Post any questions arising from "First Steps with RR&Co"

Thanks Pete

That was brilliant:Happy

You are welcome.

A couple of things, Pete.  It wasn't obvious at first to me,   :oops:  but the throttle (Train Window), can be enlarged to make it easier to read; and some functions won't work as Push Button - the coupler, for example.  I found I had to leave it as on/off and put in two markers to switch it on and off.

Thanks Guys

Should I amend it regarding the push button…………..I will put a note in about window size…..its really useful and not always obvious

 

Yes John amend away, when i was playing with pushbuttons in TC they have to to be turned on and off in lists (computer logic i guess, it won't know you have released button until you tell it), but the other night i noticed they behave as they should i.e. a momentary contact, when used manually with the mouse on the onscreeen throttle? press and hold and the functions stays on until released just like on a hardware throttle.

:hi

Wasn't sure where to post a general comment on RR&Co so please excuse me if this is the wrong spot.

Only being a member of YMR for just over a week I'm finding detailed solutions to the basics and not so basic  like an oasis in a desert ( where survival packs can only be understood if you can read German :roll:.)
Inspired by John I have just revisited automation using RR&C0 for the first time in over 12 months. John you will be pleased to hear that the fog lifted - thanks to your tutorial and I now have a simple schedule running.
The purpose of this post was to let you all know how invaluable these postings are and you have certainly wetted my appetite again - just reading the posts about controlling two locos in the same block and automating shunting operations has me wishing I didn't have a day job so I could spend more time developing my RR&Co skills.

My first task will be to study all the RR&Co forums and make sure that I have the self taught basics right.  As I have been using block detection for a number of years I'm reasonably confident -but I want to make sure that before I venture too far down the path of automation/ scheduling/ marcos etc I have everything set up correctly.

One immediate question concerns setting up the speed adjustments - can I confirm that the recommended way is to set up a track with three blocks so that you get consistent speeds across all locos?  - My layout, like many, does not have any section long enough with all having points/turnouts.
Oh and have any of you assigned a block to an area with a multitude of points and if so how did you attach a  block indicator?

[user=540]gdaysydney[/user] wrote:

One immediate question concerns setting up the speed adjustments - can I confirm that the recommended way is to set up a track with three blocks so that you get consistent speeds across all locos?  - My layout, like many, does not have any section long enough with all having points/turnouts.

Yes……..it is essential that you profile each loco so that TC can store the individual data for each loco. I am pretty convinced that points between the testing blocks will warp the results

I have three blocks that do the trick but as the layout develops they are becoming more difficult to accesss so I am planning to set up an 96" x 2" single line plank that will be my dedicated test base…….rather than waste three detectors on something that only gets used every 2 or 3 months (if that) I thought I would set up a temporary switch arrangement so I can just plug into three existing detectors when I want to  profile…………this may work for you?

Oh and have any of you assigned a block to an area with a multitude of points and if so how did you attach a  block indicator?

I havent…..most people dont…….although I think Geoff has. 

As Granby develops I am worrying about the possibility of trains getting "lost" on a big fan of points so I am thinking of inserting a miniscule block just to maintain contact

I have a seperate speed profiling track made up of 3 lengths of one yard track, my end to end layout does not have 3 consequtive blocks for profiling unfortunately.

On my second build i intend to put my profiling track along the top of retaining walls and disguise it as a roadway or something for the scenery. i will parallel of 3 block occupancy detectors to save on buying more hardware because you can't profile and run the layout at the sametime anyway. Just a workaround if you don't have room.

Regards

 

Pete

[user=450][/user]Following the advice from this forum I am in the process of adding another siding ( literally a bolt on ) for the purpose of having one uninterrupted length of track with three block detectors. ( Did I hear the sigh of "more track on that overcrowded layout" - It will be a hidden siding :roll:  !!)

My venture into the world of automatic running is well on the way - I have set up 32 schedules and I am now in the process of setting up the blocks so that the loco does not come to an abrupt standstill as soon as it enters a block - thanks to John's tutorials I appear to have got that sorted, although I have only set up speed profiling on one loco so far - and that was on the layout with turnouts so I will have to redo when I have connected the new siding.

When entering a block the loco slows down as per my block settings - but when I use the command "START REVERSE"  it seems to go straight  to the top speed allowed in the block rather than taking off slowly -  Is this due to the speed profiling ?  or do I need the to something to the block setup?

I have a heap more questions but as usual I'm getting ahead of myself and thinking about complex shunting operations when I still don't have the basics set up across the layout.

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

[user=540][/user]

Oh and have any of you assigned a block to an area with a multitude of points and if so how did you attach a  block indicator?

I havent…..most people dont…….although I think Geoff has. 

As Granby develops I am worrying about the possibility of trains getting "lost" on a big fan of points so I am thinking of inserting a miniscule block just to maintain contact

I currently have one block that is set up between two points - DR Railroad keeps telling me that it has to be connected to an object so I would be interested to hear how Geoff attached blocks to his turnouts

One other question for now -  I have a siding which is feed of a main line (block 60-06 my block diagram). When a loco enters form the left the preceding blocks have a speed limit of 25mph so the block set up appears to be fine - BUT - the other line has a speed limit of 50 and the if the loco is entering form that direction it doesn't  stop in time - how do I cater for this ??

Dave block 60-06 is a dead end siding with access from the right only? that aside you should be able to set brake and stop markers suitible for the block to stop trains in time.

Can you not use a virtual contact as a brake marker before a train actually enters the block to start the brake earlier just a thought not done it.

Pete

[user=540]gdaysydney[/user] wrote:

I currently have one block that is set up between two points - DR Railroad keeps telling me that it has to be connected to an object so I would be interested to hear how Geoff attached blocks to his turnouts

You have to "connect" each point either with another point or with a piece of track you then lay the block on top of the track. I dont think blocks on their own connect other elements.

If you want to detect occupancy on a fan of points you wouldnt need blocks you would just make certain that every power feed to the fan came via the contact indicator

[user=540]gdaysydney[/user] wrote:

When entering a block the loco slows down as per my block settings - but when I use the command "START REVERSE"  it seems to go straight  to the top speed allowed in the block rather than taking off slowly -  Is this due to the speed profiling ?  or do I need the to something to the block setup?

I assume this is starting a schedule?

In the block diagram (despatcher window) select the schedule…….right click on the block in the diagram and select schedule specific block/route settings…………..set the schedule max speed to a lower setting.

You can also do this for routes on specific schedules.

There are other ways you can control speeds within schedules but I think it would be better to get your profiling organised, until that is done you will get "unexpected" results……………..particularly in relation to braking and stopping distances

PS I dont know whether you have done this but generally every stop marker should have a specific brake marker (where sum of ramp and distance = stop mark distance)

Hope this helps

Kind Regards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to treat wagons or carriages that are drawing a current ?

When setting up schedule to run locos automatically is it possible to configure the program so that the computer can tell the difference between a loco that may be occupying a block and a wagon/carriage that has lights and is drawing a current - say in a siding and you want the loco to enter the block to couple-up to the wagon but not to enter the block if a loco is sitting there ?

That's a good question, Dave.  :thumbs  I've got a caboose with lights that shows up as a pink block.  I want to include it in the shunting puzzle, but your query has made me think.  I have no idea.  :oops:

Maybe John or Pete will come up with a cunning solution . . . .      :pedal

[user=540]gdaysydney[/user] wrote:

How to treat wagons or carriages that are drawing a current ?

When setting up schedule to run locos automatically is it possible to configure the program so that the computer can tell the difference between a loco that may be occupying a block and a wagon/carriage that has lights and is drawing a current - say in a siding and you want the loco to enter the block to couple-up to the wagon but not to enter the block if a loco is sitting there ?

You are sure having fun Dave:thumbs

If the loco is assigned to the block (which it should be) the schedule will not be able to run another loco in without taking special steps…….see the very end of the tutorial

I suspect that if the wagon/carriage isnt set up as trainset and isnt assigned to the destination block then TC will allow the loco to enter and it will then physically couple but it will not be recognised by TC……….nothing wrong with that……I do it all the time

Have you tried it yet?

However you have raised an interesting point……if you have power drawing carriages set up as a train set and assigned to a block a loco will be able to enter the block but will TC recognise the loco without a second contact indicator (or a virtual indicator in the preceding block)……………I will have to check because I was going to put resistors on the carriages of my longer trains as a safety precaution

Hope this hasnt confused you

 

In schedule the dialogue box on the rules tab you can set that trains enter an occupied for joining, but this does not discriminate between a loco and a coach that draws current.

I guess when you write the schedule you will be specifically sending the loco into the occupied block? so i cannot see an issue.

For TC to identify it as a coach you would have to have a decoder in it just like what Max will be doing with his cabooses.

Dave i am without a layout at the moment other wise i would look at further options but in summary TC can only discriminate by decoder addresses, unless something can be done with train tracking. Have you set up the coaches in TC?

Thanks guys,
I have progressed from the speed profiling track to the rest of the layout and have successfully   manged to run a few schedules back to back -  my question was just preempting things -  but I do have a number of carriages with lights and guards wagons that I have fitted LEDs in the form of lamps and I will attempting to run locos up to couple up to them and also uncouple from them - the former giving me the thought.

With another day of the long weekend to go and the weather forecast still predicting showers I will experiment further with setting up coaches now that I'm slowly getting to grips with the software.   I haven't tried any shunting as yet - setting up the schedules and blocks plus fitting Kadees to my locos will be a few days work and from Max's comments may be a bit of a disappointment  - 

Another task I can see looming is to tie all the schedules together into a timetable of some sort any clues as to how to tackle that task?. 

Anyway I'm still having fun - better than being under the layout wiring up my Loconet - that task is on hold for the moment.

I have created my first "car"  and have worked out how to manually ( i.e. by  click of the mouse) get the car to join a train - it took me a bit longer to work out how to release but again all with the click of a mouse.

I'm having less success when it comes to automation - I have discovered that I can change the properties in the schedule , under train sets by ticking  the box "enter reservations for joining"   that's the good newsexclam:

How do I get a schedule that will uncouple quest: ( not that I have the physical uncoupling mastered as yet)
I have found a command in "section options" that will trigger a release but the "car" ends up in the next block :roll:
I have "playing" now for about four hours trying to work it out but I've slowly gone brain dead  and its getting on to midnight !!

Can I leave it to the experts to again help me out?
:hmm