More disruption events.

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More disruption events. 24/11/2021 at 04:27 #142454
i26
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I can't seem to see any threads about this. Just wondering on whether there's any plans to add more disruption events. If possible think the following would be a great addition to SimSig.

Level Crossing failure. Up/Down position.

Obstruction on the track (Result of a TCF and inspection by train)

Loss of signalling (Loss of signalling for 1 panel or area)

Failure of the electricity supply.

Just some I could think of.


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More disruption events. 24/11/2021 at 09:23 #142455
kbarber
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I think the real problem is that several of these are total show-stoppers. At which point, it's pretty much game over (or, in a real box, put the kettle on and wait for the S&T/police/Pway/MOM to go and sort things out. Anything from 20 minutes to 6 hours or more in which nowt moves. Bit of a tedious shift methinks, apart from the constant ringing of the phone from people who want to know how long it'll be ("I dunno... ask the S&T. They're the ones who can tell you.")

Perhaps more interesting might be the momentary failures (though I suspect modern electronics are too reliable for that). For instance, the 1960 box at Hackney Downs controlled Clapton Junction over a Westronic TDM remote control system. Just outside the relay room at Clapton Jc was a neutral section. I believe the 'proper' way to handle a neutral is to shut off power on the approach, wait until all the pans have passed through it, then take power again (matter of a few seconds). But when empty cars were going to Chingford after the morning peak, drivers were usually in a hurry (it was 'job and finish' for them) so they just kept the controller wide open. We have to presume it was that which would cause the Westronic to 'flash' - to drop out completely, for a second or so. The whole right hand end of the panel went red, all the alarms would sound at once and all the bobby could do was wait and hope it came back. It usually did, the panel went back to normal, the alarms stopped and all was well. (If it didn't it was the unfortunate Station Manager's job to trudge out to the [obscene] emergency panel at the relay room and operate it until the S&T could find the right place to kick the Westronic.)

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More disruption events. 24/11/2021 at 17:46 #142463
i26
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Not all of them are show stoppers.

An obstruction on the track could be cleared within 20 minutes by a MOM, Barriers failing could then lead to them being taken under local control with signals being talked past. Potential to call the MOM and ask for barriers to be lowered/raised.


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More disruption events. 24/11/2021 at 17:57 #142464
jc92
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i26 in post 142463 said:
Not all of them are show stoppers.

An obstruction on the track could be cleared within 20 minutes by a MOM, Barriers failing could then lead to them being taken under local control with signals being talked past. Potential to call the MOM and ask for barriers to be lowered/raised.
Id be impressed if a MOM attended the scene within 20 minutes (obviously location dependent), let alone arranged removal of the item and reopening the line to traffic.

"We don't stop camborne wednesdays"
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More disruption events. 24/11/2021 at 20:42 #142468
y10g9
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I26 There are some hosts that implement the other sorts of failures that you were suggesting. On the 158 Frozen popsicles mega chain, that is planned for the 22nd January, we will have other failures that are not normal to the SimSig defaults ones, (including the deployment of MOMs to locations and even a lesser spotted 1Z99 could make an appearance)

In terms of the Default failures, they have to me manageable by users of all abilities and experience. Not all users know how to run trains to different timetables or reverse trains. There is at least 1 simulation that I can currently think of where one of the start up difficulty options gives a chance of having a set of wires trip out or the airport tripwire being activated, but this was only able to be implemented as there is a diversion route available internal to the sim.

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More disruption events. 27/11/2021 at 21:39 #142518
clive
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i26 in post 142454 said:

Loss of signalling (Loss of signalling for 1 panel or area)
That's already available to developers and testers for debugging. In principle I can see no reason why it couldn't be moved to F11 or (more work) made to happen at random in a "difficult" mode (given the sim had it programmed as a possibility). All I need is about 3 years extra time.

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More disruption events. 27/11/2021 at 21:42 #142519
clive
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kbarber in post 142455 said:

Perhaps more interesting might be the momentary failures (though I suspect modern electronics are too reliable for that). For instance, the 1960 box at Hackney Downs controlled Clapton Junction over a Westronic TDM remote control system.
When I manage to get Euston re-released, it has a similar sort of failure in it. Does T66 ring a bell? (If it does, don't tell everyone about it, though.)

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More disruption events. 27/11/2021 at 21:43 #142520
clive
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y10g9 in post 142468 said:
There is at least 1 simulation that I can currently think of where one of the start up difficulty options gives a chance of having a set of wires trip out or the airport tripwire being activated, but this was only able to be implemented as there is a diversion route available internal to the sim.
The grand-daddy of these is "feature X" in Cambridge. I still remember the indignation clearly coming through the forum posting the first time someone came across it. That didn't have any diversion routes.

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More disruption events. 28/11/2021 at 14:17 #142555
kbarber
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clive in post 142519 said:
kbarber in post 142455 said:

Perhaps more interesting might be the momentary failures (though I suspect modern electronics are too reliable for that). For instance, the 1960 box at Hackney Downs controlled Clapton Junction over a Westronic TDM remote control system.
When I manage to get Euston re-released, it has a similar sort of failure in it. Does T66 ring a bell? (If it does, don't tell everyone about it, though.)
If it's the one I think it is... it <whisper whisper> when <whisper whisper>... is that the one you mean? :-)

I could just ask a mutual friend. Funnily enough I saw him yesterday, playing with a rather different kind of sim.

Last edited: 28/11/2021 at 14:19 by kbarber
Reason: None given

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