Adjusting Engine Config

dricketts

Trainz Luvr since 2004
I'm using some steamers that routinely overshoot an industry or passenger platform when using AI. I understand steamers did not have the braking power of more modern locos but what lines can I change in the engine dependency config to help these steamers hit their mark? All this being said I would still like to keep their braking behavior as prototypical as possible.

Thanks.
 
Hi

Do the steamers pre-date TS2009? The physics were changed from TS2009 onwards so earlier locos needed the engine spec altered by increasing the max-accel and max-decel figures by approximately 4.5 times. This is just a starting point and any loco can be fine tuned to get the performance you require for the AI by adjusting those two figures. Unfortunately it is just trial and error getting things set up as you want them.

Regards

Brian
 
Alternatively you could consider putting a (slow) speed sign near the station so the train is at a slower speed when needing to break. This will make them overshoot a bit less.
This could even be considered "sort of prototypical" as lots of stations require trains that do not stop at the station to at least lower their speed when passing to avoid accidents.
 
Do the steamers pre-date TS2009?
Brian

I'm not sure. They are Ben Neal's locos using <kuid2:69871:2132:1> engine spec by philskene. I adjusted the max decel to 13,000 and they are still overshooting their mark. Is the max-decel line in the config the only variable that effects braking or are there other lines in the engine spec that can be played with?
 
Any ideas here guys? I now have max decel set to 65,000 and they are still overshooting the mark. What am I missing?
 
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It could also be that the trigger radius for the platforms are too big or too close to the very edge as AI brakes once it hits that trigger.

Cheers.
 
I thought about that too. It seems the locos don't start to decelerate until they are really close to the platform. What line am I looking for in the platform config to adjust the trigger radius?
 
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It depends on how the creator built it and the triggers are controlled in the script, the config only tells the script the name of the triggers while the script controls how to perform a load and unload along with AI detecting triggers.

Cheers.
 
Here's a portion of the config and script. Any ideas on what to change?

config:

attached-trigger
{
trigger_track_0_start
{
att "a.trigger05"
radius 3
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_fill1
{
att "a.trigger04"
radius 5
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_center
{
att "a.trigger03"
radius 2
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_fill2
{
att "a.trigger02"
radius 5
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_end
{
att "a.trigger01"
radius 3
track "track_0"
}
}


script:

bool TriggerSupportsMassStoppedLoad(Vehicle vehicle, string triggerName)
{
//Interface.Log("**** " + GetName()+":("+vehicle.GetName()+",'"+triggerName+"')");
string[] tok=Str.Tokens(triggerName,"_");

if (tok[0] + tok[1] != "triggertrack") return false; // Trigger not used for loading operation

bool vtotrack = (vehicle.GetRelationToTrack(me,"track_" + tok[2]) == Vehicle.DIRECTION_FORWARD);
bool vtotrain = vehicle.GetDirectionRelativeToTrain();
bool ttotrack = (vtotrack and vtotrain) or (!vtotrack and !vtotrain);

Vehicle[] vehicles=vehicle.GetMyTrain().GetVehicles();
// Calculate index of the car at the center of the train
int stopCar = vehicles.size() / 2; // 1->0, 2->1, 3->1, 4->2, 5->2 ...

if ((vehicles[stopCar] == vehicle) and (tok[3] == "center"))
{
//Interface.Log("**** " + GetName()+":("+vehicle.GetName()+",'"+triggerName+"') STOP");
return true; // center car at center trigger => stop train & load
}

if (ttotrack and (tok[3] == "end"))
{
//Interface.Log("**** " + GetName()+":("+vehicle.GetName()+",'"+triggerName+"') STOP");
return true; // train travelling in direction of track reaching end of track => stop train & load
}

if (!ttotrack and (tok[3] == "start"))
{
//Interface.Log("**** " + GetName()+":("+vehicle.GetName()+",'"+triggerName+"') STOP");
return true; // train travelling against direction of track reaching start of track => stop train & load
}

if (vehicle.GetMyTrain().IsStopped())
return true; // train has stopped at platform => load

return false; // default => do nothing
}
 
This should work

Code:
attached-trigger
{
trigger_track_0_start
{
att "a.trigger04"
radius 3
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_fill1
{
att "a.trigger05"
radius 5
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_center
{
att "a.trigger03"
radius 2
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_fill2
{
att "a.trigger01"
radius 5
track "track_0"
}

trigger_track_0_end
{
att "a.trigger02"
radius 3
track "track_0"
}
}

The script looks like Bloodnoks...

Cheers.
 
Changed the config to what you have above but I'm getting the same results. The loco doesn't start to decelerate until it gets very close to the platform thus over shooting it.
 
Maybe a screenshot of the Platform and consist your running might help solve the issue... I'm all out of idea's at the moment.
 
Shouldn't we get very similar results with the same max decel setting for any consist? I'm using Generic platform (tiny) <kuid2:124060:28034:3> by pencil42. There has to be a way to edit the config and/or the script to get the consist to start braking earlier. I am using shorter consist of 2 - 4 coaches at 30 mph. pencil42 might have had longer consist in mind.

Available here: http://www.carsoncarshops.com/download_depots.htm
 
I don't have his content installed, and I don't have over shooting problems with the stations I've used, AI tops where I expect it too and I use a max decel value of 10500 to 16300 the reason why I asked is because he may have the triggers spread out.

Cheers.
 
Just like on the real RR a train must have multiple decreasing slow speed signs starting many miles ahead, telling them there is a station ahead: (60, 40, 20, 10, 5) .. and "drive via" or "drive to" multiple trackmarkers all progressively down the line, leading AI are like pigeons (equally as dumb) following a finely laid out trail of breadcrumbs (trackmarkers). If a train is going too fast at 60 mph coming to a station, it won't stop on a dime, especially on the prototype RR.
 
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I don't have his content installed, and I don't have over shooting problems with the stations I've used, AI tops where I expect it too and I use a max decel value of 10500 to 16300 the reason why I asked is because he may have the triggers spread out.

Cheers.

Hmm... I'm missing something. The triggers are not something we can see correct and set by the script? How would a screenshot help us find the triggers? If the triggers are spread out that would cause decel to start earlier. I was guessing the are too close together. This is why all locos start to decel when they are just a few meters from the platform...
 
Shouldn't we get very similar results with the same max decel setting for any consist? I'm using Generic platform (tiny) <kuid2:124060:28034:3> by pencil42. There has to be a way to edit the config and/or the script to get the consist to start braking earlier. I am using shorter consist of 2 - 4 coaches at 30 mph. pencil42 might have had longer consist in mind.

Available here: http://www.carsoncarshops.com/download_depots.htm

Hi dricketts,

The only route I have seen these stations on is the Rollins Pass route which is slow narrow gauge. Try placing a 10 mph speed limit sign about 100 metres before the station. Most of these stations on Rollins pass require the train to stop and reverse in to the station/flag stop so that is probably the reason they have a small trigger radius.

Cheers,
Bill69
 
The slowing down, when approaching a station, is done by the DriveTo/NavigateTo command. When arriving at the station, the speed should be near 20kph.

The 'generic platform tiny' could have a problem with overlapping triggers. Try the following attached-trigger definition in the config.txt:
Code:
attached-trigger
{
  trigger_track_0_start
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger05"
    radius                              3
    track                               "track_0"
  }
  
  trigger_track_0_fill1
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger04"
    radius                              2
    track                               "track_0"
  }
  
  trigger_track_0_center
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger03"
    radius                              3
    track                               "track_0"
  }
  
  trigger_track_0_fill2
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger02"
    radius                              2
    track                               "track_0"
  }
  
  trigger_track_0_end
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger01"
    radius                              3
    track                               "track_0"
  }
}
The triggers for stopping the train (start, center and end) of this station have a really small radius, that could be a problem for slowly braking trains. An alternative attached-trigger definition could improve this a bit:
Code:
attached-trigger
{
  trigger_track_0_start
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger05"
    radius                              5
    track                               "track_0"
  }
  
  trigger_track_0_center
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger03"
    radius                              5
    track                               "track_0"
  }
  
  trigger_track_0_end
  {
    att                                 "a.trigger01"
    radius                              5
    track                               "track_0"
  }
}
This station can only handle very short trains (short locomotive with 2 short cars, tested with V&T steam locomotive and 2 V&T coaches).

Peter
 
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