Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 08/10/2012 at 06:43 #36050
Aurora
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Hi all,

I'm currently doing the Sawston blockage scenario and using PSW for the first time. For the first time this morning (sim time), I've told my Down Line Pilotman to ride on a train to (I'd assume) Shepreth Branch Jctn, since I had a train coming down from Baldock (1T77). Anyway 2C67 has run through the single-line section, as per TT through Royston and has now just gone off the sim onwards to Kings Cross. I've been calling him since 2C67 cleared the single-line section and he kept saying he was riding 2C67 out of Cambridge.

Calling him now, he's riding on an unknown train (I'd assume 2C67 onto Kings Cross presumably looking for some action (Sydney joke)). Not that I'd mind except it's only 7am and I need him back for the day's workings. In the meanwhile, I've now got 1T77 at Shepreth Branch Jctn waiting for said Pilotman to guide it through to Cambridge (with another train coming up behind it). I've also got two trains waiting for me to give the road out of Cambridge (going to Baldock) and the plan was to keep them there until Mr Pilotman returned. Is there any chance he'll return or is he gone for good?

Nil.
Last edited: 08/10/2012 at 22:44 by Aurora
Reason: separate into 2 paragraphs

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 08/10/2012 at 10:34 #36053
Josie
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The pilotman's assistant should always be able to tell you what train he's on. If it's an unknown train, have you looked in your train list to see if you've got any trains running without a timetable? What about asking the pilotman to call you back? If he does (although he probably won't, if he thinks he's on a train) you could tell him to travel to one end or the other by road.
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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 08/10/2012 at 22:41 #36103
Aurora
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" said:
The pilotman's assistant should always be able to tell you what train he's on. If it's an unknown train, have you looked in your train list to see if you've got any trains running without a timetable?

Yes all my trains are running to a timetable.

" said:
What about asking the pilotman to call you back? If he does (although he probably won't, if he thinks he's on a train) you could tell him to travel to one end or the other by road.

Done that, yet to hear anything back. AFAIK, I have to wait until he calls back to me before I can instruct him to do anything.

Nil.
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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 10/10/2012 at 11:35 #36209
Aurora
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No option to edit my last post to add this apparently. Here goes...

Just to conclude this, playing earlier using a saved screenshot, I've found that the down Pilotman doesn't actually travel down onto the Royston trains but rather goes to Stanford which is on the other line to meet up with trains running from Royston to Cambridge at Shepreth Branch Jctn.

Alas, I just have to try to refrain from using the 'proceed with train' option with the Down Pilotman.

Nil.
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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 10/10/2012 at 12:00 #36211
Josie
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" said:
Just to conclude this, playing earlier using a saved screenshot, I've found that the down Pilotman doesn't actually travel down onto the Royston trains but rather goes to Stanford which is on the other line to meet up with trains running from Royston to Cambridge at Shepreth Branch Jctn.
I'm not quite sure what's going on here - nor where Stanford is! Could you upload a saved game from just before the pilotman got on 2C67?

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 13/10/2012 at 00:10 #36407
Signalhunter
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Stanford in error for Stanstead, maybe? Might even be a SpellChecker thing.

Aurora, you do realise that there are TWO, seperate Pilotmen? One for trains to Stanstead and the other for trains to Baldock. (Actually, I hope I've got that right. I don't currently have Cambridge and tis quite a while since I ran this scenario.)

Are you sure that the "correct" one has gone missing?

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 13/10/2012 at 16:39 #36447
Steamer
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" said:
Aurora, you do realise that there are TWO, seperate Pilotmen? One for trains to Stanstead and the other for trains to Baldock. (Actually, I hope I've got that right. I don't currently have Cambridge and tis quite a while since I ran this scenario.)
Correct, all Royston trains run over the Down line with one pilotman, all Audley End trains run over the Up line with another pilotman.

"Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q)
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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 17/10/2012 at 11:56 #36595
Aurora
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" said:
" said:
Just to conclude this, playing earlier using a saved screenshot, I've found that the down Pilotman doesn't actually travel down onto the Royston trains but rather goes to Stanford which is on the other line to meet up with trains running from Royston to Cambridge at Shepreth Branch Jctn.
I'm not quite sure what's going on here - nor where Stanford is! Could you upload a saved game from just before the pilotman got on 2C67?

Whoops, I meant Shelford. (Got confused between Shelford and Stanstead)

Below is the snapshot for 6.30am. IIRC, 2C67 is waiting for the Pilotman's instruction to run towards Royston and Baldock.
[attachment=747]SnapshotAt0630.ssg[/attachment]

" said:
Stanford in error for Stanstead, maybe? Might even be a SpellChecker thing.

Aurora, you do realise that there are TWO, seperate Pilotmen? One for trains to Stanstead and the other for trains to Baldock. (Actually, I hope I've got that right. I don't currently have Cambridge and tis quite a while since I ran this scenario.)

Are you sure that the "correct" one has gone missing?

Yes I know. I sent the Down Pilotman (the one for the Royston trains) with 2C67 towards Royston. This was wrong as from my experience the Down Pilotman should not be sent on a train from Cambridge since Shelford is on the other line!

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Nil.
Last edited: 17/10/2012 at 12:05 by Aurora
Reason: 1. Added saved game as per Josie's request. 2. Added reply to Signalhunter

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 17/10/2012 at 13:52 #36602
Josie
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Ahh, ok, I can see what's happened here.

First of all, you were correct to send the Down Line pilotman. The Down Line pilotman never leaves the down line, he only travels between Cambridge and Shepreth Branch Jn. I think part of the confusion is that when the pilotman is at the junction end, if you call his assistant you'll be told that he's "at Shelford" - this doesn't mean he's at Shelford station on the up line, it means he's at the junction waiting for the next Royston-Cambridge train. I'm not quite sure why it says "at Shelford" - perhaps because the junction is very close to Shelford station and is in the village of Great Shelford, as you can see from Google Maps. Anyway, I hope that clears up the confusion about which pilotman is which.

Now, the reason your Down Line pilotman ended up trundling off towards London is that you're not crossing trains back to the up line until after Foxton. The sim is programmed to drop the pilotman off at 120 signal, the first one on the up line after Shepreth Branch Jn. To get trains to go that way, you need to set the points between 123 and 141 signals to normal before telling the pilotman to proceed with or dispatch the train. That way, the train will then pass over the locked-and-collared points, leave the single line section and pull up at 120. The pilotman will get off, the train will continue on its way and the pilotman will wait at 123 signal (back in the down direction) for further instructions.

Last edited: 17/10/2012 at 13:55 by Josie
Reason: Minor edit for clarity.

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 17/10/2012 at 20:05 #36629
clive
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" said:
I'm not quite sure why it says "at Shelford" - perhaps because the junction is very close to Shelford station and is in the village of Great Shelford
Now I look back, nor am I.

I think of the junction as being in Shelford; I used to work in a building right next to Granham's crossing, and could see Shepreth Branch Junction signal box out of my office window (until I came in one Monday and someone had stolen it!).

Quote:
Now, the reason your Down Line pilotman ended up trundling off towards London is that you're not crossing trains back to the up line until after Foxton. The sim is programmed to drop the pilotman off at 120 signal, the first one on the up line after Shepreth Branch Jn.
Right! It is single line working between the junction and Cambridge, after all, not between Foxton and Cambridge. However, I accept that the scenario description isn't that clear. I thought the manual was clear, but perhaps not.

When I first wrote Cambridge you had to explicitly code any pieces of track that allowed wrong-direction running. So a train on the Down line wouldn't be able to take the Down Royston at the junction; it would have to take the Up. When the core code changed I forgot to allow for this.

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 20/10/2012 at 12:31 #36694
AlexH
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Interesting scenario, makes for a new set of challenges. Was just inspired to start playing this again after a trip to Cambridge for a conference a few weeks ago.

I just have one, likely stupid, question. When a train is running wrong line down from Whittlesford to Camb., how do you manage the level crossings? They don't lower automatically like normal.

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Pilotman riding on unknown train to KX 21/10/2012 at 10:24 #36740
clive
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" said:
I just have one, likely stupid, question. When a train is running wrong line down from Whittlesford to Camb., how do you manage the level crossings? They don't lower automatically like normal.
As it says in the manual, just ignore them - they'll be under local control for trains running wrong-line.

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