I don't know what it is called but I like it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBfToXJ4h2o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBfToXJ4h2o
This thing is Awesome!!! Is it available in Trainz??
- Thread starter Wyonate
- Start date
steve_juliano
Umm Yeah
I don't know if somebody has made the coal docks in Sandusky but it's about 20 miles north of my house
Richarde57
Active member
That would be nice!
This is a BIG one.
There are some in Trainz, but only small ones.
☼
☼
This is a BIG one.
There are some in Trainz, but only small ones.
☼
☼cascaderailroad
New member
Another 32,000 tons of US coal, headed for another foreign Country.
Estimates are that the Earth has only 112 years of coal left, and will decrease even more rapidly as the world population grows. In 1980 there was 250 years of coal left (something is wrong with the fuzzy math, it just don't add up correctly)
Estimates are that the Earth has only 112 years of coal left, and will decrease even more rapidly as the world population grows. In 1980 there was 250 years of coal left (something is wrong with the fuzzy math, it just don't add up correctly)
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I don't like the idea of it leaving out country but the machine is Awesome. If it was 20 miles from my house I'd have to be visiting it often. All though, 32,000 tons isn't much. I grew up in the Powder River Basin and we could kick out 150,000 tons in 24 hours at the mine I worked at. But all the same... it sucks that We aren't using it.
Automated coal-handling plants for the transfer of coal from RR cars to vessels have been around for a while.
The Virginian Railway completed a large facility at Sewalls Point, Virginia (VA) in the spring of 1909, that used self-propelled transfer cars very similar to the ones in the video.
I have a page that links to an 1918 article which has drawings (example below), photos (example above), and other information about the Virginian Railway's coal handling plant at Sewalls Point, VA here: http://wvrailroads.net/index.php/Virginian_Railway_Sewalls_Point_Coal-Handling_Plant
If someone is interested in building a Trainz model of the Virginian plant I can round additional drawings and details...
The Virginian Railway completed a large facility at Sewalls Point, Virginia (VA) in the spring of 1909, that used self-propelled transfer cars very similar to the ones in the video.
I have a page that links to an 1918 article which has drawings (example below), photos (example above), and other information about the Virginian Railway's coal handling plant at Sewalls Point, VA here: http://wvrailroads.net/index.php/Virginian_Railway_Sewalls_Point_Coal-Handling_Plant
If someone is interested in building a Trainz model of the Virginian plant I can round additional drawings and details...
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THat's odd. Apparently in Australia there's 300 years of coal left at the rate we use it. But i'm sure you're right
Jamie
While I think I might be able to make this for Trainz there would have to be some compromises.
1. You can move a traincar vertically via a transfer table but you can't rotate a traincar around its longitudinal (coupler to coupler) axis. Believe me when I say I've tried because I'd like to make some rotary car dumps that aren't enclosed. Very few (if any) were. On the ones I've made I have to enclose the full hopper inside the drum to hide the fact it doesn't rotate - only the drum rotates.
2. Hoppers would have to be pushed up the incline by a loco. My scripting guru has tried and trried and tried to figure out a way to push a traincar on one track with an invisible loco on a parallel track and apparently it can't be done (but if someone knows how it can be done - please, please, please tell us, lol).
Get me enough photos and basic dimensions and I'll give it a go.
Ben
1. You can move a traincar vertically via a transfer table but you can't rotate a traincar around its longitudinal (coupler to coupler) axis. Believe me when I say I've tried because I'd like to make some rotary car dumps that aren't enclosed. Very few (if any) were. On the ones I've made I have to enclose the full hopper inside the drum to hide the fact it doesn't rotate - only the drum rotates.
2. Hoppers would have to be pushed up the incline by a loco. My scripting guru has tried and trried and tried to figure out a way to push a traincar on one track with an invisible loco on a parallel track and apparently it can't be done (but if someone knows how it can be done - please, please, please tell us, lol).
Get me enough photos and basic dimensions and I'll give it a go.
Ben
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That would be really cool if someone knew how to do this. Myself... I woun't even to know where to begin. I can't even think of an alternative way to even get it started. I will ask a few people to see if they know how or have any ideas how to make one turn/roll. t kinda makes me wonder if it is even possible cuz when you witness a wreck in trainz I can't recall any cars going completly over on their tops. Lots on their sides but never completly over.
Like I said I tried for weeks and never could get one to rotate that way.
A clue that it can't be done might be as follows: Some years ago I made a vertical loop of track (like a loop-de-loop on a roller coaster). When I ran a loco thru it (after a good running start, lol) the loco went up and at 89 degrees was ok but at 91 degrees it had flipped over so the loco was always on top of the rails. So even if there is a way to rotate a traincar it can't be rotated past 89 degrees and thats not enough to completely unload a car.
As for this item - - - the vertial movement can be done as a transfer table and the rotation by animation but the hoppers would have to be hidden somehow.
Another item to consider is - - - if made as a transfer table would it be possible to unload the car since that requires the item to be an industry - not a turntable. It would require some experimentation and frankly the more I think about it the more apprehensive I get as to weather it can be made to work. It pretty much boils down to - - - I can move and (fake) rotate the car, or unload the car, but (as far as I know) not both.
Ben
A clue that it can't be done might be as follows: Some years ago I made a vertical loop of track (like a loop-de-loop on a roller coaster). When I ran a loco thru it (after a good running start, lol) the loco went up and at 89 degrees was ok but at 91 degrees it had flipped over so the loco was always on top of the rails. So even if there is a way to rotate a traincar it can't be rotated past 89 degrees and thats not enough to completely unload a car.
As for this item - - - the vertial movement can be done as a transfer table and the rotation by animation but the hoppers would have to be hidden somehow.
Another item to consider is - - - if made as a transfer table would it be possible to unload the car since that requires the item to be an industry - not a turntable. It would require some experimentation and frankly the more I think about it the more apprehensive I get as to weather it can be made to work. It pretty much boils down to - - - I can move and (fake) rotate the car, or unload the car, but (as far as I know) not both.
Ben
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Got ya beat Steve0e0... as the crow flies, I live 1 mile, give or take a foot or two,
from the Sandusky Coal Docks. On a warm nite in summer, the cars coupling on
their return from the ramp, will keep you awake.
It goes on for hours.
Also a point of attraction is the coal yards just south of town.
As a footnote, NS is completely remodeling the interchange with the former
PRR/NYC. There has never been an interchange track to allow trains from the
coal yard south of town to go west to Toledo. There is NOW!
It's only a short time till it is activated. All work seems to be complete, signals
and all. The old NYC tri-color signals on gantrys are going to be short lived as
new signals have been installed at the interchange.
You can see the old configuration on BING maps. Look at US Rt 6 west of Ohio 101
at the intersection at Huron St. Huron St is no more. It has been perminately closed
from US 6 north to the NS mainline. On the north side of the main, is a huge new
cul de sac. Perfect for train watchers.
It's gonna be interesting!
-AL
from the Sandusky Coal Docks. On a warm nite in summer, the cars coupling on
their return from the ramp, will keep you awake.
It goes on for hours.
Also a point of attraction is the coal yards just south of town.
As a footnote, NS is completely remodeling the interchange with the former
PRR/NYC. There has never been an interchange track to allow trains from the
coal yard south of town to go west to Toledo. There is NOW!
It's only a short time till it is activated. All work seems to be complete, signals
and all. The old NYC tri-color signals on gantrys are going to be short lived as
new signals have been installed at the interchange.
You can see the old configuration on BING maps. Look at US Rt 6 west of Ohio 101
at the intersection at Huron St. Huron St is no more. It has been perminately closed
from US 6 north to the NS mainline. On the north side of the main, is a huge new
cul de sac. Perfect for train watchers.
It's gonna be interesting!
-AL
Virtual Car Puller
Here's a craazy idea on how to push the cars uphill without an engine: pull them instead. On my car float barge I got so tired of overrunning the buffers on the far end and derailing that I put in dummy buffers while what was really happening was a connected, invisible track which took off at a 60 degree upward angle. When a cut of cars hit this, the leading car would rise slightly, then they'd all bounce back (as the virtual weight of the lead car pushed back down the invisible slope).
Seems to me what you could do is have your hill up to the facility, then beyond it an invisible downslope with some very heavy invisble cars on it. Couple the hoppers to it and it would pull them up the relatively gradual visible slope due to the virtual weight of the invisble heavies on the invisible downslope.
Of course an invisible engine on that invisible track might be simpler... but with fuel costs as they are, why not use virtual gravity for a virtual perpetual-motion machine?
Here's a craazy idea on how to push the cars uphill without an engine: pull them instead. On my car float barge I got so tired of overrunning the buffers on the far end and derailing that I put in dummy buffers while what was really happening was a connected, invisible track which took off at a 60 degree upward angle. When a cut of cars hit this, the leading car would rise slightly, then they'd all bounce back (as the virtual weight of the lead car pushed back down the invisible slope).
Seems to me what you could do is have your hill up to the facility, then beyond it an invisible downslope with some very heavy invisble cars on it. Couple the hoppers to it and it would pull them up the relatively gradual visible slope due to the virtual weight of the invisble heavies on the invisible downslope.
Of course an invisible engine on that invisible track might be simpler... but with fuel costs as they are, why not use virtual gravity for a virtual perpetual-motion machine?
Williamb73
Member
If Cars Don't Roll?
IF cars don't rock or roll then this sim is being falsely advertised as a simulator right? I love trains and can't wait till computers get better and can really simulate things but the calculations are intense.
Sorry bout the spelling I'm a Dr lol
IF cars don't rock or roll then this sim is being falsely advertised as a simulator right? I love trains and can't wait till computers get better and can really simulate things but the calculations are intense.
Sorry bout the spelling I'm a Dr lol
If the "incline" you're referring to is the inline to the rotary dumper, the Virginian facility used a barney pushing gondola (see pic below) to position cars...
If you're referring to the "incline" on the loading pier, the transfer cars were self-propelled, and equipped with a cab, operated by a motorman, etc.
Did you look at the link I provided earlier? As I stated earlier, I can provide additional info, pics, diagrams, etc. on the Virginian facility. PM if you're interested.
I often add invisible track to something to prevent accidental overshoots. Looks a bit silly in Surveyor but who cares - it prevents crashing your session for being a tad toenthuastic with the throttle and can't be seen in Driver.
We tried several ideas like that but it all boils down to how to get the loco (invisible or not) out of the way.
With ours we push a cut up and center the first car over the trigger. The script file takes over from there and uncouples the car, signals the engineer to back up, warns everyone the drum is about to rotate, rotates and unloads the car, rotates back and tells the engineer ok to push the now empty out (without the next full car coupling to it, then the cycle repeats until done. The loco is "out of the way" of the empty car going out the back side. Pulling the cut with a loco (invisible or not) would always have the loco "in the way" of the empty car coming out of the drum. This is why we explored ways of pushing or pulling cars by a loco on a parallel track but it doesn't seem to be possible (and yes - we explored the MU idea too).
Ben
We tried several ideas like that but it all boils down to how to get the loco (invisible or not) out of the way.
With ours we push a cut up and center the first car over the trigger. The script file takes over from there and uncouples the car, signals the engineer to back up, warns everyone the drum is about to rotate, rotates and unloads the car, rotates back and tells the engineer ok to push the now empty out (without the next full car coupling to it, then the cycle repeats until done. The loco is "out of the way" of the empty car going out the back side. Pulling the cut with a loco (invisible or not) would always have the loco "in the way" of the empty car coming out of the drum. This is why we explored ways of pushing or pulling cars by a loco on a parallel track but it doesn't seem to be possible (and yes - we explored the MU idea too).
Ben
Setting the rotary dumper up as a portal would probably be the easiest way...