the seed type car but not "flag" that tells the ACT that the car type has been changed.

What I see is that if we use ConBuilder to adjust / change cars in activity we will have to swap like cars with like cars, a (BX) for a (BX) and a (T) for a (T). As an activity designer we will have to have more than a single car, car type (it could be 4 copies of the same tank car) in our seed cars to effectively use ConBuilder to adjust the look and feel of the activity.

I have seen this in some of the templates that I have done in the past and did not put 2 and 2 together.

I'm I missing something?

Thanks,
Peter

[nbeveridge]

Steve,
Over the past weekend I have been using Norman's new template for the Springfield Terminal.

In the template there is only one seed car for a tank car (T) and a gondola (G) but many hoppers and box cars. I wanted to get a greater mix of types of tank cars as there are about 6 industries that use them I used Conbuilder and opened up the loose consist editor and changed some of the extra box cars into new tank cars.

When I generated a new activity the tank cars I added showed up as box cars (BX) and not at the industries that required tank cars. I then went into AM and checked the type setting of all the cars and they were all correctly marked for the car type.

I was thinking and went back to ConBuilder and changed the car back to a Box car, I then took the only tank car and changed it's location to another consist and placed a box car in its old place.

I ran some more activities tests and the Box car (that was in the old tank location) consistanly showed up marked as a tank (T) at all the locations that were marked to recieve or send tank cars. The moved tank car then showed up at locations that required Box (BX) cars.

It looks like ConBuilder will change the seed type car but not "flag" that tells the ACT that the car type has been changed.

What I see is that if we use ConBuilder to adjust / change cars in activity we will have to swap like cars with like cars, a (BX) for a (BX) and a (T) for a (T). As an activity designer we will have to have more than a single car, car type (it could be 4 copies of the same tank car) in our seed cars to effectively use ConBuilder to adjust the look and feel of the activity.

I have seen this in some of the templates that I have done in the past and did not put 2 and 2 together.

I'm I missing something?

Thanks,
Peter

The safest way to modify the activity is to generate an activity and then change out stock with AM. If you want a permanent change so that AM is not needed, then you will need to modify the template activity file and regenerate the SWLACT.

[AT RR]

The safest way to modify the activity is to generate an activity and then change out stock with AM. If you want a permanent change so that AM is not needed, then you will need to modify the template activity file and regenerate the SWLACT.

Norman,
Thanks for the feed back, I had a feeling this would be the way to go. I just did not want to go back into the SWLACT and re-set the discriptions of the cars that did not mark correctly. What I think I will do is open up MSTS and edit the activity and add both tank cars that I wanted to one of the tank car sidings and then re-crunch the SWLACT.
I liked the car selection you used on the template but wanted to add a 2 matching tank cars that match the indusrty names and tried to do it the quick way.
I down loaded a photo of a ST 44tonner and if I get the time I may re-skin one to match.

Peter

[nbeveridge]

Norman,
Thanks for the feed back, I had a feeling this would be the way to go. I just did not want to go back into the SWLACT and re-set the discriptions of the cars that did not mark correctly. What I think I will do is open up MSTS and edit the activity and add both tank cars that I wanted to one of the tank car sidings and then re-crunch the SWLACT.
I liked the car selection you used on the template but wanted to add a 2 matching tank cars that match the indusrty names and tried to do it the quick way.
I down loaded a photo of a ST 44tonner and if I get the time I may re-skin one to match.

Peter

Peter,

Let me tell you a quick way to do this. Copy the SWLACT files, then paste them to the ACTIVITIES folder. They will be named "copy of SWLACTxyz". Now generate the new SWLACT files, which will overwrite the originals, but not the copies. Open both the new file and the corresponding copy. Go into the new SWLACT and find the new cars. Copy them into the "copy of SWLACTxyz". Next update the information (car type) of the new cars. Now, delete the SWLACT file (not the copy). Once deleted, you can rename the "copy of SWLACTxyz" to "SWLACTxyz". This saves all the work of the original file. If you deleted any car(s) in order to place the new cars, be sure to delete the car(s) from the SWLACTxyz.

[AT RR]

Peter,

Let me tell you a quick way to do this. Copy the SWLACT files, then paste them to the ACTIVITIES folder. They will be named "copy of SWLACTxyz". Now generate the new SWLACT files, which will overwrite the originals, but not the copies. Open both the new file and the corresponding copy. Go into the new SWLACT and find the new cars. Copy them into the "copy of SWLACTxyz". Next update the information (car type) of the new cars. Now, delete the SWLACT file (not the copy). Once deleted, you can rename the "copy of SWLACTxyz" to "SWLACTxyz". This saves all the work of the original file. If you deleted any car(s) in order to place the new cars, be sure to delete the car(s) from the SWLACTxyz.

Norman,
Thanks for the tip I will try it the next time I run into this problem or when I make new templates and then find I have to make some updates. I did not see your posting until this AM, last night I added addtional seed cars into the two acts and then re-crunched the SWLACTs. The resetting of the car types in the SWLACT was only minor as they are not large routes with 100s+++ of cars.
I'm back in business and both acts are running great.

Peter