Head on Collision Near Tehachapi

[KonstantinMMRR]

For those of you who have been following my posts, you know I am new to Trainz, and have been having a lot of problems learning how to use it. Today, I finally was able to run a rather complicated session. However, it did not end well.

I ran a train on the Mojave subdivision from Bakersfield to Mojave. I scheduled five trains to run from Majove southbound at about 30 minute intervals. I also had two trains behind me. Everything was working perfectly. I ran my train for about two and one-half hours. The "dispatcher" was doing an excellent job. I purposely did not look at the map to see where the other trains were. As I drove along, the "dispatcher" would give me red signals, and pull me into sidings to wait. I was having a wonderful time. Everything was going perfectly.

A little beyond Tehachapi, I was driving along on the right side of double track. I was expecting one more Amtrak train at any time. I was given a yellow signal, so I slowed down, expecting a red at the next signal. Suddenly, around a curve, the Amtrak train approached, on the same track as I was. We had a head-on collision. The "dispatcher" did not do his job.

Dean

 

[Euphod]

At least, it sounds like you were totally immersed in the game. Those times are priceless!

 

[bwfeldsee]

Hi

I wonder whether the problem is to do with not giving the Amtrak AI train an instruction to keep to the other track until he reaches Tehachapi. From my recollection, the village and depot at Tehachapi are on the right (travelling in your direction). Therefore the Amtrak train would need to cross over to your track at some stage. He might have done it too early.

Just a thought.

Alan

 

[Deano5]

That can be caused by a SPAD. You should keep the message box open and check for an AI that says it's "restarting schedule in 10 seconds".

 

[socalwb909]

For those of you who have been following my posts, you know I am new to Trainz, and have been having a lot of problems learning how to use it. Today, I finally was able to run a rather complicated session. However, it did not end well.

I ran a train on the Mojave subdivision from Bakersfield to Mojave. I scheduled five trains to run from Majove southbound at about 30 minute intervals. I also had two trains behind me. Everything was working perfectly. I ran my train for about two and one-half hours. The "dispatcher" was doing an excellent job. I purposely did not look at the map to see where the other trains were. As I drove along, the "dispatcher" would give me red signals, and pull me into sidings to wait. I was having a wonderful time. Everything was going perfectly.

A little beyond Tehachapi, I was driving along on the right side of double track. I was expecting one more Amtrak train at any time. I was given a yellow signal, so I slowed down, expecting a red at the next signal. Suddenly, around a curve, the Amtrak train approached, on the same track as I was. We had a head-on collision. The "dispatcher" did not do his job.

Dean

Sounds like a fun session! i have to ask if u got rid of any of the directional markers on the route? or did u use an existing session to make your new session? i ask those questions cause, if you were heading towards mojave, you should be on the right side of the track. bi-directional traffic only occurs, for the most part, between mojave and cameron, to allow faster trains to go around slower trains coming out of mojave!

At least, it sounds like you were totally immersed in the game. Those times are priceless!

-yea i would like to have one of those again! all i do is build stuff now!

Hi

I wonder whether the problem is to do with not giving the Amtrak AI train an instruction to keep to the other track until he reaches Tehachapi. From my recollection, the village and depot at Tehachapi are on the right (travelling in your direction). Therefore the Amtrak train would need to cross over to your track at some stage. He might have done it too early.

Just a thought.

Alan

-That would depend on if he set it up for the amtrak to stop at the station, which the station has been out of service since the 50's i believe. amtrak only runs on the mojave sub when there is a re-route.

-Joe

 

[bobhahn]

One way

When I did a session for that route, I found it necessary to place directional markers on all the sections of double track.

 

[KonstantinMMRR]

Here are a few of my comments:

It has been a week or so, and I am gradually experimenting.

I was not using an already made session, I just created my own from scratch.

The Amtrak train that hit me was programmed to stop at the siding near Tehachapi, which would have been on its right side.

I have not figured out how to make a schedule yet. I just gave the trains commands, with "wait for" times.

I do not know what directional markers are. I would like to find out about them, because I still have problems with trains getting stuck. There have been no more head on collisions but AI trains end up facing each other. I then have to back one up to a siding to get them going again.

It's been a lot of fun, but also very frustrating. It is too difficult to learn how to do all of this stuff.

Dean

 

[Ghost42]

Here are a few of my comments:

It has been a week or so, and I am gradually experimenting.

I was not using an already made session, I just created my own from scratch.

The Amtrak train that hit me was programmed to stop at the siding near Tehachapi, which would have been on its right side.

I have not figured out how to make a schedule yet. I just gave the trains commands, with "wait for" times.

I do not know what directional markers are. I would like to find out about them, because I still have problems with trains getting stuck. There have been no more head on collisions but AI trains end up facing each other. I then have to back one up to a siding to get them going again.

It's been a lot of fun, but also very frustrating. It is too difficult to learn how to do all of this stuff.

Dean

Find a small route that has built-in sessions, open up in surveyer and study the trackwork and commands.
Unlike using software like Inkscape or programming for example, there are no mini routes with a readme demonstrating a particular item/command on the DLS (as far as I know).
The ECML whilst in its raw state kept me happily checking and correcting minor faults. Much was learned.
Youtube is a good resource.
Rog

 

[socalwb909]

-This should really help too! Tutorials:
http://trains.0catch.com/tutorial.html

-Joe

 

[bobhahn]

Directional Markers

Directional markers are features you insert in Surveyor to tell the dispatcher that only trains going a certain way should use that track.

The picture below shows a small section of double track, open in Surveyor, with the "tracks" tab open. I've selected the third (rightmost) circle at the top, the one where 'markers' are found. I selected "Track Direction Marker".

I then clicked once on each track, leaving a yellow Direction Marker on each one. They both start out facing the same way; you have to turn one of them around the same way you would an item of rolling stock.

Once you save the session with these in it, the AI trains will know not to head down your right-side track. Instead they will wait at a signal until they can get access to their own right-side track.

To make sure things go smoothly from one end of the route to the other, you'll need to put these on each separate section of the route that is double-tracked. And of course be sure not to put any Direction Marker on the intervening single-track sections.

 

[KonstantinMMRR]

Bob Hahn, that is the kind of answer I like. Thank you for your detailed explanation. I will try this. I think it should make things run a lot better.

Dean