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| Timetable improvement ideas 06/05/2010 at 12:08 #1220 | |
GeoffM
6282 posts |
We are expanding the functionality of timetables so now would be a good time to get any new ideas not mentioned previously into the mix. We can't promise to implement all (or any) of them but each will be considered. If it's been posted before, please post a link to the thread. Here's one: http://www.SimSig.co.uk/index.php?option=com_agora&task=topic&id=1137&Itemid=54 SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 06/05/2010 at 12:08 #9001 | |
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GeoffM
6282 posts |
We are expanding the functionality of timetables so now would be a good time to get any new ideas not mentioned previously into the mix. We can't promise to implement all (or any) of them but each will be considered. If it's been posted before, please post a link to the thread. Here's one: http://www.SimSig.co.uk/index.php?option=com_agora&task=topic&id=1137&Itemid=54 SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 06/05/2010 at 14:17 #9002 | |
caedave
142 posts |
I know this has been raised before and the standard answer has been "Use a Diesel". Now a little steam tank engine may match a diesel on initial acceleration but once you get over 4ft drivers, no way due to wheel slip till you get it up to at least 10-15mph. We also have the current regulated max speed of 75MPH which none rail people may not be aware of. So. In the "Train Types List" can we have a "Steam" profile for all those Steam Specials we are getting. Slightly outside and more for the Wiki, but a detailed explanation of the "Train Type" abbreviations please. Dave M. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 06/05/2010 at 16:54 #9006 | |
Peter Bennet
5360 posts |
Timely-Geoff see 4460 on bugboard. [For the benefit of others- in a nutshell the ability to cope with trains that leave a sim and arrive back with the same TD in situations where a differential suffix is not practical] Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 06/05/2010 at 23:03 #9015 | |
Splodge
702 posts |
I suspect this is more a coding issue, but an option to scramble a thunderbird/rescuing unit to a trains present location might work. The TT coding could know where the different TMDs or depots are and you are then asked where you wish to 'scramble' the rescuer from. While I'd imagine a basic version being possible within the timetable, it may be better to hard-code it and add flexibility - sending a negative response from the depot, or stating that a loco is available but a driver is 10 minutes away. Also, perhaps an 'auto-fill' for TT creation - for example specify a train entering at Berwick to run express to Edinburgh. The creator can select the entry and destination, and then the sim will auto-add in the waypoints and required routing points. An 'auto-time' feature could also work, but may not be as simple to code. I'm not a coder or a TT writer, so I'm not sure how implementable they may be; my ides were thought up over a 5 minute period and so may not stand up to much scrutiny! There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 07/05/2010 at 18:04 #9024 | |
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nikmohr
6 posts |
i have 2 proposals: 1. It would be fine to have an additional line for descriptions. I'am not working in the railway industry and my knowledge of British railways is limited. So I'am interested in as many informations about trains as possible to get an better idea about the trains I#am signalling. 2. I propose to enable timetables, which last more than one day, by resetting the formatting routine for the time every 24 hours. I assume that Simsig uses uses a timer, which counts the seconds from the start of a simulation. Klaus Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 09/05/2010 at 07:25 #9059 | |
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wulf
27 posts |
If you're working on the user interface, it would be nice if the timetable display and/or editor could display the full name of locations. Today if the name is too long it gets cut off and that can be annoying if the end of the location is a signal number. An example of this is Kirkcaldy yard in the Edinburgh sim: obviously it lists all the signals on the main line and the siding, but you can't see the second signal numbers. There are more annoying examples than this but I can't recall where they are right now  Perhaps a wider or expandable timetable window or a tooltip which shows the full description when you hover the mouse over it could be the solution. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 09/05/2010 at 07:46 #9061 | |
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Peter Bennet
5360 posts |
Wulf, I thought you could already expand the timetable pop-up and it appears that in ARS mode you can play with the column widths but in non ARS you can't but you can expand the width of the whole pop-up. Looks like a we need to combine both features. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 10/05/2010 at 11:11 #9078 | |
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kbarber
1712 posts |
nikmohr said:<snip> I second this, if it can be done - for one thing it would obviate the need for "seed" services at the start of a timetable. (Is there any possibility of "day of the week" functionality too? Particularly day changing as the clock rolls over to 00:00.) Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 16/05/2010 at 15:34 #9194 | |
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Jan
889 posts |
kbarber said:for one thing it would obviate the need for "seed" services at the start of a timetable. Would it really? Once you move over to the 2nd/3rd/... simulated day, I agree, but on the 1st day, at the start of the timetable, you'd still start with an empty simulation where you need to seed trains. What I'd like to see is being able to specify train times down to a quarter of a minute; this would come in handy for Waterloo & City line. Maybe you could then use Q for one qarter and T for three quarters. Two million people attempt to use Birmingham's magnificent rail network every year, with just over a million of them managing to get further than Smethwick. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 16/05/2010 at 15:55 #9197 | |
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Sacro
1171 posts |
From knowing the WTT format, it should handle that already, times are down to 1 second granularity. Not sure what ideas to throw into this, unit based timetables would be nice (so a timetable can be made up of several units rather than one), errm, having a timetable be able to handle more than one sim, more then one entry point (trains that leave and re-enter, think Trent - Derby - Trent or yard trains) ... I'm just waiting to see how the XML is formatted! Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 16/05/2010 at 15:55 #9198 | |
Meld
1098 posts |
If the editor is going to be stand alone it, would be nice to be able to open timetables without opening the sim itself and have a compare feature built in (similar to UltraCompare)
Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!! Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 16/05/2010 at 16:08 #9199 | |
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Sacro
1171 posts |
What do you mean by 'compare', on what level?
Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 16/05/2010 at 16:25 #9200 | |
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Meld
1098 posts |
By compare I mean having 2/3 linked editable windows side by side allowing the viewing two copies open at once. Highlighting differences between the two files.
Passed the age to be doing 'Spoon Feeding' !!! Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 16/05/2010 at 17:06 #9201 | |
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Jan
889 posts |
Sacro said:From knowing the WTT format, it should handle that already, times are down to 1 second granularity. I didn't know that, but you're right, convdata apparently supports it. Nevertheless it would be nice if the in-built editor would support entering such values (at least quarter minutes), too. Two million people attempt to use Birmingham's magnificent rail network every year, with just over a million of them managing to get further than Smethwick. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 17/05/2010 at 10:05 #9213 | |
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kbarber
1712 posts |
Jan said:kbarber said:for one thing it would obviate the need for "seed" services at the start of a timetable. Start at day zero 22:30hr (or however far back you need) to get the sim populated, and with no pretence to an accurate timetable, just a way to get trains to where they need to be, like the end of a sim in reverse (trains in the sim disappear, no new ones arrive). You wouldn't have to make use of it if you prefer seeding, but it'd be nice to have the option. (Thinking about it, it's really a variation on seeding but with the difference that it's done before the start of the "game" proper and doesn't need to involve trains appearing from all sorts of odd places, passenger trains popping out of freight sidings, etc. just to have them in the right place within minutes of firing things up.) Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 17/05/2010 at 12:15 #9219 | |
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bill_gensheet
1316 posts |
Similar, but a bit less hassle, is to run 00:00 to 27:00 with only after 03:00 accurate. This generally means that all passenger/ECS workings have ceased and gone off sim before you need to get accurate and almost all seeds can emerge slowly over that first 3 hours. This is as used on the Scottish 1993 timetables Bill Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 17/05/2010 at 12:26 #9221 | |
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bill_gensheet
1316 posts |
A few more thoughts for this thread... To allow a stop to be set at any signal. An enabler for train failure and engineering possession along similar lines to the one Geoff quoted originally http://www.SimSig.co.uk/index.php?optio … ;Itemid=54 Days of the week as has been mentioned already, although my main interest is in using these to simplify probabilities as much as running over 24 hours cleanly. A few flag type variables that might simplify constructing rules and perhaps even allow these to pass across chained sims. So say Edinburgh Flag 1 was used to determine which coal timetables run. At present this is all keyed off the probability of the first light engine from Millerhill (0G25 I think). One problem that this would help with is that one of the coal train options is the destination of a train entering Central Scotland from Ayr. Nothing related goes the other way to use as a simple data transfer mechanism. So if CSCOT could read Edinburgh flags...... Bill Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 17/05/2010 at 14:05 #9223 | |
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AndyG
1834 posts |
Is it possible to enable negative times (ie times before 00:00), for the seeding process? If a TT could be set to start at -00:15 (ie '-'23:45) and seed trains run from then so that the sim is correctly populated for a 00:00 start. {It is currently possible to generate negative location times by adjusting the times negatively in the TT editor, but the TT start time and train entry times can only be +ve.} Another TT option might be to include days eg 1/00:00 would be 24:00, as SimSig converts all times to seconds anyway; could also allow days of the week in TTs that way I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 18/05/2010 at 08:33 #9260 | |
BarryM
2158 posts |
AndyG said:Is it possible to enable negative times (ie times before 00:00), for the seeding process?You do not need seeding. All that is required is to have any trains that are running at start time inserted in the track circuits location for that train at that start time. Edinburgh is using something similar but it is a fixed location. Track circuit locations would need to be added to the "entry locations". BarryM Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 18/05/2010 at 08:57 #9261 | |
postal
5190 posts 
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BarryM said:AndyG said:I think Barry is onto something here. Rather than making it a blanket setting, perhaps that could be as some sort of feature where trains could be entered at TC locations at the start time of the TT only (maybe with manual entry of the TC rather than creating a mega-list of entry points).Is it possible to enable negative times (ie times before 00:00), for the seeding process?You do not need seeding. All that is required is to have any trains that are running at start time inserted in the track circuits location for that train at that start time. Edinburgh is using something similar but it is a fixed location. Track circuit locations would need to be added to the "entry locations". Or even stepping through the Looking-Glass with my friend Alice and going into Wonderland, perhaps some of interpolation routine. By that I mean that you load a sim, select the TT, modify the start time to suit and then the code reads through the TT. It identifies the trains present at that time, inserts them if at a fixed location (e.g. at a station awaiting departure) or inserts them in the TC at the calculated proportion of the way between timing points if they are in transit between a timing point before the entered start time and one after that time. Possibly not totally accurate for the moving trains, but I would guess close enough. And then building on that, taking account of train delay if using one of the harder scenarios and entering late running trains at their calculated position if different from their timetabled position. Thinking that through, if you set the timing point before your base start time for every train on the move at start time and you had the interpolation routine, you wouldn't need the ability to manually insert at a TC as the routine would automatically insert the trains at the correct(ish) points. Geoff, bet you wish you'd never asked! JG “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 Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 18/05/2010 at 09:28 #9262 | |
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BarryM
2158 posts |
postal said:(maybe with manual entry of the TC rather than creating a mega-list of entry points).All track circuits are defined in the Incident Control Panel (F11). BarryM Barry, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 18/05/2010 at 10:59 #9266 | |
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GeoffM
6282 posts |
postal said:By that I mean that you load a sim, select the TT, modify the start time to suit and then the code reads through the TT. It identifies the trains present at that time, inserts them if at a fixed location (e.g. at a station awaiting departure) or inserts them in the TC at the calculated proportion of the way between timing points if they are in transit between a timing point before the entered start time and one after that time.TRESIM has the option of doing the former by allowing 5 minutes either side of arrival-departure time and a platform must be specified, then the train is inserted at that platform. Depending on the area it works to a reasonable degree - the more stations with platform codes, the more likely it is to populate with most of the trains. Interpolation is difficult because you may have to infer some data that's not in the timetable (choice of running lines), and the rather difficult task of how to deal with a train that is interpolated onto a controlled route. Auto sections, not so bad, controlled routes raise all sorts of issues including slots, conflicts, Mexican stand-offs, etc. Therefore I think that automatic population of the area is likely to be difficult and error prone, so a manual method of seeding at particular times would instead be better - probably by specifying a signal rather than track circuit (the latter is ambiguous as to direction, or which leg of pointwork to sit on). SimSig Boss Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 18/05/2010 at 11:00 #9268 | |
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AndyG
1834 posts |
Maybe entry at existing sim locations (or stations) would suffice. Any train without an entry location but a first location arrival time of 00:00 is placed into that location on 00:00 start. An actual dep time can be used if needed for accuracy, so that the trains moves off at correct time. May need some attention to other trains formed by Next/Divide activities, but these ought to have a true dep time anyway. (LEs on RRs should have a due dep time, with set-down box ticked if early departure is needed. I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Log in to reply |
| Timetable improvement ideas 18/05/2010 at 12:18 #9269 | |
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postal
5190 posts
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Andy You would also need some process to avoid double-booking of a platform. Unlikely but for example, suppose you have 00:00 TT start with 1A01 at P3 due dep 00:01 (which the sim inserts there), how would you handle 1A02 which is currently somewhere between its last timing point and P3 where it is due 00:04 - 00:06? Nor criticism, just trying to explore all of the avenues to make sure there is a viable solution. Let's not stop the flow of ideas. JG PS Geoff - Shame to see the cold light of reality! “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 Log in to reply |