Headshunts vs AI

[colinknapp]

hi all

-----------<-----W14---
#--T-------->----#

-----W14--<-----------
#--T-------->----#

-----------<-----------
#--T-------->-W14#

-------------<-----------
#--TW14----->----#

-----------<-----------
#----------->TW14#

---TW14---<-----------
#----------->----#

hopefully the diagram there will suffice to explain my situation

<> = points
- = Track
T = Truck
# = Buffer (functional as signal)
W14 = Loco

ok... bascailly i want
loco to drive past the points...
reverse back into the headshunt (physcially large enough for the engine and one truck)...
drive forward and couple to the truck...
pull back onto the head shunt then push forward onto the main line

i've tried some fiddling... but i can only get the loco to pull as far as the siding points (>) where it sits on top of them refusing to move...

does anyone know how i could set this up to work (without changing the track plan), else it'll just have to be left alone

many thanks
Ian

 

[captainkman]

Firstly, try extending the siding where the train gets stuck. AI trains tend to stop a distance away from the buffers. If you could allow for this track adjustment, this could be the answer. Also, try using a shorter wagon and/or loco.

Hope this helps!
captainkman

 

[clam1952]

hi all

-----------<-----W14---
#--T-------->----#

-----W14--<-----------
#--T-------->----#

-----------<-----------
#--T-------->-W14#

-------------<-----------
#--TW14----->----#

-----------<-----------
#----------->TW14#

---TW14---<-----------
#----------->----#

hopefully the diagram there will suffice to explain my situation

<> = points
- = Track
T = Truck
# = Buffer (functional as signal)
W14 = Loco

ok... bascailly i want
loco to drive past the points...
reverse back into the headshunt (physcially large enough for the engine and one truck)...
drive forward and couple to the truck...
pull back onto the head shunt then push forward onto the main line

i've tried some fiddling... but i can only get the loco to pull as far as the siding points (>) where it sits on top of them refusing to move...

does anyone know how i could set this up to work (without changing the track plan), else it'll just have to be left alone

many thanks
Ian

Can be done by altering the trigger distance of the buffer and the point.

If you go into Trackmark mode and click the get trackmark icon and select the buffer, yes it does work!
Click advanced > Get Trigger Radius probably find it is 20.00 metres.
Then amend the figure to what you need, 1.00 does work if you need to go that low.
Click on set trigger radius, click on the buffer, make sure the box with the number in has focus (flashing cursor) otherwise it won't take when you click the item, easy way to tell its worked is the cursor disappears from the number box. You can obviously check it by using Get trigger Radius again.
Then repeat for the point lever switch motor or whatever.
If you give that number box focus by clicking in it between each say point you can quickly do several items without having to start from scratch.

Hope that hasn't confused you too much!

This is also very handy for getting rolling stock closer to the buffers and loco's to stop on track marks or pretty close to them.

 

[colinknapp]

thanks, i'll give that a try tomorrow

(i can't lengthen the siding because i'm trying to be prototypical, and the loco is the same story the correct type for that line)

 

[itareus]

Just for information, another way to do this is to extend the sidings with invisible track, put an invisible signal at the end and use a dummy buffer (i.e. one which does not work as a signal) at the end of the visible track.

 

[Capt_Haddock]

Ian
Have you tried putting a track mark close to the (buffer) end of the siding and "navigating to it?
Sometimes you also need an invisible signal just after it because A1 trains see the buffer as a red signal and won't always drive into a siding.

When an A1 train is navigating to a track mark , the first part of the train stops at the track mark. If the tm is at the start of the siding the train will stop as soon as the leading end reaches the trigger radius. This makes it impossible to reverse a consist into a siding unless the track mark is nearer the furthest end.

Regards

Chris

 

[colourlight]

First thing to remember is that a loco/ train stops short of a trackmark by about half a loco length or so. So easiest solution would be to extend the siding to allow for that. If you can,t or don,t want to extend the headshunt you need to go along with the sugestion from Itareus. Either way place trackmark next to buffer stops.

 

[sniper297]

I'm using TS2010 but it should be similar to TS2009.
Couple items;
1. Run a player train with the same set of movements, make sure the splines are actually connected - if an AI can't find the path due to a break in the track it will just stop. Sometimes it's just the switch lever being in the wrong place, deleting the switch lever then adding it again in the center of the circle usually fixes that.
2. I've found Couple At Trackmark,<kuid2:57145:81100:1>
to be somewhat iffy with signals, often the AI designated to couple onto a car will stop because the signal is red due to the car it's supposed to couple onto occupying the block. I cloned a left and right double head dwarf signal;
PON_Dwarf_Signal_USA_L02_Permissive,<kuid:522774:100020>
PON_Dwarf_Signal_USA_02_Permissive,<kuid:522774:100021>
For use at yard leads, since they're permissive the AI train will go when they're red due to block occupancy.