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

Hi John, I do have two separate schedules, one out and one back. Dr Railroad told me the problem:-




Trouble is that I couldn't read!! Now if I had all those stop markers correctly in place, I would have quickly noticed the problem message. "Schedule 'Back to Weston' is defined as cycle or shuttle, but the repeat count is set to 1. This does not make sense.

Wondeful remark, but still. I actually had it set as a shuttle - must have been while I was experimenting with it. For some reason, when the repeat count is then set or left at just 1, it causes this problem of showing the Weston Home block still occupied even when the train has left it. I did have similar problems at Eastham when I was trying to add the Eastham uncouple as a successor instead of an operation.

Anyway, with this schedule changed to Normal as it should be, there is no problem.

One day, I will be able to try this for real - must get my junction pointwork laid next.

Video is great, John - now can I do that with Silver, I wonder??

I don't think I would have got past first base without the excellent tutorials.  I notice that it's possible to start with Bronze and upgrade as you progress.  There doesn't seem to be a simple explanation of the limits of each level on their website, so would that be a sensible way to go, once my layout is built?

Glad it worked out Geoff……..I havent seen one of those remarks before….normally they are very cryptic

Not sure about all those blocks without stop markers:hmm

[user=422]Geoff R[/user] wrote:

Video is great, John - now can I do that with Silver, I wonder??

I am feverishly writing an explanation…..but I keep getting interrupted:lol::lol:

I knew it was a mistake doing this at midday……you guys are all still awake:lol:

It's 6.30 a.m., here.

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

I don't think I would have got past first base without the excellent tutorials.  I notice that it's possible to start with Bronze and upgrade as you progress.  There doesn't seem to be a simple explanation of the limits of each level on their website, so would that be a sensible way to go, once my layout is built?

I am thinking NOT, Max. I have tried Bronze and it does little more than provide control of an oval or simple shuttle, it seems. I have been trying very hard to work with Silver now, but I keep running into problems, and I think this latest part of the tutorial to run a new loco into an already occupied & reserved block to pick up a train there, is going to be impossible.

The only way out for me at the moment might be to not go for full automation, but leave RR&Co, Silver, to handle routine schedules but when such schedules end up at terminii, I take over manually and prepare a new train for departure before the TC takes over again. Don't know if I can end up doing that to a timetable or not?

Gold is great, but those extra bucks are still bugging me. Now of course, if the Euro falls due to Euro zone countries going broke, it may not cost so much in non-Euro currencies:lol:

[user=422]Geoff R[/user] wrote:

Video is great, John - now can I do that with Silver, I wonder??

I have a nasty feeling it may be another blatant plug for Gold:roll:

I havent been able to get my head around the way "Trains" operate with Silver………there has to be a way that you could change locos in 5.8 (and therefore Silver).

I will have another look at the manual while watching the Olympics and see if I can come up with something

Thanks, John. Is there anything to watch, by the way? They keep announcing delays on the TV here because there appears to be a lack of white stuff. I reckon Oxfordshire would do well for the Winter Olympics in 2014:lol:

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

I don't think I would have got past first base without the excellent tutorials.  I notice that it's possible to start with Bronze and upgrade as you progress.  There doesn't seem to be a simple explanation of the limits of each level on their website, so would that be a sensible way to go, once my layout is built?

Thanks Max

There used to be summary of the differences on the RR&Co Forum……..and quite recently there was a link on RM Web (but they are down…..again!!!)

In short………..Bronze is very much entry level and I dont think I would consider it.

Herr Freiwald has suggested that, although it costs more in the long run, buying Silver mastering the learning curve and then upgrading to Gold has some advantages.

That is the route that Geoff is contemplating and he is perhaps better qualified than I to advise you.

I went straight for Gold because I knew from the get go I wanted to do engine run arounds and loco exchanges and it seemed (and is beginning to be confirmed) that Gold had some advantages.

If I recall you are planning a tramway……it may well work to do this in Silver its certainly worth giving it a try

With Geoff's help I am trying to update the tutorial to reflect the differences

Whatever the choice we will try and help:thumbs

Regards 

Thanks, Geoff and John.  I don't mind spending the extra money first up.  It will save some doing it that way.  I thought it might be worth the extra to build block by block, but it doesn't sound like it.

I take a long time to learn things - I have to know ALL about each step before I progress; but I detest doing 'buget builds.'  I'm never happy with them in the long run.  It looks like it's going to be Gold for me.

BTW, congrats to Canada on the 'limpics.  Great TV!

[user=422]Geoff R[/user] wrote:

Thanks, John. Is there anything to watch, by the way? They keep announcing delays on the TV here because there appears to be a lack of white stuff. I reckon Oxfordshire would do well for the Winter Olympics in 2014:lol:

Theres lots now……initially we had delays on the local mountains (about 20 minutes away) because of rain……fog at Whistler, the main ski area and would you believe the Zamboni (sp?) machine which polishes the ice started to cut ruts in for the speed skaters

It is very interesting to watch if you can tune out the chauvinistic commentary…..should we really get excited about beating the Slovakia Ladies team at Hockey? I am sorry for the organisers this is the warmest weather vancouver has had for over 100 years!

OK Men.  I'm in the simulator starting to lay out the track.  There deosn't seem to be a right hand curve.  I'm sure there is; just can't find it.   Tools, Tracks, Curve - only left hand ??  :oops:

Max, it doesn't really draw a curve, just fills a single cell with an angle join. If you right click that cell, you get a choice of deleting or rotating left or right. If you rotate a couple of times you will get a right hand angle instead of the default left hand one.

I find it easier to use the "pencil" icon. The track then just follows your mouse pointer like drawing a line in most graphic editors.

Hi John, read the latest tutorial with great interest. Had not found that virtual contact before, looks as if it could be very useful. In the same way as I found a not very elegant work around to the engine run round routine in Silver, I have also found a partial non elegant work around for the change in loco.

In the rules for the return from Eastham to Weston schedule I have set "release destination block". This has the affect of causing TC to release the arriving train at the end of the schedule, but still show the block occupied, which is of course what would happen in reality as the train would still be there, even though TC has erased its knowledge of it.

Now a new "loco" can be brought into that block provided the schedule for it has the "enter occupied blocks" rule applied. TC thinks it is the only thing in that block when it has arrived - still need to use the virtual contact to position it against the train that TC has forgotten about.

Now the Eastham train can depart using the original schedule, with the new loco. TC is quite happy with this. I would probably use a train icon if I was doing this in reality. I would know it was just a loco entering and picking up the rest of the train, but TC would think it was a new train.

Anyway, that much works fine, but we are still stuck with the original loco still in P1, P1 therefore in reality still showing occupied, but with TC having no idea what is sitting there. (Under simulation, P1 becomes unoccupied when the new train leaves, because it knows not different)

I am busy searching for a way of dynamically assigning a train to a block. If I can find one, then the schedule which sends the old loco to the spur could start by making that assigment. If that is not possible, then in reality, one would either have to drive that loco out manually, or probably the smarter thing to do would be to assign it back to P1 manually so that TC realised it was back again, and then run the return to spur schedule.

 

Thanks Geoff.  The double slip had me stumped for a bit as well.  Here goes . . .

Max

if you click on the pencil you can draw from point A to B in one line. if you draw from a end point at an angle or right angle it will join the track with a curve. also if you draw a line to a section of track it will add a point. i find this way a lot easier and quicker,

John

the problem you mention about getting the train into the right station is the same one i had with the scrap sidings. use the two on\off switches, 3 in this case. and set up the condition for the switches.

It looks OK.  The software seems to be blocking my attempts to take screen shot.  Is that right?

The diagram looks to be schematic, so each block doesn't need to be directly proportional to the size of the block on the layout.  Is that right?   

You should be able to take screen shots. Either with shift print screen or alt print screen providing the whole or just the active window respectively. I then resize them as required with adobe photoshop.

Yes you are correct, there is no need for the blocks to be the same size as those on the layout, everything is just symbolic. Actual dimensions are set up in various property fields later on, so that the software eventually does know the real physical size of everything, but the block diagram is just that, a block diagram.

 

OK Thanks, Geoff.  I'll try some alternatives.  Just watched Shaun White win gold in the halfpipe.  Next is the women's downhill.

I'll have another go tomorrow night.