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West Highland Line

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West Highland Line 15/10/2015 at 11:25 #76890
NewBuildmini432
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Many people wanted this. I hope West Highland Fort William to Mallaig will be released. It is a simulation of Banavie Signal Box. The swing bridge is all automatic and the signal on bridge will be red if the boat will come. Banavie level crossing will also be included. RETB also. I'll provide some mockups later. I will start my work on Scratch but for beginning, simpler. A simple signal box simulation like Yapton crossing.
Class 150/2 approaching towards Welshpool. Wrong train you got, only 158's are fitted with ERTMS.
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West Highland Line 15/10/2015 at 11:29 #76891
NewBuildmini432
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I am gonna do some mockups soon. I am about to.
Class 150/2 approaching towards Welshpool. Wrong train you got, only 158's are fitted with ERTMS.
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West Highland Line 15/11/2015 at 02:09 #77715
stighetl
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I actually came here to request this.

I've never been to Scotland, but this is my favourite route on train simulator 2016.
I have also fallen in love with the token system (which is available in the train simulator), and I really hope this could be implemented.

- Stig
Last edited: 15/11/2015 at 02:16 by stighetl
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West Highland Line 15/11/2015 at 09:37 #77717
postal
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" said:
Many people wanted this. I hope West Highland Fort William to Mallaig will be released. It is a simulation of Banavie Signal Box. The swing bridge is all automatic and the signal on bridge will be red if the boat will come. Banavie level crossing will also be included. RETB also. I'll provide some mockups later. I will start my work on Scratch but for beginning, simpler. A simple signal box simulation like Yapton crossing.
I'm not sure that "many people"who use Simsig want this. It would be a sim with very little action; in 2015 the peak season timetable had 6 passenger trains (including the steam-hauled Jacobite) in each direction per day. The only freight listed in the current WTTs is the 3 times a week Alcan train which might impinge on this sim at the Fort William end. If you are the signaller operating the sim this would mean long gaps between each action the you were required to make. You would also only have 2 regulating decisions to make each day which would be to decide where The Jacobite crossed the service train in the other direction. It is a lovely journey to make in real life and other simulations which are aimed at modelling the operation of other parts of the railway may be very interesting, However, I reckon that a lot of those who enjoy SimSig would find the level of activity required a bit boring if the line was created as a signalling simulation.

“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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West Highland Line 15/11/2015 at 18:26 #77732
Andrew G
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548 posts
" said:
" said:
Many people wanted this. I hope West Highland Fort William to Mallaig will be released. It is a simulation of Banavie Signal Box. The swing bridge is all automatic and the signal on bridge will be red if the boat will come. Banavie level crossing will also be included. RETB also. I'll provide some mockups later. I will start my work on Scratch but for beginning, simpler. A simple signal box simulation like Yapton crossing.
I'm not sure that "many people"who use Simsig want this. It would be a sim with very little action; in 2015 the peak season timetable had 6 passenger trains (including the steam-hauled Jacobite) in each direction per day. The only freight listed in the current WTTs is the 3 times a week Alcan train which might impinge on this sim at the Fort William end. If you are the signaller operating the sim this would mean long gaps between each action the you were required to make. You would also only have 2 regulating decisions to make each day which would be to decide where The Jacobite crossed the service train in the other direction. It is a lovely journey to make in real life and other simulations which are aimed at modelling the operation of other parts of the railway may be very interesting, However, I reckon that a lot of those who enjoy SimSig would find the level of activity required a bit boring if the line was created as a signalling simulation.
The work station controlling the Mallaig line also controls the line south as far as Upper Tyndrum where it interfaces with the South work station which controls the remaining line south to Helensburgh Upper and the whole of the Oban line. In addition Fort William Junction box remains controlling the Station and Yards.

I agree with Postal that the traffic levels, even if you simulate a larger area, would be dull as a lot of the Signallers work load is Radio Work, Line Blockages and Occupation Crossings. In addition the method of signalling is quite different from SimSig.

What I do think is missing from the current range of simulations is a long stretch of Single Line railway with multiple passing loops, where regulating will be challenging if there is any late running. I am hoping if the gap between Exeter and Salisbury is ever filled then we will have something which fits the bill.

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West Highland Line 15/11/2015 at 20:53 #77736
Splodge
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Or the Borders Railway if it were to be added to Edinburgh (not sure if it can be, though).
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway.
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West Highland Line 15/11/2015 at 21:13 #77739
Peter Bennet
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" said:
Or the Borders Railway if it were to be added to Edinburgh (not sure if it can be, though).
It will be when I get round to it - I have the data.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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West Highland Line 16/11/2015 at 09:27 #77758
kaiwhara
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" said:
" said:
Or the Borders Railway if it were to be added to Edinburgh (not sure if it can be, though).
It will be when I get round to it - I have the data.

Peter
Here y'are!

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Sorry guys, I am in the business of making people wait!
Last edited: 16/11/2015 at 09:29 by kaiwhara
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West Highland Line 16/11/2015 at 10:54 #77761
Jan
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The WHL might make a nice addition if the area of what is now Yoker IECC ever gets simulated, but that's probably another topic in itself.

Regarding the method of signalling, mechanical signalling with absolute block is quite different from panel signalling and track circuit block rules, but nevertheless there are now a number of simulations containing substantial areas of the former.

So if a WHL simulation was seriously attempted, I suppose something could be thought up, maybe involving judicious usage of stop boards where appropriate to simulate the radio calls and token transmissions and using a non-track circuited display with invisible routes (like those on the Up Loops in Falkland Yard in Paisley) to approximate the signaller's display. And if the hypothetical North Scotland sim ever became reality, it would face the same problems regarding the RETB areas.

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.
Last edited: 16/11/2015 at 10:54 by Jan
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West Highland Line 16/11/2015 at 12:13 #77764
Splodge
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Excellent - presumably that would also include the re-modelled Waverley layout?
There's the right way, the wrong way and the railway.
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West Highland Line 16/11/2015 at 18:20 #77771
Ron_J
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" said:
So if a WHL simulation was seriously attempted, I suppose something could be thought up, maybe involving judicious usage of stop boards where appropriate to simulate the radio calls and token transmissions and using a non-track circuited display with invisible routes (like those on the Up Loops in Falkland Yard in Paisley) to approximate the signaller's display. And if the hypothetical North Scotland sim ever became reality, it would face the same problems regarding the RETB areas.
Despite being VDU based, the RETB screen layouts look very different from the IECC standard. You could probably come up with some bodged version but I feel it would be a massive departure from the realism on which Simsig was founded.

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West Highland Line 16/11/2015 at 19:15 #77774
Peter Bennet
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If I were to do it I think I'd do it pre-RETB.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
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West Highland Line 16/11/2015 at 21:39 #77778
Jan
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" said:
Despite being VDU based, the RETB screen layouts look very different from the IECC standard. You could probably come up with some bodged version but I feel it would be a massive departure from the realism on which Simsig was founded.

True, but in a way you could have argued the same thing when the first simulations depicting panel signalling or mechanical signal boxes were developed.

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.
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West Highland Line 17/11/2015 at 11:29 #77801
Stephen Fulcher
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Apart from around Fort William itself, there wouldn't even be routes to set. You would simply issue the token somehow and then talk the train past the stop boards.

A quick look at the timetable for today shows only 10 trains a day at Fort William itself all day, with a freight from Fort William Jn to Mossend that runs as required, so it would not be particularly interesting to operate.

Peter has a point that the old mechanical layout would be more interesting form a SimSig perspective but I would guess there still would not be many trains to signal, probably spend most of the day answering phone calls from level crossings.

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West Highland Line 17/11/2015 at 15:12 #77811
Underwood
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Well yes a current version would be more of a token simulator than a signal simulator. I know people would like to see the whole country covered but I wouldn't really be bothered if it didn't come out, more interesting to drive it on Railworks.

Even then if it was a full RETB sim where you issued tokens, it would probably be exiting for a few minutes before coming a bit boring, especially if you issue a long section and then you don't need do anything until it's gone through two sections.

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West Highland Line 18/11/2015 at 16:35 #77857
stighetl
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When it comes to simulations, I want to have things as realistic as possible. But if the West Highland Line became a reality (as a simulator of course), I wouldn't mind a fictitious timetable with more trains than normal.
- Stig
Last edited: 18/11/2015 at 19:28 by stighetl
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West Highland Line 18/11/2015 at 18:39 #77867
Ron_J
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329 posts
" said:
Well yes a current version would be more of a token simulator than a signal simulator. I know people would like to see the whole country covered but I wouldn't really be bothered if it didn't come out, more interesting to drive it on Railworks.

Even then if it was a full RETB sim where you issued tokens, it would probably be exiting for a few minutes before coming a bit boring, especially if you issue a long section and then you don't need do anything until it's gone through two sections.

In reality both workstations at Banavie are kept steady - occasionally busy - throughout the day by the issue of Engineer's and Shunt tokens for maintenance work. There is also a large number of UWCs, which keeps the 'back desk' man on his toes.

In terms of what the signaller actually sees, the screen is populated by radio numbers which are moved from berth to berth by the signaller's actions on the touch screen keyboard. The direction and limit of movement authority are shown on the display by little arrows next to the berths. Stop Boards are not depicted on the screens at all. The whole this is visually dull and, without voice communication, I can't think of a more tedious operation to simulate.

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West Highland Line 30/11/2020 at 12:24 #134266
headshot119
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Mod Note - Random question about Edinburgh split out into new thread https://www.SimSig.co.uk/Forum/ThreadView/52535?postId=134265
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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West Highland Line 30/11/2020 at 16:50 #134277
ajax103
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1100 posts
postal in post 77717 said:
" said:
Many people wanted this. I hope West Highland Fort William to Mallaig will be released. It is a simulation of Banavie Signal Box. The swing bridge is all automatic and the signal on bridge will be red if the boat will come. Banavie level crossing will also be included. RETB also. I'll provide some mockups later. I will start my work on Scratch but for beginning, simpler. A simple signal box simulation like Yapton crossing.
I'm not sure that "many people"who use Simsig want this. It would be a sim with very little action; in 2015 the peak season timetable had 6 passenger trains (including the steam-hauled Jacobite) in each direction per day. The only freight listed in the current WTTs is the 3 times a week Alcan train which might impinge on this sim at the Fort William end. If you are the signaller operating the sim this would mean long gaps between each action the you were required to make. You would also only have 2 regulating decisions to make each day which would be to decide where The Jacobite crossed the service train in the other direction. It is a lovely journey to make in real life and other simulations which are aimed at modelling the operation of other parts of the railway may be very interesting, However, I reckon that a lot of those who enjoy SimSig would find the level of activity required a bit boring if the line was created as a signalling simulation.
My personal view is while developing the area above as a simulation would be nice, that in it's self is just the issue here because it's just a simulation that's nice to have and not something that would actually give those of us who use SimSig much to do in fact it probably be the most boring simulation ever. It's also not a good use of any developer's time to waste their time on something that sees 6 trains a train not counting the 3 freights a week when there are other simulations which COULD be developed providing the developer has all the data needed which the level of activity is greater which would be a far better use of the developer's valuable and limited time as well as offer plenty of playability.

Of course, if a developer really does want to go ahead and simulate the area, feel free but I think it should sit at the bottom of the long list that forms the simulation wish list and that list is very very very very long!

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