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Going well so far.

You are here: Home > Forum > Simulations > Released > Cambridge > Going well so far.

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Going well so far. 27/06/2011 at 10:52 #3308
delticfan
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Hi all, well I've really got Cambridge in my head. Made it to 10.10 sim time on default timetable at 90%. I will admit to a couple of saves and restarts when things got knotty, lol!
Have noticed in the last hour of sim time that quite a few trains are running early on arrival at Ely and Cambridge. Is there an element in the program that monitors how well you're handling traffic and starts to change their performance? The worst two areas to master are northern approaches to Ely and also Cambridge station. Already wrongly routed a couple into bay platforms and had to start again (doh!).
Was up till 1am playing, but that's just me.

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Going well so far. 27/06/2011 at 10:52 #17023
delticfan
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476 posts
Hi all, well I've really got Cambridge in my head. Made it to 10.10 sim time on default timetable at 90%. I will admit to a couple of saves and restarts when things got knotty, lol!
Have noticed in the last hour of sim time that quite a few trains are running early on arrival at Ely and Cambridge. Is there an element in the program that monitors how well you're handling traffic and starts to change their performance? The worst two areas to master are northern approaches to Ely and also Cambridge station. Already wrongly routed a couple into bay platforms and had to start again (doh!).
Was up till 1am playing, but that's just me.

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Going well so far. 27/06/2011 at 23:53 #17025
UKTrainMan
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delticfan said:
Is there an element in the program that monitors how well you're handling traffic and starts to change their performance?
Not as far as I'm aware. In-fact, passenger trains shouldn't be running early as as is almost always the case they will wait until their booked departure time before departing unless they have a certain type of stop (e.g.: Set down only). If they do have that type of stop (denoted by a 'd' between the time, e.g. 08d01, instead of 08:01 - which is a booked departure time) then could depart once station duties are completed and that could mean they could start running early, but as far as I can recall none or very few trains in that timetable do have such a stop.

Freight trains however are unfortunately variable and so could run early, but it is the signaller's job to regulate appropriately and use loops where available to hold to time if needed.

Of-course, it is possible that the timings in this timetable are a bit slack, but I can't recall ever having experienced this problem with this timetable.

Hope this helps.

Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for.
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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 07:19 #17027
delticfan
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UKTrainMan said:
Of-course, it is possible that the timings in this timetable are a bit slack, but I can't recall ever having experienced this problem with this timetable.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the detailed suggestions UKTrainman, but I don't really see it as a problem, in fact it keeps me on my toes trying to fit all the affected services in. I mentioned it more out of curiosity.
I would mention a problem though which I noticed last night. On two occasions, at 1527 and around 1612, trains 1L17 and 1L19 are booked to depart UL towards Shippea Hill. 1L17 departs in parallel with 1E73 which is routed DL to Peterborough. No problem on the DL, but to get the affected trains along the UL towards Shippea Hill, I had to instruct both to pass each signal at danger to keep them moving. Would welcome any comments. Cheers, Mal.

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 07:36 #17028
postal
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If you are having to instruct trains to PSAD when there are no faults/failures, you are doing something outside the Rules (or the sim has thrown a wobbly). To try and track things down, which signals won't clear when the route is set - and are their any trains approaching from March/Ely/Shippea Hill which could be locking out the route with an overlap?
“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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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 09:26 #17030
clive
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delticfan said:
Is there an element in the program that monitors how well you're handling traffic and starts to change their performance?
No, there isn't. It must have been just luck.

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 09:29 #17031
clive
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delticfan said:
On two occasions, at 1527 and around 1612, trains 1L17 and 1L19 are booked to depart UL towards Shippea Hill. 1L17 departs in parallel with 1E73 which is routed DL to Peterborough. No problem on the DL, but to get the affected trains along the UL towards Shippea Hill, I had to instruct both to pass each signal at danger to keep them moving.
In that case you're doing something wrong. It's perfectly possible to set those routes at the same time.

Which signals did you have to order the train to pass. Were the signal stems white? Were there any other trains around? Do you have a saved game?

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 09:35 #17032
clive
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Two things you may have not considered. Firstly, the starting signals at Ely won't clear until the crossing is down and locked. Secondly, there is double-blocking over the single-line section at Ely North Junction. So 295 (on screen 3) won't clear until you've set the route from 305 (on screen 4).
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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 10:12 #17033
delticfan
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clive said:
Two things you may have not considered. Firstly, the starting signals at Ely won't clear until the crossing is down and locked. Secondly, there is double-blocking over the single-line section at Ely North Junction. So 295 (on screen 3) won't clear until you've set the route from 305 (on screen 4).

Hi Clive, I think you've solved the query. Unfortunately I haven't got a saved session covering the affected departures, but as I recall I did try to clear 295 before 305. I did realise that the barrier had to be down, I know Ely very well and have seen it in operation. There were no other trains around other than at 1527 when 1E73 departs parallel on DL towards Peterborough. That departed with no problem.
Another tip to remember in future, thanks again for all replies. Cheers, Mal.

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 13:03 #17038
AndyG
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delticfan said:
Have noticed in the last hour of sim time that quite a few trains are running early on arrival at Ely and Cambridge.
Probably a reflection that you're keeping the trains running under Gs Glad you're enjoying the sim, don't worry about asking questions as it can mean we've missed explaining something.

I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either.
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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 16:28 #17041
delticfan
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AndyG said:
Probably a reflection that you're keeping the trains running under Gs Glad you're enjoying the sim, don't worry about asking questions as it can mean we've missed explaining something.

Thanks for that Andy, but just curious as to the phrase 'running under Gs'.
I just know it's gonna mean something quite easy which i hadn't thought of (doh!).
Yep it's definitely been an easy sim to pick up, which is probably why I prefer paged sims. Probably just need to tune up a few things to avoid all the niggly little delays.
Thanks again to all.

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 16:34 #17042
mfcooper
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delticfan said:
Thanks for that Andy, but just curious as to the phrase 'running under Gs'.
I just know it's gonna mean something quite easy which i hadn't thought of (doh!).
Green signals ;-)

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 16:50 #17045
delticfan
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mfcooper said:
Thanks for that Andy, but just curious as to the phrase 'running under Gs'.
I just know it's gonna mean something quite easy which i hadn't thought of (doh!).
Green signals ;-)
Oh heck, I knew it was going to be something easy, lol!

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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 20:13 #17046
delticfan
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Sorry, me again. Just downloaded a couple of sounds files (TRTS and Phone), restarted sim but not getting either sound. Should they be saved direct to the individual sim or to the main Simsig folder? Only just noticed they were available and they would definitely add to the sim experience. Cheers, Mal.
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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 20:40 #17047
Peter Bennet
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delticfan said:
Sorry, me again. Just downloaded a couple of sounds files (TRTS and Phone), restarted sim but not getting either sound. Should they be saved direct to the individual sim or to the main Simsig folder? Only just noticed they were available and they would definitely add to the sim experience. Cheers, Mal.
Go to f3 messages and allocate sounds from there.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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Going well so far. 28/06/2011 at 21:55 #17048
delticfan
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Peter Bennet said:
Go to f3 messages and allocate sounds from there.

Peter

Many thanks Peter, sounds up and running and certainly adds to the 'feel' of the sim as well as a useful attention grabber. Cheers, Mal.

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Going well so far. 05/07/2011 at 20:34 #17264
delticfan
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Hi all, I've just finished a run of the installed timetable (easy setting!). It's taken a while as I had to keep stopping to go to my real-world job, plus because I hadn't properly read some of the t/t instructions/routes I had to keep saving and re-running. Got there in the end though and managed an overall 90% but lost about 480 minutes and only recovered 8 (makes me remember my years on the real railway, lol!
I did notice though that a number of trains, although set to run 100% of the time never appeared. Not really a quibble, but wondered if there is any specific reason.
I'd like to try a different t/t, will all the ones listed work ok?
My apologies for the earlier barrage of questions re this sim, but a big thank you for all the replies, they really helped.
At the risk of repeating myself, i had dabbled with Simsig over a year ago. I now know I should have stuck with it as it suddenly seemed to gel and I have to say that for realism and overall quality it beats some other producers, of which I have quite a few. Cheers, Mal.

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Going well so far. 05/07/2011 at 21:49 #17268
Lardybiker
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There are many reasons but it could be rules and relationships. A TT can have rules that can determine which trains enter and which do not. Depending on who wrote the sim, you may have ruled that say it X must not enter if train Y has for example. So although the train would run 100% of the time give the chance, the rule would prevent it from doing so.
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