Advice on an uncouple command to use that works consistently please?

Hi and Happy New Year.

One major issue I seem to have when creating sessions is getting an uncouple command that works consistently.

I've tried loads of these, decouple loco, uncouplez, split consist (at 0) and at some time or another all of these will fail to work for some unknown reason. Does anyone share this experience and is it a known fault?

I note that there is a built in decouple command, which is ticked in the command list but never seems to show in the available commands when I try to set up a session. It's a fundamental command that really needs to work effectively every time- or maybe it's just faulty on my installation- what do others think about this and in the meantime can anyone recommend a sure fire 100% cosistent uncouple command they have used extensively in TS12?

Thanks for any advice.

I use the decouple one, used in conjunction with the schedule library.
But I do find that every now and again it fails usually after running a session for 3-4 hours the red bug pops up muttering something.
Solution 1, using quick drive remove the command and replace or 2 quit session and re start ( I save in game after portals emit) thus losing nothing.

Are you using these uncouple comands with other commands?
I use the uncouple from# like this (stop Command,then uncouple from #10)this command stop the train(set the breaks)Uncouples from the 10th car from the engine. I use the command uncouplez to uncouple from the engine(s) if you use these you need to use the stop command first if not your cars may roll away.
These Command work good for me in or out of MP sessions.
Stop train=kuid:131986:1020>
Uncouple from #=kuid:66277:80005>
Uncouplez =built-in

I've always used uncouplez from with the number of the car (if one loco 0, 2 locos 1, steamer and tender 1 etc) along with the wait for command, never had it fail yet. Running forward without the wait command often results in a collision when it uncouples before coming to a complete stop, so the sequence is;

drive to trackmark 3
wait for 5 seconds (20 or 30 for more realism)
uncouplez from 0
drive via trackmark 4
etc.

I have done it without the wait command but only in reverse when I actually want the AI to kick the cars.

Hi tmz06003,

I agree with sniper297 except for one thing, that is, have a stop train command befor the wait command. I also find that some locos will not uncouple when their consist is coupled to the front of the loco, in that case I use the run around train command. I have not been able to find a reason for this, but some locos will uncouple from the front coupler and some will not.

Cheers,
Bill69

Thanks for the replies, that gives me a few different options to test.

"except for one thing, that is, have a stop train command befor the wait command"

Not necessary, drive or navigate TO instead of VIA trackmark automatically means stop, Wait For any number of seconds forces a full stop rather than a rolling stop.

sniper297 said:

"except for one thing, that is, have a stop train command befor the wait command"

Not necessary, drive or navigate TO instead of VIA trackmark automatically means stop, Wait For any number of seconds forces a full stop rather than a rolling stop.

Click to expand...

That's all ok on level ground or going up an incline but if you are coming down an incline with a heavy train it can over run the wait comand.

Bill69

Correct, so if it's a 2000 ton train and a 4% downgrade the wait command needs to be 20 seconds rather than 5 seconds to allow for momentum. Maybe 30 seconds or even a minute if it's 5000 tons and the track speed is 100mph. The point is drive TO, wait for X seconds, Uncouplez From (x) is all that's needed, an additional stop command is superfluous. TO instead of VIA implies a stop even if it's a momentary stop, wait for (x) seconds takes the "momentary" part out of the equation.

Bill69 said:

Hi tmz06003,

I agree with sniper297 except for one thing, that is, have a stop train command befor the wait command. I also find that some locos will not uncouple when their consist is coupled to the front of the loco, in that case I use the run around train command. I have not been able to find a reason for this, but some locos will uncouple from the front coupler and some will not.

Cheers,
Bill69

Click to expand...

I had that yesterday with a 20 wagon coal consist, change uncouple command from #1 to #21, worked fine

sniper297 said:

Correct, so if it's a 2000 ton train and a 4% downgrade the wait command needs to be 20 seconds rather than 5 seconds to allow for momentum. Maybe 30 seconds or even a minute if it's 5000 tons and the track speed is 100mph. The point is drive TO, wait for X seconds, Uncouplez From (x) is all that's needed, an additional stop command is superfluous. TO instead of VIA implies a stop even if it's a momentary stop, wait for (x) seconds takes the "momentary" part out of the equation.

Click to expand...

Well it's up to the users preference really. But I prefer to use the 'stop train' command before the 'wait xx' command. I think it gives a more realistic operation. In real life the train would stop then the yard person would take a minute or so to uncouple a wagon. Not that I suggest a minute wait, that's a bit too long.

Cheers,
Bill69

You have to get a train to come to a slow crawl, and then a finally coming to a stop, first ... using a series of decreasing speedboards (including a 5mph/5kph) lastly ... then the conductor gets out and sets a handbrake on the car, and does the uncouple lever, and the engine gives a heave/ho sometimes ... as the air hoses break apart, the conductor reboards the loco again. An uncouple maneuver, in real life is not just a simple single action, and in Trainz it should not be either ... sometimes an uncoupling takes several minutes, sometimes shorter time.

I use "Uncouple At Trackmark" but some say that it won't transfer to a separate session ... IDK ... I use it all the time on my hump yard.

As with coupling ... a loco is required to stop @ 20' short of a car ... the conductor gets out, and aligns the couplers, and opens the knuckle ... then gives the go ahead signal to the engineer, who slowly eases to the coupling, and gives a heave/ho on the couplers to see if the lock lifter has retracted and coupler lock dropped into place ( aka: the pin, not to be confused as the knuckle pin), then the conductor climbs between and hooks up the air hoses, lets in the air, and see's that the air brakes are released on the car ... then he climbs back aboard the loco, or rides the railcar ... a process that can take @ 5 minutes, or longer.