If you have not checked the templates section of this web site recently, you will now find the Pokey 2 template, which is completely redesigned for AG3.  I had mentioned several weeks ago, prior to this site being hacked, that an update was in the works and we would need help testing.  Well, Steve and I decided to post Pokey 2 as a beta.  Have at it!  Please let us know what you find that doesn't work, and please let us know of anything that you think is missing.  Have fun, but remember that this is a beta version!!!

Well, I've found one interesting issue in the new Pokey.  I suspect that this was also an issue with the previous template and I just never found it. 

Heading up the Dry Fork branch from Auville, I met an AI train at Lester Siding, MP 13.5.  The lead AI loco was past his red signal, holding the main, but my train had just enough room to enter the siding.  Unfortunately, the AI train started moving before I was completely into the siding, and nailed my caboose.  I was running at restricted speed, of course.  I may try it again at a high speed to see if I can get in before the AI train can move.  Visions of the Fast Mail vs. No. 19 in "Emperor of the North"!!!  If increased speed can't get me in, then I don't know of a workaround for this other than to wait at Auville for this train.

I think that this is an issue with the route, not the template.

After many hours of testing, though no where near enough to bring the new template out of beta, I have major revisions to the paths.  Mainly I have rationalized the paths into more logical groups, eliminating some which made no sense, and adding others which were obviously missing.  Further, many of the paths were extended into "turns" where it made sense.  The user can operate these paths one way if desired, or as a turn. 

Also, the "other side of the track" has been added to the mainline.  These tracks will appear in the tracks list when generating an activity, but will be marked with *** to remind the user that the path does not go there.  This will help provide the eye candy needed to make good visual scenes as the train proceeds along the main.  But it will require discipline by the user, because, truly, the path does not go there, and if those tracks are selected for work, the user may have unexpected results.

As an aside, for those who are familiar with the old template but who have not looked at this one yet, the old template was divided into many parts in order to accommodate all the branches and in order to allow for the MSTS limit on pick up actions (Steve has since showed me how to work around this limit).  This beta version has only EB and WB, including all the branches and pick ups.

I expect to pass this updated beta template to Steve later today.  But I do not know when he might post it to the web site.

The revision previously mentioned is now available in the templates section of this web site.  Please let us know your results, so we can improve it for everyone!

Hi,

I'm a bit confused. There are two Pokey templates available - which is which?

 

N

Hmmm . . . hadn't seen that before -- the web site has changed in the templates portion.  I'll get with Steve.

nbeveridge2007-2-27 12:21:6

This was my error.  There is now only ONE template, and it is the very latest from Norm.  It can be installed by a simple unzip procedure.

Thanks for pointing this out.

Happy Railroading,

Steve

Well, Steve is taking the blame, but I may have sent him a bad .zip file to begin with.  At any rate, this error helped point out that any old template files need to be purged before the new template is installed.  Hence the installation note with the template and on the template download page.

My apologies to all for the inconvenience.

Pete Mulvey has redesigned the Pokey template for AG4, loosely based on the AG3 template. I have tested it extensively (okay, well, I like this route, so I played it a lot and called it testing). I think that you will like it. We have passed it to Steve to be posted to the templates page. Look for it soon.

This has now been posted to our templates page. Get it directly at http://www.skylinecomputing.com/downloads/Pokey4Template.zip

Thanks Norm and Pete!