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Single Screen Simulations

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Single Screen Simulations 10/01/2024 at 17:09 #155021
haeriphos
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1 posts
Greetings,

I'm really enjoying SimSig even though it's taken me a few tries to really get into it. I learned on Royston (thanks for the excellent tutorial) and have tried some others but am currently focused on Brighton. My son and I like to play multiplayer but I can barely manage both screens in solo play. What I'm looking for is a simulation that has a single screen but is more complex than Royston. I'd like to start looking into some of the more advanced features of SimSig but in an environment where I don't have to run two stations. Any suggestions? Thanks!

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Single Screen Simulations 10/01/2024 at 19:00 #155023
Steamer
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3923 posts
Take a look at the simulations listed under 'Beginner' on this page:

https://www.SimSig.co.uk/Wiki/Show?page=usertrack:areainfo

"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: 10/01/2024 at 19:01 by Steamer
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The following user said thank you: haeriphos
Single Screen Simulations 10/01/2024 at 19:01 #155024
Joe S
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128 posts
Hi,

There are a number around that may be of use... from memory:
- Oxted: compact but has junctions, single line and a couple of destinations to send trains to.
- Oxford: small but busy.
- Penzance: very quiet, but introduces you to Simsig's mechanical signalling.
- Plymouth: compact, not too busy but equally, not boring. Has a depot too.
- Aston: up and down running
- Manchester North: the main thrust of it is Manc Victoria which is busy but manageable

I don't have these, but there is also:
- Cathcart
- Stourbridge Jn
- Telford

Have fun!
Joe

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Single Screen Simulations 12/01/2024 at 11:49 #155041
flabberdacks
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580 posts
Coventry might be a really good next step for you. Much more interesting layout than Royston, and I'm pretty sure it's a single screen.
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Single Screen Simulations 14/01/2024 at 10:12 #155064
TylerE
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149 posts
Maybe a bit beyond what you're thinking, but let me recommend Westbury as one that isn't nearly as scary as it looks at first, especially in the sleepy overnight hours, but that still provides a lot of genuine operational interest so you won't be bored with it in a week or two.

While it looks rather huge, large sections of it (all the mainline, basically look at the two layout images here: https://www.SimSig.co.uk/Wiki/Show?page=simulations:westbury, and it's all the ones in green.) are autoworking, so 99.9% of the time (really 100% of the time with failures off), you can just ignore them, they'll self work. That means a typical passenger train can be ignored for oh, say, 15 or 20 minutes (sim clock time) at a time, until it gets from outer westbury into the approach to Newbury.

The manually worked lines are essentially Newbury, Westbury station and yard, the single track line through Frome station, and then the two quarry lines. Frome is a very quiet service and there's not much other traffic there to deadlock with, and such situations are in any case recovered easily enough, just with delay to one or both. The quarries are also pretty quiet, and the trains take plenty of time to approach the junction with the main line, and you can (and probably should! part of the fun!) freely delay them to let a passenger through even if it means letting 'em wait 5 or 10 minutes, because not doing so might cost the passenger train 15 or 20 minutes, between being stopped at the red for it to come out, and then chasing yellows at 30 or 40mph until you refuge the freight somewhere and make the bleeding stop.

If you want a real stretch goal, maybe 2 or 3 sims for now, I will state that probably my favorite sim of all time is Derby. It provides a massive amount of operational variety, having virtually every signaling feature it is possible for a sim to have, especially in the older ('80s) era. But it's also not so ginormous as to be unworkable solo once you know it. The relatively recent option to turn level crossings all the way off also eases the load a fair bit. Also: Start on the modern era. It's fairly easy, and a lot of the track around the station doesn't even exist anymore. Once you're comfortable with that, go into 80s mode. More sidings, more track... but the big difference is the passenger trains are virtually all loco hauled, so there are a bunch of pilot workings out to a platform, then bring the pilot back, while also probably bringing in a new loco off the other shed to actually stick on the right end of the train. But it's a fun manageable sort of chaos.

Last edited: 14/01/2024 at 10:24 by TylerE
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