Driver command to throw a switch

Dap

Prototype Operations Guru
I've been away from Trainz session creation for the last two years, but thought I'd give it a try with TANE. I have a train stopping short of an industry spur. I have the engine and 8 cars uncouple from the train, pull forward to clear the switch, then back into the spur to pick-up two cars. Here is where the problems start to occur. I have a track mark on the spur and use the Nav to Trackmark driver command, but AI refuses to throw the switch and back in. So, I tried the Path Rule and the Drive Path driver command. Now the switch stays locked in the position to the spur, and I can not get back to my train on the main. Is there a Driver Command that can be used to simply throw a switch and then throw it back when you are done? Or some other trick or combinations of commands?
 
How are you commanding the AI driver (loco + 8 cars) to back onto the spur and couple with the 2 cars located there? I would normally use the Couple command with the name of the first car (the one closest to the switch) of the 2 car set in the spur - there are other similar commands that can be used. This does not need a trackmark on the spur.
 
Hi Dap

Is the loco going far enough past the junction to allow the junction to clear when the train has coupled up in the siding?

There is a driver command "Control Junctions 3" by author "trev999" that allows you to set junctions without using a path rule. Unfortunately it isn't on the DLS but is available as part of the Shedmaster package which is available from http://www.potteriesloopline.co.uk/. The Shedmaster package is free and contains a number of other excellent driver commands including one that allows you to implement token working on single line sections or other areas where you would want only one loco working at a time. If you prefer to use only DLS items then look at the "ControlJunctions" command by "atilabarut" which I believe was used as the basis for "Control Junctions 3"

Another command that you may find useful is again by "trev999" and is on the DLS. "Special Instructions(metric)" is a single driver command that contains a number of other commands. It is versatile and well worth looking at.

Regards

Brian
 
How are you commanding the AI driver (loco + 8 cars) to back onto the spur and couple with the 2 cars located there? I would normally use the Couple command with the name of the first car (the one closest to the switch) of the 2 car set in the spur - there are other similar commands that can be used. This does not need a trackmark on the spur.

The Couple command will not work because my sessions are interactive and there is no way to know which car will be on the spur for pick-up.

Hi Dap

Is the loco going far enough past the junction to allow the junction to clear when the train has coupled up in the siding?

There is a driver command "Control Junctions 3" by author "trev999" that allows you to set junctions without using a path rule. Unfortunately it isn't on the DLS but is available as part of the Shedmaster package which is available from http://www.potteriesloopline.co.uk/. The Shedmaster package is free and contains a number of other excellent driver commands including one that allows you to implement token working on single line sections or other areas where you would want only one loco working at a time. If you prefer to use only DLS items then look at the "ControlJunctions" command by "atilabarut" which I believe was used as the basis for "Control Junctions 3"

Another command that you may find useful is again by "trev999" and is on the DLS. "Special Instructions(metric)" is a single driver command that contains a number of other commands. It is versatile and well worth looking at.

The ControlJunction command is what I was looking for. I did a search with TANE ContentManager for all the Script catagory items on the DLS (listed as Type on the CM screen), but the ControlJunction command did not show up. So I did a search using the name and there it was categorized as a Misc type asset. Once I downloaded it, TANE changed the catagory to Script. I wish we could do a search on catagory-class. It would sure make things easier to find.

The sequence of commands I use to back onto the spur and couple to the car once I am clear of the switch is as follows:

ControlJunction (junction name) - - - - - - - - - <kuid:131986:1011>

SetDCCThrottleTo -0.6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - <kuid2:131986:1018:1>

TCDriveViaTrackmark (trackmarkname) - - - - <kuid2:131986:210023:1>

SetDCCThrottleTo -0.25

TCouple - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - <kuid2:131986:210026:1>


When I am done with my switching moves at this switch, I use FreeJunction,<kuid:131986:1022>


The throttle values will differ between locomotives. The values I am using with the locomotive I am using give me a back speed of about 15mph to the trackmark and then 4mph to the car to be coupled. This yields a very prototypical motion to this move.

Thanks for the help.

David
 
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Hi again Dap

Have a look at the "atilabarut" driver command "Approach to Train" which is preceeded by a "SetDCCThrottleTo" command.

I use the sequence:-

SetDCCThrottleTo 0.45

Approach to Train 20 meters

SetDCCThrottleTo 0.25

Approach to Train 10 meters

SetDCCThrottleTo 0.18

Couple Ahead

These are stored in the Schedule Library under the name Couple (very original) and called when needed. If you need to vary approach speeds for other locations it is simply a matter of saving them in the Schedule Library under a different name. I find that this method gives a much better approach and couple than the Couple command and it doesn't need a trackmark to drive through. The throttle speeds may need a bit of experimentation as the ones I use are ok for UK locos. There are a number of driver commands by "atilabarut" that, despite their age, still work in T:ANE and are very useful.

Regards

Brian
 
There is also the CoupletoVehicleNearSignal, but I really like the way I am doing it.

The one thing I learned from this exercise is that in TANE, you can not find most of these items because they are listed as Misc on the DLS and that is not a search criteria in TANE.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

David
 
Wanted to thank member Dap for his invaluable help with some of the Tag issues, Missing Assets Etc, I was experiencing in TS12, my program is running much better.
 
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