I have just spent a few days working (well playing) on my pick up goods shunt……13 schedules and counting……..but it now works as one semi smooth sequence

Some lessons learned…………I am probably stating the obvoius

Brake Markers are not automatically linked to Stop Markers

I had assumed that if I set a stop marker of  36"   and then a brake marker with a distance of 24" and a ramp of 12" the brake marker was linked….if there is only one stop marker and there are no conditions attached  this is the case…….ie 24" after entering the block the loco will decelerate to threshold speed over 12" and stop……ie 36" after entering the block 

If I subsequently set a stop marker of 60" I would then set a matching (as I thought) brake marker of say 48" distance and ramp 12"

To prevent a train activating the first stop marker I either insert a condition (typically NOT this schedule) or I specify stop markers only react to specific schedules………….as I replied to Brian I find the latter the most effective

Having prevented the first stop marker from being activated I assumed that the "linked" brake marker was also de activated……not so………….the train would travel for 24" at normal speed………..decelerate to threshold speed over 12" and then crawl at threshold speed for a further 24" :twisted: . It took me forever to pick this up because there were 4 stop markers in the block   

This may be old news…..I notice Brian had conditions on his brake markers……but for me it was a revelation…..put in a linking condition and all is well!!!

I will correct the tutorial:oops::oops::oops:

Incidentally thank you Max for the tip about enlarging the block editor window…….helped enormously

Comments

I have three distinct routines on the go…… Autotrain, B Set and Pick up Goods…….they are all different. I write detailed comments to remind me why things are happening. It seems obvious at the time why there is a stop mark in a particular place less obvious 2 months later when you are working on a different routine.

Amend the rules to assist Testing a New Schedule

This is also probably very obvious…………. but for me has proved to be a huge timesaver

Once you have got the schedule to start and have ensured that the speed is appropriate through the intermediate blocks, in my experience, you spend most of your time ensuring that the the train stops correctly in the destination block and carries out any end of schedule operations correctly

To re test I would either run the schedule in reverse or using the throttle reverse the train back to the start block……ok if it is a 2 block schedule………..very time consuming if there are 5 blocks

I now amend the rules so that the train does not have to be in the start block for the schedule to start. Now all I have to do is reverse the train back one block and having made whatever adjustments are needed….restart the schedule……simples

Its a sensible precaution to reinstate the rule once the schedule is signed off.

 

When shunting you are going to finish up with quite a number of stop markers in certain blocks so that trains of differeng lengths can be positioned over uncoupling ramps.

I have had 2 or 3 goes at this routine and initially used conditions

 

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

To re test I would either run the schedule in reverse or using the throttle reverse the train back to the start block……ok if it is a 2 block schedule………..very time consuming if there are 5 blocks

I now amend the rules so that the train does not have to be in the start block for the schedule to start. Now all I have to do is reverse the train back one block and having made whatever adjustments are needed….restart the schedule……simples

Its a sensible precaution to reinstate the rule once the schedule is signed off.

 

 

Cheers for the update John, re above does the engine have a enough track to get upto block speed in the "new start block"? because i have noticed if i change the block speed in a block prior to a stopping block it has an effect on the stop point? i.e. increase block speed it goes past stop marker and visa versa. So i now i ensure i am happy with all block speeds brfore i go firm on my B&S markers.

Pete

Hi Pete

Good point………….I should have made it clear I was testing a shunting sequence with all the blocks max speed of 6mph! 

Where I have a long schedule I move the train back so there is one intermediate block

However if you have brake markers set up with a reasonable ramp the speed shouldnt really affect the stop point…………what speed variation are you talking about?

Kind Regards

 

The speed difference is only very small 10 or 20 kph but it does appear to have an effect on my B&S markers i think due to the momentum of the train i guess, i use long braking sections as well? the variances are only slight.

Pete

john you wrote

I now amend the rules so that the train does not have to be in the start block for the schedule to start. Now all I have to do is reverse the train back one block and having made whatever adjustments are needed….restart the schedule……simples

i can see how this can save loads of time so thanks for this.

Have spent a few hours setting up a few schedules off line and have hit my first anomaly.

Following the same process that John had explained and having successfully implemented schedule 60-06 to 60-14   I tried to manually set up 60-13 to 40-02 which does run through multiple points. No luck - RR&Co seemed to be incapable of finding the route.  Photo below.( You can see how many attempts I made by the schedule number) You can see that the ends of the Start /dest have grey backgrounds compared to the successful attempt in the second picture.


So I eventually tried Auto train and it worked :eek: so I saved it down


Any thoughts ??   Whilst I appear to have found a solution it does leave me scratching my head.

You have been  busy Dave……..excellent progress:thumbs

I will try and answer each post in turn

When setting up a schedule manually, particularly one with points, you must select the route by clicking on it in just the same way that you did when selecting the two blocks.

Delete the autotrain created route (you can always recreate it if I am wrong) and try again this time making a point of selecting the route………….when you have finished do a basic check and click the the "Show Main Block Diagram" and only your new schedule should be on the screen….and each block should be connected by a route