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Light Rail Sims

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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 14:38 #113496
ajax103
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1103 posts
We've seen the part of Chicago's L system being simulated, we have various LUL simulations so has any thought ever been given to say simulating more of these networks but also look at maybe covering Croydon Tramlink, Birmingham Metro etc

I know they're usually driven line of sight but I do believe there are some signals.

So would it be possible to simulate the Croydon Tramlink for example on SimSig?

As to LUL, while I wouldn't mind seeing a Met simulation from Baker Street to Harrow, the one I'm more keen to see if it ever was possible would be the Piccadilly line.

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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 14:46 #113497
AlexRail575
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LUL and Chicago are definitively "heavy rail", in the sense that "traditional" trains are used on an exclusive right of way. As such, there is quite a similarity with the "regular" train services.

Would be definitively quite different to simulate tram networks.

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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 14:47 #113498
outofsection
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PART of the Met Line is in the Marylebone Sim - from Preston Road to Amersham & the Chesham branch including the Watford branch from Moor Park. You need to turn on the FULL option in the LUL area drop down box in the loader screen.
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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 20:27 #113522
Muzer
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718 posts
In addition there are sims available for the Victoria and Waterloo & City Lines. There are also extremities of the District Line on Wimbledon and North London Line sims, along with the Bakerloo in Wembley Suburban; all Network Rail controlled areas though.
Last edited: 24/11/2018 at 20:29 by Muzer
Reason: None given

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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 21:06 #113524
postal
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And the joint use of Network Rail tracks by main line and Tyne and Wear Metro trains between Pelaw and Sunderland on the Tyneside sim.

We had a visit to the T&W Metro Control Room in 2012 and a lot of photos of the panels were taken so there is the start of the data set for T&W Metro sim to chain with Tyneside but I expect that anyone looking to write that sim will need an awful lot more data before they can make sense of things.

We also had a visit to the Tramlink Control Room at Croydon in 2016 so again there is the first glimmer of the information that is required to write a sim.

“In life, there is always someone out there, who won’t like you, for whatever reason, don’t let the insecurities in their lives affect yours.” – Rashida Rowe
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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 22:05 #113526
Muzer
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Of course. And some of the level crossings on the Nottingham Express Transit are controlled from the Trent sim, since the line in part runs parallel with (IIRC) the Robin Hood line.
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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 22:06 #113527
metcontrol
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217 posts
Unfortunately, I know from past experience with several examples that LUL* are less than willing to allow the sort of data required for sims into public hands. This reluctance often extends to historical / no longer in use data. So even if one was, for example, in possession of signalling data for a line long since modernised, they would still be less than keen for this data to be shared. It falls mainly within their security policies which used to also see LU working timetables hidden from public view. Those appear to be easily obtainable now for the general public so maybe one day we may see a shift change for other areas...

(*My employer so forgive me if I am not drawn into certain areas of discussion)

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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 22:41 #113528
JamesN
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The other thing to consider is things like the tram systems - there isn't any signalling in the sense that it's controlled by signallers - the likes of Tramlink, NET the drivers have controls in the cab that command points ahead across when they become free to move - the Control rooms more look to maintain service level, monitor station CCTV and so on.

There really wouldn't be much for SimSig to simulate, at least realistically.

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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 23:15 #113529
Splodge
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698 posts
JamesN in post 113528 said:
The other thing to consider is things like the tram systems - there isn't any signalling in the sense that it's controlled by signallers - the likes of Tramlink, NET the drivers have controls in the cab that command points ahead across when they become free to move - the Control rooms more look to maintain service level, monitor station CCTV and so on.

There really wouldn't be much for SimSig to simulate, at least realistically.
Indeed, I used to work for Metrolink and although Bury and Altrincham were 'conventionally' signalled, realistically the only control was at the terminal stations (and at Altrincham was out of the control of the control room, instead being operated by the Deansgate Junction box). With all the additions and resignalling, they only really provide an overview, and although they could 'lock' signals to prevent them showing a proceed aspect at a converging junction, generally the preference was to hold drivers at a station to maintain headways or order. Diverging junctions had no control and were purely down to induction loops detecting a trams route code and setting the route accordingly, in some locations requiring a manual TRTS from the driver.

The other reason I feel a Metrolink sim would be quite boring is that it is clockface - Trams timed at the same 6 or 12 minute headway, in the same order, from start to end of service with no freight, shunts or peak time extras to work with, and perhaps only the odd driver training trip to throw into the mix (and even then, new drivers spend much less time driving out of service). Football and concert extras might occur, but these were always un-timetabled and subject to staff and tram availability.

There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway.
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Light Rail Sims 24/11/2018 at 23:40 #113530
Muzer
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718 posts
metcontrol in post 113527 said:
Unfortunately, I know from past experience with several examples that LUL* are less than willing to allow the sort of data required for sims into public hands. This reluctance often extends to historical / no longer in use data. So even if one was, for example, in possession of signalling data for a line long since modernised, they would still be less than keen for this data to be shared. It falls mainly within their security policies which used to also see LU working timetables hidden from public view. Those appear to be easily obtainable now for the general public so maybe one day we may see a shift change for other areas...

(*My employer so forgive me if I am not drawn into certain areas of discussion)
Working timetables are freely and publicly available on the TfL website and have been for some time. Prior to this they were fielding so many Freedom of Information requests for them (many of which are of course published on What Do They Know) that presumably they decided this was cheaper than devoting humans to dealing with it.

EDIT: Never mind, I misread your post, I missed the "used to"!

Last edited: 24/11/2018 at 23:42 by Muzer
Reason: None given

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