Coupling a Loco to Passanger Train

[jhatchman]

I have a train stop at the station and the loco uncouples and moves forward to a trackmark and then I want a second loco to couple to the other end of the train and pull it out of the station.

The problem i am having is that the second loco will not reach the end of the carrage. I have placed several invisable signals along the track. this appears to work but it appears to be a bit of hit and miss and the first loco does not always stop at the same spot each time.

Any advise on what is the best way to make this happen

Thanks

Jeff

 

[trackplate]

Hi Jeff
By the sound of it you could simply place a track marker where you wish the first loco to stop and use the drive to command after the decouple
Regards, Bob V

 

[sardaz]

Hi all

how about the coupleinfrontofsignal rule or behindsignal rule may be a solution to your proble

sardaz

 

[jhatchman]

the first loco to stop at trackmark and then ater the uncouple command I use the drive to a trackmark at the end of the line. this part works ok

The problem is with the second loco coupling up to the rear carrage and the only way I could get it to work was to include 3 invisable signals set between the two locos

coupleinfrontofsignal rule or behindsignal rule I could not find

Regards

Jeff

 

[Smileyman]

The problem with this kind of operation is that even though the first loco has uncoupled from the carriages, it's still in the track block, and if you have any signals between the second loco and the carriages then the signal will always stop the loco getting to the carriages.

Also, you should use the "Couple at Trackmark" command to force the second train to pick up the carriages.

This situation is very similar to a recent thread here.
For that thread I created a tutorial on my website, and if you have TRS2006 you can also download the layout and session that demonstrates the methods used.

Just click my banner and then go to the tutorial section.

Good luck,
Smiley.

 

[jhatchman]

Thanks Smiley,

I have will check out your tutorial

Jeff

 

[stagecoach]

Hi Smileyman
There is even an easier way.

ALISTAIR
drive to station
load/terminate passengers
uncouplez
post message (alistair completed task 0)
wait for message and clear (adair completed task 1)
drive to trackmark (stable)
wait for message and clear (adair completed task 0)
couple at trackmark (couple)
post message (alistair completed task 1)
drive to trackmark (1)
drive to trackmark (2)

ADAIR
wait for message and clear (alistair completed task 0)
couple at trackmark (couple)
post message (adair completed task 1)
drive to trackmark (1)
drive to trackmark (2)
drive to station
load/terminate passengers
uncouplez
post message (adair completed task 0)
wait for message and clear (alistair completed task 1)
drive to trackmark (stable)

The above does not need triggers as the message acts as such.

 

[Smileyman]

I'm not sure it's any easier, but it's certainly another way to skin the cat.

Except in your example, as soon as the second train couples with the carriages to take them away, the first train is given the all clear to drive to the stabling area, which of course it can't because there's tons of steel in the way (i.e. the carriages and a loco still pulling out of the station).

In my example, the trigger "clear" is used to tell the loco left at the station that the departing loco has cleared the station area and that the line is clear for it to drive into the stabling area.
Chances are that in your example the back loco would still wait until the leaving train has passed the junction, freeing up the block when it does, but I'd prefer to use triggers so the A.I. has as little thinking of it's own to do.

If you think about it, using triggers or using messages are the same thing, because when a train hits a trigger an internal message is sent, which is picked up by the "wait for trigger" command and acted on.
The main advantages of using triggers, IMO, is that not only do you avoid problems like the one in your example, but you can visually move triggers around to get the exact results you want, and you can adjust the radius of them for greater accuracy too.

This is especially useful when the TRS A.I. decides it doesn't like your track layout.

Smiley.

 

[stagecoach]

I'm not sure it's any easier, but it's certainly another way to skin the cat.

Except in your example, as soon as the second train couples with the carriages to take them away, the first train is given the all clear to drive to the stabling area, which of course it can't because there's tons of steel in the way (i.e. the carriages and a loco still pulling out of the station).

In my example, the trigger "clear" is used to tell the loco left at the station that the departing loco has cleared the station area and that the line is clear for it to drive into the stabling area.
Chances are that in your example the back loco would still wait until the leaving train has passed the junction, freeing up the block when it does, but I'd prefer to use triggers so the A.I. has as little thinking of it's own to do.

Smiley.

This is true but the engine would allow the departing train to get a safe distance away and then move slowly to the end of the platform and wait at the signal for clearance. This i have seen happen when i used to watch the exmouth train change engines at exeter central. triggers need to know the name of the driver but post message dosent so several drivers could carry out this task with the stabled engine.

 

[jhatchman]

stagecoach, I have abitof a problem in that I can not select post message or wait for message and clear in Driver setup. They are ticked in Driver Command.

Any suggestions

Jeff

 

[stagecoach]

I think there are two versions 2004 & 2006 so you may need to check you have the right one.

 

[jhatchman]

I have ticked 2006 and when that did not work I selected 2004, same result.

Jeff

 

[stagecoach]

Are you looking for it as a rule in driver setup? It is a command and should show up when you asign commands to the driver, it will appear with the drive to, couple etc.

 

[jhatchman]

stagecoach , you are right.

Both 'Postmessage' and 'WaitforMessageandClear' are in Driver command but they do not show up in Driver Setup so I can not asign these commands to the driver.

Jeff