KINGS CROSS, "invisible" platforms and making them work

Leo1704

Member
dear fellow forum users, I want to run some trains in the Kings Cross - Newcastle layout and I also like being able to see passengers at stations, with ability to load and unload. But the KX route does not have operating platforms and for some reasons trains cannot "load" and "unload". I have been fiddling with "invisible stations" etc without much success. How do you get these to work at your existing non invisible platforms and how do you get the trains to stop at them, load and unload etc. Any guidance will be very much appreciated.
 
To add an invisible platform/station to one that is not an interactive station you only need to add the required invisible platform/station near the station you want to change, rotate it so it lines up with the station, break the track at a spline point in or close to the platform or delete a small section of track in the platform, if no convenient spline then add one. You can then move the invisible platform to the best position followed by moving the ends of the track to the ends of the invisible platform. You then need to add a name and change the properties if necessary using the properties button. When joining up the track to the invisible platform splines or adding splines watch out for any signals or other trackside objects on the track moving and move them back to there original position if necessary.

This is all quite easy if the station you are modifying is in the open, however, if they are under a canopy as at Kings Cross or Newcastle then moving the platform into place and adjusting it is a bit more tricky since the canopy and the platform are both objects and it can be difficult to select the object you want to move or set the properties of. Some people put the platforms and other parts of the station on different route layers making selection easier.

The load, unload, or terminate passenger train are used in the usual way for loading the train after a navigate to command.
 
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Most platforms and canopies are spline objects while the invisible platforms are just an object. This means that you can move it without effecting the splines. Find a suitable invisible platform and place it in an open area. Name it and set it up. Now drag it to the platform you want it to be at. Rotate it so the track lines up with the track already placed. Now select track and add a spline point in the middle of the new asset, select the break spline and break it. Drag the spline point to the end of the invisible track and join it and repeat for the other end. Each invisible platform will have to have a different name so would suggest Kings Cross P1, Kings Cross P2 etc.
 
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