Passing track AI control

[greymaster]

In TR2006 I routinely ran trains in opposite directions on single-track line with passing tracks, and the AI worked perfectly to control the trains and switch junctions at meets, allowing trains to pass. Now in TANE SP2, when trains meet the AI will not switch the junction. I have tried rearranging signals, etc, nothing seems to work; the loco approaches the junction, then stops, and after about 15 seconds the AI turns off. Any ideas welcome, thanks.

 

[JCitron]

What do you mean by "AI turns off"?

Click on the spanner (wrench) in driver, and choose show message overlays. This will show more or less what's going on. There are many factors which can cause this such as "Unable to plot route", which is caused by direction markers facing the wrong way. A missing junction, which brings up "Junction missing lever" messages, broken tracks, disconnected tracks, etc.

 

[jrfolco]

I have the same identical problem, but it started when I first started using TANE. A train pulls into a passing siding to await an oncoming train, but the oncoming train pulls up to the junction and stops just before it. After 15 seconds or so, AI ceases to operate and the manual speed control dial appears in the lower right corner of the screen. This scenario stays that way indefinitely. I thought I read somewhere on this forum that AI was going to be completely redone for TANE. Maybe I'm just imagining that. Whatever the case, I'm having the same identical problem.

Joe

 

[Bob_Ross]

Perhaps applying more "control" over the driver?

 

[greymaster]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have checked the points you mentioned, but sadly TANE AI is simply not capable of handling a meet. It works fine for collision protection, but not for passing. The AI will simply line the junction for the shortest track distance to the destination, and then proceed and go past stop signal into an already occupied block. Very disappointing, as the AI for TR2006 system worked so well.

 

[JCitron]

I have the same identical problem, but it started when I first started using TANE. A train pulls into a passing siding to await an oncoming train, but the oncoming train pulls up to the junction and stops just before it. After 15 seconds or so, AI ceases to operate and the manual speed control dial appears in the lower right corner of the screen. This scenario stays that way indefinitely. I thought I read somewhere on this forum that AI was going to be completely redone for TANE. Maybe I'm just imagining that. Whatever the case, I'm having the same identical problem.

Joe

Okay... That explains it now.

I had that issue with SP1, but I don't see that now with SP2. I think it had something to do with the signal scripts, or scripts in general getting lost and not responding. This underlying part has been redone in SP2, which might explain why it's not a problem as much as it was before.

 

[Smileyman]

According to Tony in the linked thread below, the AI switching off/reverting to manual isn't fixed in SP2, and is "Still on the list"!

https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?139781-Problems-with-SP2&p=1609017#post1609017

Make of that what you will, but for a Sim that prides itself on its railway automation rather than loco simulation, it should be high priority.

Let's face it, if you have automated trains on a route, they're going to hit a red signal at some point.

Smiley.

 

[Bob_Ross]

I didn't mean to do this, I was just trying to remove my crap. Sorry.

 

[Smileyman]

You do not understand how railroads operate. Please stop whining. Learn to play your game.

Hey Bob!
Wind your neck in and keep it friendly!

Some of us have been around here for many years, and are well aware of the benefits of using trackmarks and driving via them, etc (and if you're really efficient, you may even be using one of MY driver commands, like "Priorityz"), but we're talking about a bug in the AI that wasn't there in previous versions, which means the AI passes control back to manual control, and stays there forever, and we're trying to help the guy with it.

Your example of a list of driver commands (again, which we all do) could still fail because of this bug.
No amount of careful planning with driver commands is going to save a train from this bug, because the AI is faulty.
If the AI didn't "fall asleep" when it hit a red signal, then it would wait until the path is clear.
With this bug, even after the path is clear, it will still be asleep, and won't move again, ever.

Did you even read the thread that I linked to?
The one where Tony (CEO of N3V) admitted that it was a bug, and that it was still on the list)?

Once the bug is fixed, then yes, carefully structured driver commands are required for complex running.

Telling people what they don't understand, saying they're whining, telling them to learn to play the game?
If you can't help someone without patronising them, maybe you should leave the help to others.

This is a forum.
If someone is asking for help, they are not whining.

Smiley.

 

[Railhead001]

Dang gone,

That explains a lot for me and the issues I was encountering..........I hope that bugs gets pushed to "priority" status because the realism factor definitely suffers........

 

[JCitron]

I reported this way, way back before SP1 and even sent in a route for testing. It would be nice if it was resolved. SP2 has, as I said, some better handling of the scripting, but I noticed that still after about an hour or so, the AI start doing this again.

My work around is to save the driver session, which I call xxxx because I can, exit and then come back in. That seems to reset the clock and I can get another hour's drive in.

I know it's band aides with bailing wire, with some gum attached, workaround, but a least we can continue to use the sim until the issue is resolved. Not knowing what's going on with beta for HF1, we won't know until we find out. If this issue continues, continue reporting.