Path Rules, getting them to work.

[gremlin1812]

G'day All,
Am Running Trs 2010 build 44088 and have tried using both path rules with no success. I can set junctions and signals are seen but the AI just doesn’t want to work with them. I have used drive to and drive via and even autopilot, these work most of the time but I always seem to come to a point where they just laugh at me and go and do what they want which is not even close to what I intended.
With the path rules I feel I am close to getting it but I must be missing out on some little thing that eludes me.
Is there a limit to a path length/number of signals/number of junctions?
I feel that paths will make the most successful session but getting over the hurdle of the AI train using them is about to send me to the funny farm.
Regards
Barrie

 

[Kennilworth]

Hi Barrie

You need to use one of the Autodrive commands with the Path Rules. There are two of them so make sure that you use the correct one with whichever Path rule that you are using.

I haven't reached a limit with the number of junctions/signals that can be used in a path but I tend to keep the paths as short as possible to avoid reserving the path for too far ahead. Longer paths can be made up if required by putting a number of short paths together before the Autodrive command.

Regards

Brian

 

[Andyz]

G'day All,
Am Running Trs 2010 build 44088 and have tried using both path rules with no success. I can set junctions and signals are seen but the AI just doesn’t want to work with them. I have used drive to and drive via and even autopilot, these work most of the time but I always seem to come to a point where they just laugh at me and go and do what they want which is not even close to what I intended.
With the path rules I feel I am close to getting it but I must be missing out on some little thing that eludes me.
Is there a limit to a path length/number of signals/number of junctions?
I feel that paths will make the most successful session but getting over the hurdle of the AI train using them is about to send me to the funny farm.
Regards
Barrie

Hi Barrie,

I have used Brumfondel's jsTRF path control rule extensively over the years, and there are some key things to consider for successfull AI operations.

1: Always use "autodrive" commands while the path is used, until the last junction in the path is passsed.

2: Set the first signal to green or yellow, never red!

3: Set all following signals in the path to "automatic" (no colour showing).

4: The first driver command should be "set path (wait)".

5: Any following commands before the next stop should be "set path (queue)". This allows any trains ahead to clear their paths.

6: All paths must be protected by a red signal. This means setting the default direction for a junction so as to cause the preceding signal to show red. If this is not possible then place a dummy junction with invisible track directly after the signal,(like a de-rail).
This is most important, because the starting signal could show green or yellow, before the path is set. This allows the train to proceed into the proposed path, and so be detected by the path rule as an other train blocking the path, and from there on all hell breaks loose!!

7: Keep the paths as short as possible, better to have multiple paths set than one long path. This allows any following train to occupy paths as they are released.

That is about all I can think of at the moment,

Cheers
Andyz

 

[gremlin1812]

thanks

G’day Brian & Andyz,
Thank you for your replies and information, I have now successfully run a train over two paths with it finishing up in a yard as intended. Before the AI would go where I wanted (eventually) after playing crossover mayhem, now they just go straight through the crossovers as intended and enter the yard as directed.
I had the paths setup correctly it was just the driver commands were not correctly set up. The autodrive command I used gave the choice of "to" or "via" trackmark which is quite handy.
Regards and thanks.
Barrie