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Activities at a location

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Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 01:20 #76256
flabberdacks
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579 posts
Hello, just wanted to put an idea out there:

I am wondering if it is possible to have all timetabled activities remain on the 'Show Timetable' screen, even after they are completed. This would not change the existing behaviour of locations dropping off the list as the train passes them, it would just retain all activities at a location until departed or completely ready for next working.

Consider:



Fairly straightforward - train arrives at Euston, drops loco off the front which forms 0M42-1, then waits for another loco to attach in rear before forming its next run.

When the loco is detached and 0M42-1 is now considered by the sim to be a separate train from 1A70, the instruction "DEF: 0M42-1" will disappear from the activities list for 1A70. When I click on 1A70's headcode, the activities listed will only state "J: 0H24 N: 1H24" with no mention of the detached front loco.

Many trains arrive at Euston or Kings Cross on various timetables and divide into 3 or even 4 separate units. Which trains are in the platform, and in which order are they sitting? Has the train detached an engine from the rear which needs to shunt out of the platform first? If I'm busy and have not been able to study the timetable before bringing it into the platform, it is very easy to get lost. On the Euston 1980s timetable, a handful of early morning trains detach sleeping cars from the rear as well as their engine from the front - if I don't 'Show Timetable' before the divides are completed, I may be unaware until the wrong loco is sent in and refuses to join. I feel like the signallers in the real boxes had a better way of keeping track?

I'm aware that I can do some digging through the F4 timetable and the F2 train list to see where I am up to, but I figure that shouldn't be necessary. If I had a paper timetable in front of me, it would not change from one minute to the next - it would be a constant reliable reference regardless of the current state of the train. I'm already advised when a divide is complete via the Messages screen.

Possibly we could also figure out a system whereby the Show Timetable screen will change an activity's colour (or something) to mark it as completed instead of removing it?

Any thoughts? Criticism on my terrible notekeeping is welcome!

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The following users said thank you: KymriskaDraken, CABOOSEMAN, CTCThiago
Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 07:58 #76261
Danny252
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1461 posts
I'd be in favour of this, with completed activities going red/blue, italic, or something like that.
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Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 08:41 #76262
JamesN
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Online
" said:
I'd be in favour of this, with completed activities going red/blue, italic, or something like that.
Strikethrough may be clearer to understand...

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Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 08:55 #76264
KymriskaDraken
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963 posts
Sounds like a good idea to me.
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Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 11:46 #76277
flabberdacks
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579 posts
" said:
" said:
I'd be in favour of this, with completed activities going red/blue, italic, or something like that.
Strikethrough may be clearer to understand...
I'd actually argue against a strikethrough just for readability at a glance. Maybe putting a completed activity in brackets?

Or add a small tick next to the activity.

Last edited: 26/09/2015 at 11:47 by flabberdacks
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Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 13:00 #76280
bill_gensheet
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1317 posts
Fonts might be easier, either by colour or go from standard to bold (activity in progress) to italic (complete)
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The following user said thank you: flabberdacks
Activities at a location 26/09/2015 at 15:14 #76281
jc92
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3629 posts
I use sticky notes. As soon as a service arrives i write and place the sticky notes in geographical order on the panel then alter TD's once all movements are complete.

Once a trains status shows as on time I know it has formed correctly.

Joe

"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 00:27 #76292
flabberdacks
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579 posts
Yes, I use stickies in some locations. For loco shunts, often just manipulating the train describer is enough. However, this suggestion would help people who are learning the busier locations - I have seen people say that the Euston PSB sim is too hard, for example. (Actually it's great everyone go learn it! Get the 1980s timetable! I will help you!)

This would be for people who are really under the pump, whether through delays, failures or otherwise, who haven't been able to write the sticky note and have just pumped trains into platforms and will attend to them later. If they don't put the sticky note up before the divide happens, they might get in trouble.

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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 06:08 #76295
Hawk777
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How about no indication at all of which activities are completed (or at least an option for this)? Surely in real life the signaller’s workstation doesn’t magically know whether or not a train’s couplers have been detached yet! Wouldn’t it be more realistic to eliminate this information (and also turn off the “finished joining” and “finished dividing” messages)?
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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 13:29 #76296
Temple Meads
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" said:
How about no indication at all of which activities are completed (or at least an option for this)? Surely in real life the signaller’s workstation doesn’t magically know whether or not a train’s couplers have been detached yet! Wouldn’t it be more realistic to eliminate this information (and also turn off the “finished joining” and “finished dividing” messages)?
I agree with this.

Username TIM in multiplayer
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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 13:46 #76297
headshot119
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4869 posts
" said:
" said:
How about no indication at all of which activities are completed (or at least an option for this)? Surely in real life the signaller’s workstation doesn’t magically know whether or not a train’s couplers have been detached yet! Wouldn’t it be more realistic to eliminate this information (and also turn off the “finished joining” and “finished dividing” messages)?
I agree with this. :)
I don't, at a lot of places you can phone the station staff to ask if a divide / join has happened etc.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 14:49 #76299
RainbowNines
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I'm intrigued to know what the prototypical process is. Obviously the box would be able to see that some tasks are done, but many would not be the case.

So does the signalman take it on good faith (or rather, local knowledge) that the shunter/driver/whoever will get on with it and get the task out of the way and set routes as appropriate? Or will the person in question call in once done (or as headshot says, signalman to call them)? Or is it location specific?

Last edited: 27/09/2015 at 14:50 by RainbowNines
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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 15:06 #76300
flabberdacks
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579 posts
I assume that the box is planning their moves based on everything being ready for the next tabled departure without micromanagement of each individual activity, only requiring they be told as soon as possible if the next working won't be ready to meet timetable.

If anyone has any info on how boxes at terminal stations kept track of their light engine shunts in days past, I'd love to hear it!

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Activities at a location 27/09/2015 at 16:15 #76303
Hawk777
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Right, I had just assumed it was the signaller’s responsibility to learn how much time an average coupling or uncoupling operation took and set the routes appropriately (of course you can wait for TRTS in some cases, but often that’s not available). I don’t actually know for sure though, so a real railway person’s input would help
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Activities at a location 28/09/2015 at 11:36 #76320
AndyG
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1834 posts
I've moved the various (fascinating) tales to a new thread for clarity to the original wish-list item.
I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either.
Last edited: 28/09/2015 at 11:42 by AndyG
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