Shunting 4 boxcars

Firstly my thanks to the team for your advice and support during this long ride. 

The premise of this Track Plan is that the loco has to move each of the four boxcars at least twice, shuffling them around in an interesting pattern until they are all back where they started.  We've learned some more stuff about TC and importantly some limitations.

Particular acknowledgement must go to John Dew who conjured the VC and Flagperson strategies.

The boxcars each have a decoder and naturally, a unique address.  There are two functions used on each decoder to open (ON) and close (OFF) the couplers at each end of the vehicles.

Therefore the five vehicles on the layout will each be recognised by the software.  This caused a challenge initially as the loco would not enter a Block where a boxcar was sitting.  There are two rules, viz:-  a Virtual Contact can be used to operate the Brake and Stop Markers - but only where the Schedule consists of at least THREE Blocks.

Where the Schedule is only TWO Blocks, it's necessary to use a Flagman and a Switch.  Even this strategy will fail if the Schedule only runs for a short time - up to 30 seconds, for example.  In this case (see Schedule 39), it was necessary to extend the Schedule to three Blocks to allow time for TC to process all of the commands.

For anyone planning shunting or similar programmes, the setups in this Track Plan may be helpful.

It's a monster routine Max and can run concurrently as well,do you fancy seeing how many times it goes before something goes wrong.

I had a few schedules running for hours until the PC went to sleep which wasn't conducive to good train operations, luckily it was left with a loco trying to push the station buffers aside.

Thanks, Pete.  All I need to do is put Schedule 1 in the End list of Schedule 45 and around it goes.  My laptop is set to never go to sleep, so theoretically it should run ad infinitum (or is that ad nauseum?).  

I've got the local Probus Club coming in a couple of weeks, so at least I have something interesting to show them.

The beauty of TC is that I can file that Track Plan in a folder and then start a new one on the same template.  I've still got a "play" area, but I can go back to this one when visitors come. 

Now I've it got done, I want to try adding in some extra sounds to it as well, like a PA message that someone's wanted on the telephone while the loco is in the shed, for example.

Thanks again for your interest and input.  :thumbs

Well done indeed Max…….very impressive:doublethumb

I guess the software isnt that bad after all:pedal

 

PS Not convinced we cant crack Schedule 39!

Thanks, John.  Unfortunately the simulator doesn't tell the same story as the layout.  Even the screen graphics here show it working when it isn't.  I've had to keep in mind that I'm pushing the TC to it's absolute limit with Schedule 39 as was.  The actual travel time of the loco was around 10 seconds and that is the limiting factor.

I've got the Block speed set at 10 km/h, but the loco never even gets to that speed if you take into consideration the momentum settings.

Where I'm using the Flagman/Switch combo going into Block 12, I can gain some headroom by pushing further into the Block which is about a metre long.  Blocks 1 and 5 are only 300 mm long.  Then we have to accept that a) the loco is starting halfway along the Block and b) stopping just into the other Block.  That gives a travel distance of about 200 mm plus the double slip.

I tried extending the time in several areas, viz:  The Start List, the End List and the Rules.  Please don't think that the delays, etc are the only ones I have tried.  That set up is for a VC and it works - it just means that I have had to use three Blocks.

I tried combinations of delays of up to 10 seconds.  It either wouldn't enter the Block, or it wouldn't stop because the Brake/Stop Markers couldn't activate.  TC just simply runs out of time.

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

I tried extending the time in several areas, viz:  The Start List, the End List and the Rules.  Please don't think that the delays, etc are the only ones I have tried.  That set up is for a VC and it works - it just means that I have had to use three Blocks.

I tried combinations of delays of up to 10 seconds.  It either wouldn't enter the Block, or it wouldn't stop because the Brake/Stop Markers couldn't activate.  TC just simply runs out of time.

But did you try my suggestion of a second delay AFTER the switch is turned on in the start of schedule operations?

Whatever,…… the completed project is still a splendid achievement and a tribute to your tenacity and determination :thumbs

Kind Regards

Welcome John, you are off the sea and I am on it crossing the channel on Brittany ferries and surfing the web. A long way away from good old Townsend Thoreson eh,

I am with you sched 39 ain't dead yet there has to be a way.

To be honest, after several days of long sessions, I couldn't swear on a stack of Bibles exactly what I did, John.  :shock:   I was aware that I needed to make some more time available and I would like to think that I would have tried it.

I have a few pressing projects backed up and I'm just happy that it will run through to the end for the time being.

I agree that it ought to be able to do it and I haven't given up.  I hope to get back to it when I catch up.  The really good thing about it, is that I can make a copy of the Track Plan and pull it apart and play with it, while still leaving the original intact for what seems like a stream of visits approaching.

There is also the mystifying refusal of the loco engine to switch off in Schedule 8 in the first run of the session.  Second and subsequent runs it works.  :shock:   Dave thinks it might be something to do with the Baud rate.

All good fun.

p.s.  Once the Schedule starts, the Start List is running.  What we need as I see it, to do is to get the loco to remain stationary while the Start List is running.  That's the nub of the problem as far as I can work it out.

The delay in the Rules holds the Schedule back.  I tried increasing that timer as well, but no luck.  If the loco finishes its run while the Start List is running, either the Markers don't turn on and it runs on, or it stops short of the End Block - depending on the combination of timer settings.

The graphics play independently of what's actually happening on the layout, so it looks like it's OK, when it's not.

I hope that helps explain it.  :oops:

A thought aided by some Spanish Rose at lunch…………..activate Switch 39 (and therefore flagman 39) at the conclusion of schedule 38 rather than the start of schedule 39

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

A thought aided by some Spanish Rose at lunch…………..activate Switch 39 (and therefore flagman 39) at the conclusion of schedule 38 rather than the start of schedule 39

:cheers    

 

I have to admit, I didn't think of that one, John.