Hi everyone,
Just getting back into MSTS.

I just downloaded the latest Alemedia Belt Line V2 and have run into a problems with the provided template. When I run a switch list I get duplicate cars going to the same location (Same consist number listed twice) but only one actual car in the pick up consist. Also there are some of same car going to two different locations for set out. What is strange is I take the cut of cars and run them into the first location stop and then take them to the second location the cars register as being delivered to both?

Years ago I had this problem with some of the templates I designed and for the life of me I can't remember what the fix was can anyone help?

Would I be better off starting from scratch?

One other question why would the route author produce a stand alone consist file for each car used in the template he did this on the first version of the route which I had problems running until Norm saved the day and released his template. Is this soimething new to AG?

Thanks in advance,
Peter

Peter,

There was some discussion on the double setouts. There should have been an update for this in AG version 4.2.12. It only happened to when you unchecked the "Check here for sequential pickup/setouts" box. If it was checked, you did not get the dual setouts

http://skylinecomputing.com/forums/index.p...plicate+setouts

I haven't run ALB 2 yet, but was going to try some of my older activites and see what happens. Most of the track looks the same, so I thought Norm's template might be modified a bit to include the new track. I actually modified the template by adding few more paths which made all tracks available for switching in one activity if so desired.

To answer your question about dropping off at both sidings. Yes, it should work and trigger both events by setting out the car at both sidings. Once the event is triggered, it complete as far as the program is concerned. The only way it wouldn't work is if you set the event as reversible. AG does not set up the activity using that check box. In the AE, the events can be set up as reversible. As an example, if you have that checkbox selected for an event it will trigger when a set of cars is dropped off at a siding. If you remove them from the siding, the event is reset to it's state prior to dropping of the cars. I've never used the 'Reversible' parameter for setouts or pickups. I prefer 'Assemble Train at Location' for those sort of things. I do, however, use 'Reversible' for events such as the 'Reach Speed' event. If you have ever used them, they nomally are a one shot event. By checking the 'Reversible' box, they reset and continue to work until you deactivate them. I normally use them for restricted speed zones and turn them on and off using location events.

Jim

Jim,
Good to hear from you.

I may have not been clear as to the problem. What I was getting was a double consist at a pick up point going to the same location.

Example: the consist 123456-0 was listed twice then 123456-1 was listed twice but this error did not run thru the complete pick up only the top 3 consists were duplicated. In the sim only one of each car appeared.

The second set of pick ups on a different track had the same consist number listed twice and had two locations for all three cars (consists) example: 543210-0 deliver to dock2 543210-0 deliver to house track etc.

When I generated the switch list I did not toggle the multipal pick up or set up button. It was a normal switch list with all the default settings.

The switch list did run OK and had the usual completion when the last cars were set.

I ran a second switch list last night and did not get any errors.

As to the 20 some odd extra consists (single car consists) that tha author placed in the consist folder do you think he did it in error thinking each seed car had to be a actual consist in the folder for AG to operate correct as there isn't any AI traffic in this route? He does have the appropiate ENG consists for each path.

Thanks again,

Peter

PS: Jim forget what I asked there are bigger problems with this template, When I got home from work today I found there are strings of cars crossing over turn outs that I can't get to and when I try to open up the template and edit it it locks up (send don't send) So I think when I get the time I will start a clean new template from scratch but thats another day.

Thanks for the help.

Jim,

If you update the template for ABL2, how about sharing it here???

Norm,

It was the ABL version 1 template, not the version 2. As I making my changes, I found a couple of switches that didn't work at the ferry due to the tdb file being incorrect. After emailing William Oliver, I found out that he was working on version 2 and decided to wait and see what changes he made for the newest version. I can post them if anyone is interested. I added two paths that included every region for the paths. This enabled me to create activities with every siding being selectable. I haven't looked at V2 yet, but can in about a week or so to see what can be added.

Jim

Jim / Norm,
Finaly got the template to work. When I went to edit the template I forgot I had a new monitor on my PC and had the res cranked up so when I opened up msts editor it would crash. After setting the res down what I found was in the west yard the string (consists) of cars that should have been on track 3 were miss placed over on the track that connects to track 4, this is the scale track but the string of cars were so long is overlaped several switches. I moved the string back to track 3 and everyhing works.

I'm going to test the route this weekend and but it looks like William has a good template, I will contact him after I run some trains and send him the updated template file to post.

The new area for the Navy Base adds some great addtional switching and with his adjustments on the tile loading the route runs a lot faster.

Peter

Peter,

It's possible that straddling two nodes might cause some issues. I know straddling a couple of nodes has some issues with AI traffic. I have only one thought on the consists. Many are cofused on how loose consists work in an activity. Some think you have to have a consist in the Consist Folder in order for them to work in an activity. All loose consists are stored in the actual activity, not in the consist folder. I actually place the same car on all the sidings from a consist I named '#boxcar'. The # symbol forces it to the top of the list. Then I use a few yard sidings to place all the other cars I plan to use. It makes adding or deleting cars easier. One thing I didn't try yet was to see if the version one activities can be run in version 2. That would make template creation a bit easier. With a few edits, it would be a simple template to create from Norm's version 1 template. I noticed that a few sidings were renamed and, of course, the new track was added. Just add a few more paths to the originals. I should have time later this week to try that out.

Jim

Jim,
The template that was supplied with the route is working great with the correction of the string (consist) that should have been on track 3 in the west yard.
I may go in and move some start points and direction of the seed cars but that is a presonal taste.

Going in and changing Norm's V1 template could be problematic as the track data base was updated, I ran into problem with the steel mill on the Buffalo route when it went to Beta 2 even though the changes were out side of the area of the template all the track numbers changed so I had to make a new template.

I notified William about the problem with the template and hopefully he will issue a fix like he has done in the past.

Take care,
Peter

Per Norm's request, I put my updates in the zip file in this message. Nothing major, I just added a couple of paths and added them to the *.pro file. When creating activities, I wanted to be able to have all the sidings in the route available to me for switching. These paths are the result. The zip file contains paths for version 1 and version 2 of the Alameda Belt Line.

If there are any questions, just send me a PM.

Jim