Hello to all,
While working on the Ozark Northern Template, I have decided to re-load the A&O Sub route and started using it but found that the available template package was done a while ago for AG3, not for AG4. Since Steve has done it a while ago the package, I have asked Steve his permission to have a template set up for AG4 and I thank him for allowing me to proceed ahead with a new template.
The templates are finished and are being tested. About 70 serviceable sidings. Three templates will be available; WB, EB and YARDS templates. AI traffic will be present and will model the one done for the Ozark Northern Route, with the expected passing time of oncoming trains at meeting points. It will be to the player to determine the proper location to meet the oncoming AI.
There is one difference to the previous template when meeting trains. The player train in the A&O Sub will take the siding and the AI will keep staying on the mainline. I had some traffic issues with the timing of some AI trains . For example, one expected meet at Junction was expected at 10h09 while checking the AE. On the real thing, once it came 20 minutes late while on one other occasion the train was there one hour earlier, colliding with it at Walden, half an hour even before reaching Junction. I believe it may have to do with track nodes during the time the AI were taking the siding. Crossing some nodes seemed to be like giving one of the trains "super turbo charged engines" to leap greatly in speed and not hold the timing in the map.
I have decided to have all AI trains stay on the mainline and it seem to work in timing so far in my early testing.The YARDS template will allow some work inside some areas, Urbanette, Berryville, Eureka Springs and even in Seligman, which has only 4 sidings. One activity inside the Seligman area took me about 50 minutes.
The Eureka Springs and Berryville locations will allow you to have some of the cars delivered respectively at the Junction and Freeman sidings and left there to be coupled with some passing mainline trains. On the other way, at both locations, the T6 ( the player train for the YARDS Template) will be able to recover some cars left over by some passing mainline trains to be carried inside the working area.
Take note that in both locations, two regions have been set in regards to the marker’s orientation to help pickup work. In Eureka Springs for example, you are suggested to take cars from the Eureka Springs-UP region and bring them to the Junction siding to be left there. For the pickup of cars at Junction, you are suggested to set your cars at the Eureka Springs-DOWN region. The same principle applies for the Berryville location (OUT and IN regions). Even in the YARDS Template, you will have to take note of some passing trains at some key locations such as in Freeman and Junction.
In the meantime, here are some shots of some acts already generated by AG
Will update later