Junction under control of AI Train

Richardf7e

New member
I have laid down a few turnouts or junctions. When I first start Quick Drive 2 of them are "An AI train has control of this junction lever", and two are not. As soon as I move the loco, all four show as "An AI train has control of this junction lever". I literally have two parallel tracks and four switches, 2 cars, and one loco down. How so I turn off AI? How do I edit AI? I don't need AI at all for what I am doing.


I am using Trainz Simulator 2 Mac, I can't tell which version.

Thanks,
 
Hi Richard,

This issue is neither PC or Mac. :)

When you place consists on your route, there are AI drivers assigned to the locomotives by default. You can control this by doing two things, and actually in two different ways.

1) Place the consists like you normally do, which is the way you are doing now.

2) Edit the Session and edit the session setup. On the interface, this is the icon on the menu bar to the right of the filter - it looks like a piece of paper for a lack of another description.

3) In the list edit the driver commands.

You will see a bar next to the driver's picture and name as they are assigned to each drivable consist.

4) Click on the driver and click on remove.

This will leave the consist, but remove the driver which you want, I think.

5) Click add driver on a blank line and add a driver and repeat three or four times to add in unassigned drivers.

The purpose of this is to allow you to assign drivers to these trains at your whim while operating the session. You can then click on the driver list (on the PC it's the 2 key and then clicking on the driver picture to raise it up so the whole list is showing), pick a driver and choose move-to-train. The train being the one you want the AI to drive.

The other way is to place your consists as described, then use the Quick Drive menu to add drivers as needed.

I have done this for years as I have created driver sessions with some having many drivers assigned with a handful of others waiting on the roster for assignment. During my operation, I may need an extra driver to work a yard, for example, and once a driver is assigned to a consist I can then take control of it myself. At any rate, this I think will help you achieve what you want.

John
 
John, thank you! Great info. I made progress. I have one loco (RS3), one box car, one flat car. With no rolling stock on the layout I can assign myself as the driver (I assigned myself to Adair, who I then assign to the loco.)

However, as soon as I put down rolling stock (the two cars mentioned), the turnouts closest to the cars become AI controlled. I guess the cars also have to have a "driver" assigned to them? I can't figure out how to have the cars just be cars... sitting there to be acted on, as opposed to the AI somehow making the cars act on the turnouts. Very confusing to me.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks!

-Richard
 
John, thank you! Great info. I made progress. I have one loco (RS3), one box car, one flat car. With no rolling stock on the layout I can assign myself as the driver (I assigned myself to Adair, who I then assign to the loco.)

However, as soon as I put down rolling stock (the two cars mentioned), the turnouts closest to the cars become AI controlled. I guess the cars also have to have a "driver" assigned to them? I can't figure out how to have the cars just be cars... sitting there to be acted on, as opposed to the AI somehow making the cars act on the turnouts. Very confusing to me.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks!

-Richard

Yup. You are very close to the turnout. I forgot to mention that if your consist is 20m from the turnouts, they are locked. :D

You can fix that, however, and make the active radius, one that will cause the junction to be locked a lot smaller and closer, which is what I do in yards. This means your cars can sit in the yard and not cause the junctions to lock even if you are 20 meters away.

Choose the tab where you place track marks and triggers.

Get the trigger radius for the junction lever.

You can then set the number to anything less if you want. I make mine about 5 meters for yards, which is about 15 feet from the points.

Hope this helps. I'm glad you made progress.

John
 
Drivers assigned to trains do not control junctions unless they have a driver command to move. Any train or wagon with or without a driver can cause the junction to lock as you may have the item placed within the radius of the junction lever. 20m is the default radius of most track assets like triggers and levers.
 
Hi there

I am interested in the method to change the trigger radius of a junction. I am mystified by the text: 'Get the trigger radius for the junction lever.' I cannot find where this option is. It is not in 'edit properties'...

Can anyone help?

Thanks,
 
Hi there

I am interested in the method to change the trigger radius of a junction. I am mystified by the text: 'Get the trigger radius for the junction lever.' I cannot find where this option is. It is not in 'edit properties'...

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Go to the tab where the track marks and triggers is located on the track tab.
Click Advance at the bottom.
Type in your new value in the little box
Apply that new value to the switch radius (The red area).

20.00 is default. Use any number less for to prevent the AI from locking the junction too far away, which makes yard switching painful. :)



 
I set mine at 0.5 or less. This because I think this number is the distance from the bogie to the turnout, and some locos have the driving bogie at one end or the other.
 
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