Pantograph height changer scripts?

[MonkeManTrainz420]

Hello! I am currently making a PRR-Centric route set on an electrified branch based off of Woodbridge, New Jersey. The problem is that I want to use RRSignal's PRR Catenaries, however most of my PRR Electrics can't reach the height level. Most notably, 8686's and Whitepass's GG1s nor Magicland's MP54s cannot reach the height, while some of my other PRR electrics can.

The question I have is if there are any pantograph height scripts that are available that I can apply to the GG1s in order to allow it to reach the height of the catenary without changing the pantograph. I am aware that PWeiser has a script, however I'm not sure it will work on any locomotive that isn't by them, as I tried it and it gave me script errors and bugs when I loaded it into a test route. Has anyone else found a script that can automatically change pantograph heights?

 

[whitepass]

The height is fixed by the way the animation is made.

 

[MonkeManTrainz420]

So the pantograph itself would need to be changed? Thanks for the help though.

 

[Railwoodman]

There was talk of having the pantographs being able to change heights as required of the catenary . And read hear that some had done this { or figured out how ? But seem it never took off . I myself am doing a PRR route . And have looked into maybe paying someone for custom pantographs and catenary . But the days of that have passed . A true catenary hade it's up and downs . And was held to a standard height . But went down in location that didn't have the clearance .

But it is posable to change the heights on some locos

Matt

 

[JCitron]

There was someone inquiring on scripting this recently but I don't remember who or whether the project continued. The problem is most catenary is a spline similar to grass, fences, or other spline objects. The way to do this would probably make catenary poles react to pantographs or put some kind of markers along the track when raising and lowering is required. Honestly, I think the latter would be the easiest because that means current catenary can be used and won't require any special assets except for the marker objects.

 

[Railwoodman]

If memory serves . The thread or idea was to make catenary have an invisible track . And have the pantographs work as bogies or a wheel ? Least that's what I recall . Have had some conservation , but I don't have the time or know how to take on . And this was at least a year ago if not more . It's a shame , because I think this would greatly improve the sim in my opinion . And again , had thought it had been done . Just don't remember why it never went into the sim .

But it would fix a lot of issues for centenary routes .

Matt

 

[MonkeManTrainz420]

Believe or not, someone did make an automatic height changing pantograph script, and uploaded 2 videos of it to YT. Here’s the first Automatic Height Changing Pantograph video. The video is 7 years old though, and the forum post needs special permissions, or something, and Romanian forum post have long since been removed and replaced by random redirects. I haven’t searched the DLS yet to see if it was posted there, but I wouldn’t be so sure.

 

[alex_trs]

Hi! Original author of the said script here . Unfortunately, the old forum thread's link has been moved, but it can be found here: https://forums.auran.com/threads/auto-height-adjusting-pantograph.133872/. In the video you linked there's a download link that I had updated not very long ago, and is still good: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Yz1bblVV7TZPUVoi3HNMWJgcyjS4GyLl/view.

 

[PWeiser]

I can vouch for the feasibility of changing a pantograph's contact shoe height at any time during the game (and the sparks go with it). It's a relatively simple matter of setting up the animation so your script can change the animation's current frame accordingly based on desired contact height and parameters specific to the locomotive and the particular pantograph.

But... I have never tried to script this to happen based on trigger, etc., hints as to wire height. The gentlemen above have done the work to make that happen. It's now a matter of standardization, generalization, or both. Happy to help if needed, though.