I have been making a few activities using Activity Generator for my own use. Have been doing pretty well. I have printed the manual and have studied it. There is one thing I cannot figure out. I like switching and do not really care to Travel great distances.

I am trying to make act's that start in a city and have the pu and so in the same area. I do not mind traveling a short distance. I just made a 3 page act that all pu and so are in Zanesville and Zan Sub. It did great. It has 22 so and pu. Problem is it starts in Marietta interchange yard. A long way from Zan.

I made another for McConelsville area. The starting place is Byesville.

Where am I going wrong? As I remember in the Source Tracks, I checked Zans. and Zan sub. What do I check to Start somewhere in Zans and do the work in Zans and Zan Sub? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Bert

Bert,
I can't speak for the route you are using, but if you want local switching and not long runs you may want to try the Newark & Jersey City Railroading route Version 1.5 by Teemu Saukkonen which is a free down load from train-sim.com. There are many templates for this route and most of them have short runs that are designed to start in a yard and switch the local areas. Some of the templates with 25 cars can take over 3hrs to complete. The down side is you have to down load extra car and loco files but the upside none of the locos or cars are pay-ware all can be found on the internet. As to your current problem unless the template designer has set up a path with a start point that is in the area you want to work you will have to travel to get there.

Have fun
Peter

Thanks Peter,

I should have mentioned the route I am using. It is Ohio Rail, one of about 6 routes that the OVS (Ohio Valley System) groupe uses.

I am new at using the Activity Generator. I would think you would be able to name the starting location with any route, as long as it was listed. I think I just do not know how to do it.

I just made another act that the starting location was not to far from where you do the pu and so. It sure is a great tool. I think this act will take 2 hours or more.

I think my big problem is my age. (83) I sure like the switching acts. Only problem is I am getting a bald spot from scratching my head. Thanks

Bert

Thanks Peter,

I should have mentioned the route I am using. It is Ohio Rail, one of about 6 routes that the OVS (Ohio Valley System) groupe uses.

I am new at using the Activity Generator. I would think you would be able to name the starting location with any route, as long as it was listed. I think I just do not know how to do it.

I just made another act that the starting location was not to far from where you do the pu and so. It sure is a great tool. I think this act will take 2 hours or more.

I think my big problem is my age. (83) I sure like the switching acts. Only problem is I am getting a bald spot from scratching my head. Thanks

Bert

Hi Bert,

I is encouraging to find out that people of any age can enjoy AG. I also share your concern and like Peter, as template designers, we believe also short paths are part of any template. His route is ideal for short acts and has lots of switching in short distances. Among the templates that are built, I try to add shorter paths for those who want short activities. Myself enjoy short acts in AG. I don't want them too long. So if there is a long path among any route during path making, I always try to have one or a few which start whether at the middle or close to the end of the route for those like you, Bert (and me)

Glad to have this topic mentioned and will keep working making shorter template paths with those like you in mind.

Cheers

Denis

Thanks Denis,

I know there is all types of people who enjoy this train stuff. Personally, I like to start in the same town as the work is, do a lot of switching, then maybe run to a couple other close cities to do moor switching.. I am not a over the road engineer, or Passenger train buff. Thanks

Bert

Hey Bert!

I'm not sure you ever got an answer to your question.

Typically, the path name begins with the name of the city where the path starts out. So, for example, the "Marietta NB" path (that you were most likely using for your Zanesville activity) begins in Marietta and goes NorthBound.

If you wanted to do switching in Zanesville, you could choose a path that begins with "Zanesville" (like "Zanesville NB" or "Zanesville Sub"), then choose Zanesville tracks in the Source Tracks and Work Tracks sections of the AG screen.

I've found that the quickest way to do this is to first check the appropriate box in the Work Tracks section ("Zanesville", in this example), which will check all of the yard and industry tracks in that Region. Then go up in Source Tracks section, click on the "+" symbol to expand the Zanesville list, and check some Yard tracks to use as the source of your work (Checking Yard track boxes here will automatically uncheck the same boxes in the Work Tracks section).

You'll then have cars to pick up on the Yard tracks that you selected in the Source Tracks section, and pickups and deliveries to make on the tracks that you selected in the Work Tracks section -- and they'll all be in the Zanesville area, where the path begins.

Good luck!

Thanks Ralph

I will give that a try. Thanks

Bert

Bert,

I have a template coming for a freeware route that has loads of switching but the total route length is only 10 miles. I think that it is just what you are looking for. And there is another template in the works for another route only 35 miles long.

Thanks Norman. I will be watching for them. Thanks

Bert

I think maybe it is something simple. I think you are confusing the "Source Tracks" box, which controls where the cars you will set out come from, with the "Select Route/Path" drop down, which controls where you start.

So if you want to work only in Zanesville and don't want to drive to get there, then call for work only in Zanesville (which it sounds like you did) but also pick a path that starts in Zanesville. In Activity Generator you get to decide where you will start, AND where you will work. Like with "Explore a Route", when you pick the path, that's what determines where you start.

Does that make sense? It will work for any template, except, with AG4 templates you will need to check a box to allow pickups from yard tracks to be set out in the same region where you started, if that's what you want to do. AG3 and earlier templates don't have a check box like that.

Thanks,

Steve

Steve,

Yes I am sure it is something simple. Some times a person reads something and is sure he is doing it that way, when he really is doing something else. I made a copy of your message and the next time I try I will follow instructions. I am in the middle of something else now. Thanks a lot.

Bert