Although I have had both AM and AG for some time I have only recently tried using them. Unfortunately, I have encountered nothing but problems. Some are certainly part of my learning curve, but others seem to be bugs. Rather than dump everything into one unnecessarily complicated post I will try and address one issue at a time. I am working with the following configuration:

Activity Generator: v3.0.1 basic installation - v4.2.11 update
Template: London and Port Stanley AG4 template dated 1-16-2008 (downloaded from Skyline and otherwise unedited)
Route: London and Port Stanley v2.12 mini route - standard installation and included rolling stock
MSTS: MSTSBin v1.8.052113

When I generate an activity with AG using the LPS-AG4 template everything seems to function normally. A new activity and switch list is generated and the generated activity can be run. However, AG seems to completely ignore the CARTYPEWANTED and CARTYPESHIPPED columns and treat every industry as if the car types were set to "A". I have not edited the template and it appears to be correctly formatted.

Any suggestions?

Let me ask if you are setting all the tracks to source or destination? AG ignores CAR TYPE WANTED and CAR TYPE SHIPPED for any track that is selected as a source, or as a destination. Instead, you should select only one or two tracks, perhaps, as source tracks, and only if you do not start with enough cars in the train. Further, you should select only enough destination tracks at the end point to accommodate the train length. All other tracks which you want to work should be selected to be worked, and only to be worked.

Norman,

I wanted to thank you for your reply before I get totally lost. You are of course correct, and I was selecting entire regions as a source. The fact that AG will ignore the CAR TYPES for any track selected as a source is alluded to in the manual but that was not completely clear (at least not to me). This is part of my learning curve. I know I will have more questions, but for now I am still "experimenting".

Ask away -- don't hesitate. Please do not allow yourself to become frustrated. We have a number of people here who can, and will, help.

Thanks Norm for your answer. Be sure and check some "Industry" tracks, those will respect the CARTYPEWANTED etc. The thinking is, "Source" tracks are yard tracks from which any type of car might come. Just like in a real RR yard, there aren't certain tracks just for boxcars and others for hopper cars. Any type of car can be anywhere. Typically cars in yards are sorted by destination, AG generally simulates (depending on your settings). Likewise, "Destination" tracks are tracks where whole trains terminate, typically a yard, interchange point or crew change point at the end of the run. It is where all of the cars that were picked up when the train originated (at the source tracks if any and in the original train as well as those picked up at industry tracks along the way) end up.

Industry tracks on the other hand represent tracsk at actual industries that need certain types of cars and ship out certain types of cars. Those of course DO respect the car type wanted and car type shipped settings.

My advice is to check one or more source tracks, typically in a yard, at the beginning of a run, OR start with cars already in your train. Then select whole regions of industry tracks, or individual industry tracks depending on how much switching you want to do, and finally if you wish to end the activity at a given end point, one or more destination tracks (which are optional -- if you don't select any destination tracks, the activity will simply end after the last pickup or setout at an industry track is completed).

I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Steve