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FOND DU LAC BRANCH

Porting "Morning Connection" to T:ANE - Lessons Learned

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by
RHKluckhohn
, March 26th, 2018 at 01:34 AM (2866 Views)
  1. Opening FDL12 Morning Connection in T:ANE SP2, the one consist was invisible and immobile and untouchable, like it had been in SP1. However this time it could not be deleted from the sky view as it could in SP1. Very strangely it showed up in all the lists and I could assign it a driver, I could sit in the cab although I could not see it. It would not move for either cab controls or driver commands. I tried deleting the track under it; it remained. I tried copying and pasting a clear area over it; it remained. However, the Delete Train command did remove it from the session. A Layer issue? I don't know, but:

    Returning to 12 I created a new version for T:ANE (deleted obsolete-table &c.), then edited that in 12 Surveyor, creating a new session layer "Consists" and moving the commuter consist into that. Opening the new version in T:ANE Surveyor, the consist was still invisible and not manipulable at all, but deleting the Consists layer did remove it. So the T:ANE session now has a rebuilt consist. (The baggage-tap has been replaced with a second coach since we have been leaving passengers on the Mayville platform in the original.)

    If this happens with the other sessions, and I expect it to, it will be a major donkey pain. The least worst way I can think of is to delete all the equipment, making a list of what/where as we go, and rebuild it de novo in T:ANE.
  2. The Milwaukee and Horicon portals had no consists on import. Should have had the main line passenger consist in each direction. The appropriate equipment had not been installed first, which might have done that. So I created the consist in 12 and ported it over. The equipment installed fine. (This consist is now on the DLS.) In the original version the consist was built in the portal but creating those is time-consuming and I had the consist in the list so installed Quick Portal Manager v.3 and set up the two main line trains (132 and 133) on their schedules. Works great. There were no issues with the SOO or CNW portals except that in these old sessions I'd built in some non-US equipment, which has since been appropriately replaced.
  3. Removed the Schedule Rule (known defective, under study by N3V), at first replacing it with a message pop-up with the eastbound schedule as a text entry, but if it was closed and reopened the intro screen came up with it, having to be closed. Created instead a second browser page, a little large but much clearer and covering both east- and west-bound runs, and it will be the screen to come up at Toggle Session Instructions. Of course it's not otherwise interactive, but so what?


Obviously time to go digging in the Forum and to consult the Wise Ones.

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Categories
CONSTRUCTION

Comments

  1. RHKluckhohn's Avatar
    With Morning Connection fixed and on the DLS, it was time to see what other trouble we could get into. I picked Rock Train as having only two consists, and proceeded to clone a new asset, pointing it to the T:ANE map and deleting the obsolete-table container as before. I did not bother to create a Consists layer, just installed it in T:ANE.

    I found HALF a consist missing: the pre-loaded hoppers at Limestone Country. There were two on the west tailtrack at the bumper end. These were #1 and #2. #3 and #4 were there but invisible until you got out to sky view. Zoomed back in and used the Trains Move tool to twitch #1, at which point 3 and 4 reappeared.

    Hopper 3 had been sitting on a spline junction, as had the Morning Connection consist.

    The rock train itself was all there on the Iron Ridge west main, clear of any spline points.

    So now we know. What do we know? I don't know, but shifting consists clear of spline points and later moving them back sure beats deletion and reconstruction of running numbers, loads and what have you. Or, attach a car clear of the spline point to the consist and use it for a handle, then delete it.

    Just did a search in the Forum and found one potential approach: move to the Route layer, then merge the session layer into it. Then go create a new session layer and move the rolling stock into it. We'll try that next time, if there is a next time. Gotta watch out if you've decorated the session with scenery....

    -- 30 --
    Updated March 26th, 2018 at 11:46 PM by RHKluckhohn
  2. RHKluckhohn's Avatar
    This one has many consists but is a relatively short session with variety, so let's see what happened.

    First, in 12, reviewed each consist. Moved the ones on spline points to clear track. Broke the WSOR train at a spline point, moving the cuts clear. Split the four tanks at Winnebago Distributors and moved them clear of the spline points. Imported it into TANE. All the consists on clear through tracks were good. The oil cans were good. All the other consists on stub tracks (Philips, Team 3, the West Yard, Limestone Country east tail) were ghosts, except the cut at Goldencow. In addition, consists sitting on trackmarks were ghosts (Kustom, BROWNS Team, Truck Stop 1), except for the cut on the SOO West interchange spot.

    Say what!?

    So tried merging the session layer into the route. All the visible consists merged, the ghosts did not. However, I was in the session layer. Maybe should follow the directions? Will try again, but not tomorrow.

    I went ahead and moved all the ghosts onto clear track in 12, re-imported and put everything back in place. It all runs correctly, so I uploaded it to the DLC. Really ought to put in an end-of session routine.

    -- 30 --
  3. RHKluckhohn's Avatar
    31 March 2018

    Uploaded an updated route (signal correction at SOO Military Rd EB, now shows divergence correctly) and Monday PM Odd Jobs (added a jobs counter and end-of-session routine, removed the people from FDL platform.) Forgot to remove the "Show Variable" rule before upload. Oh, well.

    <:B~)
  4. RHKluckhohn's Avatar
    6 May 2018

    Went to run Morning Connection on my laptop while out of town and found that the "FDL-MILW Passenger" consist needed for the Quick Portal Manager did not download with the rest of the dependencies. Is this typical? Something to watch out for in future.

    :B~(