Page 1 of 1
| Victorian signal boxes 27/11/2016 at 21:23 #89536 | |
speedbird09
1 posts |
Morning all, I'm new to SimSig and I'm wondering if it would be possible for a Victorian signal box to be developed. Also, seeing as I'm new, are there many tutorials available for multi-player and such? Zach Log in to reply |
| Victorian signal boxes 27/11/2016 at 22:19 #89537 | |
Steamer
3922 posts |
speedbird09 in post 89536 said:I'm new to SimSig and I'm wondering if it would be possible for a Victorian signal box to be developed.SimSig is designed to simulate modern signalling, using an IECC-style interface. There are many simulations that simulate mechanical signalling (Shrewsbury, East Coastway and North East Scotland to name three off the top of my head), but these use the usual SimSig display style, and are a 'best attempt' at replicating mechanical signalling in an IECC simulator. For full-blooded mechanical simulations, I'd highly recommend Blockpost Software. PC-Rail and SIAM also do mechanical simulations. Note that none of those (to my knowledge) do 'Victorian' boxes- most of them are Grouping-era and set in the 50s and 60s. speedbird09 said: Also, seeing as I'm new, are there many tutorials available for multi-player and such?See this page on the Wiki: https://SimSig.co.uk/Wiki/Show?page=usertrack:ssrun:multiplayer The SimSig website moved a couple of months ago, and unfortunately the Wiki hasn't been sorted out fully yet, so there's a few dead links. Feel free to ask any questions here. "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) Last edited: 27/11/2016 at 22:20 by Steamer Reason: . Log in to reply |
| Victorian signal boxes 28/11/2016 at 10:06 #89541 | |
|
kbarber
1712 posts |
speedbird09 in post 89536 said:Morning all,I imagine, when you say 'Victorian' signalboxes, what you mean is mechanical boxes with lever frame and block bells? It's worth noting that there are still a number of mechanical boxes in use on the national system today. Also that many were in fact built in the 20th century (I've an idea the last brand-new lever frame wasn't built until the 1980s, for the present Utoxetter box, and frames assembled from second-hand parts continued to be installed for many years thereafter. It's really only since about 2000 that all new installations have tended to be panels or workstations, coinciding with the availability of Solid State Interlocking and its successors.) As Steamer says, Simsig is designed to simulate modern signalling. Although some developers have improvised absolute block working, it's a bit of a 'workaround' using features that weren't originally designed for that purpose. Likewise where lever frames are simulated. And those sims tend to represent relatively recent (hence considerably 'rationalised'  track layouts. Traditional layouts tended to be very much more complex and, I suspect, would give Simsig a real headache trying to represent them - I suspect they would have to be strung out a long way to separate elements that, in real life, were laid in all on top of each other for one thing. There's also the innumerable variations on Absolute Block working - different kinds of instrument (which was part of the interest in itself), clearing points (akin to, but not the same as overlaps), junction acceptance, short sections, etc. Simulating all those will be quite an ask, even with a program designed from the outset for a mechanical simulation. Not that it wouldn't be a nice thing to have.As Steamer says, the Blockpost series are pretty good. What neither they nor any other AB sim offer is the possibility of multiplayer sessions, so you never have the human interaction that the old railway depended on to work well. (As some people on here know well, I can bore for England on that one... ask if you dare :-) ) One day... Log in to reply |