I need the definitive ATLS troubleshooting guide.

[JonMyrlennBailey]

This is for TS12 only.

OK, I will change NEED to WISH FOR, please, if this information
could be provided on this board.

Thank you a million Hershey's kisses!

What to do when traffic does not stop at crossing for trains.

What to do when gates don't activate.

What to do when gates stay stuck down long after train has passed.

What to do when cars stay stuck at crossing long after train has passed.

What to do when gates come back briefly and then go back down again after train goes by.

Figure out why crossing works correctly when train travels in one direction but screws up totally when train goes the other way.

Figure out why crossings work perfectly with one or two engines coupled together but screw up with a long train.

I have tried various things, sometimes they work and other times they don't.

-move triggers around, closer or farther from crossing
-change channel numbers
-replace ATLS components
-replace YARN road at crossing
-replace eraser track
-re-route eraser track differently
-move controllers and slaves around
-try different trigger modes as ARRIVE/LEAVE vs 4-TRIGGER/2-WAY
-try different kinds of gates
-remove gates and use traffic stoppers only, put up cross bucks instead of gates


So far the only sure fire thing that works is:

disable the ATLS crossing, turn the controller to channel OFF
rip up road spline crossing the track so no more cars cross the track
rip up the whole street crossing the track for at least a block so just gravel texture is exposed underneath
put barricades and road closed signs up

put tractors, working men, steam rollers, portable toilets, pickup trucks, low-boy semis, oversize load signs,
cement mixers, men working signs, water tank trucks and dump trucks at torn-up road site as if the
road were being graded and repaved

put traffic cones out
put a sign up near crossing saying "Davidson Paving Company"

OR

rip up the entire railroad crossing and build a automobile traffic bridge underpass under the damn tracks altogether
or route the traffic over the tracks with an overpass if the landscape provides enough room to work this

OR

have a no-traffic road spline cross the track with cross bucks only


AND

always have the invisible horn sequence triggers on the tracks approaching the crossing either way
whether the crossing features live traffic, static cars or no road vehicles or whether the closed crossing road is "under construction" or not

One piece of content Trainers don't have available is 3-D men figures in hard hats so
I just use RR workers in orange jumpsuits or wearing yellow vests or those men
working wearing hats and flannel shirts.

 

[stagecoach]

If this is in T:ane it might be linked to what other people have posted with some scripts not working correctly in some assets. A diagram or image of the problem area might also help with a solution. 1 & 2 could be linked together as would 3 & 4. 5 & 6 I would say is an incorrect setting in one of the triggers or another trigger is being triggered on a diverge line after or before the junction changes and the train is within its radius. It is important that only the correct number of triggers can see the train to complete the cycle. If one is wrong then it will be incorrect for all other trains as only that train can correct the cycle.

 

[Roy3b3]

Hey Jon, It looks like you've answered your own question, mate!
Cheers,
Roy3b3

 

[itareus]

[h=1]"I need the definitive ATLS troubleshooting guide."[/h]
Think, pause, think again, is it - 'Need' or 'Want' or 'Would Like' ?

and a 'Please' and/or 'Thank You' are always welcomed by our readers....

Or am I talking to a brick wall ? .

 

[pware]

Or am I talking to a brick wall ? .

I think you have also answered your own question there!

 

[JonMyrlennBailey]

You mean doing the "sure fire" thing. Having no ATLS crossing at all where attempts to make it work right are hopeless.

 

[JCitron]

You mean doing the "sure fire" thing. Having no ATLS crossing at all where attempts to make it work right are hopeless.

Do you really need ATLS everywhere? I use both the regular scripted crossings, such as those by BNSF50, as well as the ATLS in the more complex places with weird track angles that the other crossing-types aren't capable of, though they can be turned and rotated a bit, they can't handle wide or odd-types of crossings.

John

 

[helian43]

Or am I talking to a brick wall ? .[/QUOTE]

JMB just likes to see his name on the forums, more than 2 days he gets withdrawal symptoms.

:hehe:
helian43

 

[JonMyrlennBailey]

When I said "ATLS crossings" I meant crossings using the ATLS system. Is there another system besides ATLS for crossing gates? I don't know much about "regular scripted" crossings. I am familiar with crossings that use track eraser, ATLS slaves, controllers, triggers and traffic stoppers. There are different styles of gates too. Some gates are long, some are short. Some have the overhead red flashing lights.

I have even found that on some crossings with two tracks, the only way I can get the gate to work reliably is to use the ARRIVING/LEAVING-2-trigger mode on one track while using the 4-TRIGGER/2-WAY mode on the other track.

Whenever two tracks run parallel on the main line, my route is intended to keep train traffic on the right-most track at all times since my main line is intended to run two-way traffic, trains in opposite directions at the same time. I don't use the system of "priority" tracks and trains. My railroad is analogous to a two-lane, two-way American automobile highway. All traffic travels in the right-hand lane (or right-hand track in the case of a RR) at all times.

 

[maruffijd]

Leeme try.

Some of these may seem stupid/obvious, I have to ask to get a clear picture

1. Is the active rails actually attached to the crossings or ghosted over?
2. Is roads attached or ghosted or using track stoppers?
3. Is arrive/leave path one way running or two way?
4. Is control/slave on route or LCM?
5. non stopping carz, all of them or the "passing lane only"?
6. Is control/slave/trigs on same channel for each crossing?
7. long/short train, screws up how?

Carz not moving after crossing clear is some kind of bug. No fix I have heard of.

 

[JonMyrlennBailey]

Never mind. I am just removing or deactivating the few crossing gates I can't fix.

I can only try for so long to remedy a buggy crossing but sooner or later I have to give up on it.

No-traffic roadway (YARN merge lane) will cross some of them and they will have cross bucks and a static car or two waiting at the crossing.
I even have a static horse-drawn farm wagon waiting at one cross-bucks crossing.
One defective/irreparable crossing has been converted into a motor road underpass.
Where a grade crossing used to be there is now a train bridge over the street.
A couple others into road closed for construction scenarios
with the non-working gates left in placed. The road is closed and motor-traffic free, so there is no need for operating gates anyway.

I don't want live (road traffic) cars running through trains like ghosts.
I don't want cars stuck at crossings tooting their horns.
I don't want gates stuck down and continuous-ringing gate bells that drive me nuts.

What I have observed is:

On some parts of the map there is little or no trouble with ATLS-system crossings.
On other parts of the map, ATLS-system crossings are nothing but trouble.
It is like something in some places on the map interfere with them.
Could certain types of Trainz content placed in the vicinity of ATLS equipment cause malfunctions?

 

[JonMyrlennBailey]

long train / short train screw-ups explained

On some ATLS-controlled crossings, I have just used a single locomotive or two engines coupled together to test them out. Sometimes, they pass the test with no issues. Then later on I drive through the same crossing in a consist train like the Santa Fe Superchief and the gate stays stuck open or perhaps, cars don't stop for the train or the gate does not activate for the oncoming train in the first place.

For some reasons, some crossings will behave bug-free for a single engine or just two inter-coupled engines with no cars but malfunction for a train with one or more engines pushing/pulling a string of cars. I think the Superchief has 10-20 passenger cars, I never counted them. In this test drive where the crossing failed the "long train" test, the Superchief had two engines on the front and two at the rear of the train.

I have even thought of the possibility that certain train vehicle content might adversely affect the behavior of ATLS.
Could ATLS be sensitive or partial to certain engines or trains by working perfectly with some trains but goofing up with other trains?

 

[JCitron]

When I said "ATLS crossings" I meant crossings using the ATLS system. Is there another system besides ATLS for crossing gates? I don't know much about "regular scripted" crossings. I am familiar with crossings that use track eraser, ATLS slaves, controllers, triggers and traffic stoppers. There are different styles of gates too. Some gates are long, some are short. Some have the overhead red flashing lights.

I have even found that on some crossings with two tracks, the only way I can get the gate to work reliably is to use the ARRIVING/LEAVING-2-trigger mode on one track while using the 4-TRIGGER/2-WAY mode on the other track.

Whenever two tracks run parallel on the main line, my route is intended to keep train traffic on the right-most track at all times since my main line is intended to run two-way traffic, trains in opposite directions at the same time. I don't use the system of "priority" tracks and trains. My railroad is analogous to a two-lane, two-way American automobile highway. All traffic travels in the right-hand lane (or right-hand track in the case of a RR) at all times.

There are railroad crossings by BNSF50. The begin with Grade xing US. There are various styles and types and all are automatic crossings that have the scripts built in. There are options for the kind of crossing surface, light delay, etc., but other than that it's plop, attach, and go.

Example:

Grade Crossing US 2 Lanes 1 Track with protypically animated gates and lights.

Asset Name Grade Xing US 2L 1T.

Kuid = <kuid2:39134:101047:4>

There are angled ones such as 45 degree as well as the straight one here.

I use these when there is no need for any special configuration or track layout such as a secondary branch crossing an intersection from a crossing at a weird angle which can't be configured using a regular crossing.

KISS.

John

 

[JonMyrlennBailey]

Thanks, John. I have tried those too but on my modded layout, those are not always reliable as well. Gates can get stuck down with those sometimes too.

Remember, I am modding another author's route and some here believe that in itself opens up a technical "can of worms". I can and HAVE set up ATLS crossings

on a map I build myself from scratch without issues.

 

[JCitron]

Thanks, John. I have tried those too but on my modded layout, those are not always reliable as well. Gates can get stuck down with those sometimes too.

Remember, I am modding another author's route and some here believe that in itself opens up a technical "can of worms". I can and HAVE set up ATLS crossings

on a map I build myself from scratch without issues.

Yeah, modding someone else's work does have its issues. I have never had gates remain stuck down with these unless I've triggered the gates by being too close to them. This is common when the roads cross close to a yard or siding where I put in derails to prevent the gates from staying down while the freight cars and trains sit on the tracks. My derails are invisible junctions with a short piece of invisible track going off to the side.

John

 

[stagecoach]

ATLS can be used without fault in many combinations and configurations. Even adding it to other routes should have no effect on it not working. As I cant visualise the area of the crossing I can only assume that the number of triggers the train passes or is seen by is incorrect. Arrive and Depart mode needs two triggers as does the two way mode. Four trigger mode needs Four triggers two either side of the crossing and two much further out. It is unwise to mix modes if crossovers are inside the triggered area. Also if a train stops near a trigger radius and then starts up sometimes it might do a very slight roll back taking it out of the radius and then back in again adding an extra trigger count. The length of train is not responsible for the crossing action as I am still certain this is a trigger issue.

 

[ctclark1]

Something I just thought of, as I'm remembering a previous topic where you blamed ATLS for not working properly... By any chance are these crossings near a portal? I was reminded by a different thread I just looked at that trains ignore everything on the track - speeds, signals, triggers, crossings, EVERYTHING, until they are COMPLETELY OUT of the portal... Is it possible your longer trains are still being emitted when they encounter these crossings?

Also something to note (though not related to your "train length" problem) the ATLS triggers rely on the Consist ID (or actually I think an invisible identifier of the train) to figure out when a train has passed the triggers and count them... (in a 4 Trig setup - Train ID 23 enters one trigger the gates go down. Enters second and third trigger, ignored. Leaves third trigger, gates go up. Enters/Leaves 4th trigger, ignored. If you do any coupling/uncoupling of consists after entering the first trigger the ID changes and the triggers never see the original consist properly leave the third trigger... It also doesn't look to see if the train stops and backs out of the first trigger or anything like that, so once you enter the first one you must leave the third (and in actuality, fourth) in order to complete the cycle.

 

[maruffijd]

Good point. Shoulda caught that.