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Access to levers and checklock positions

You are here: Home > Forum > Wishlist > Features wish list > Access to levers and checklock positions

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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 09:34 #897
kbarber
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1712 posts
...Sykeses and Rot'ry, short section working,
These are a few of my favourite things


Not sure Julie Andrews has that much to worry about really :/

This probably ought to be four topics but I couldn't resist the opportunity.

Seriously:
1) Any possibility of a shortcut to bring up ground frames from close to their release, rather than having to go through the menu?

2) Could levers be modified to include the checklock positions? In most places where a lever works motor points, it is stopped about 3/4 way through the stroke until the points have completed their movement and been detected in the proper position, at which point the operator (signalman) has to finish moving the lever manually. There are a couple of variations which could be included. The old Southern Railway (and Southern Region) didn't use any checklocking on points levers, certainly in their miniature lever frames; you could pull the lever straight through (as in the current ground frame operation). And the slide frames installed by the LSWR and the GCR had "dynamic indication": the lever would be held at the checklock position until the points answered but would then complete its stroke under its own power, without the signalman's intervention.

3 & 4) Absolute block working could be a so-and-so to set up, but just think of all the possibilities that would become available if it could be done. York Loco Yard (295 levers) anyone?

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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 09:34 #7420
kbarber
Avatar
1712 posts
...Sykeses and Rot'ry, short section working,
These are a few of my favourite things


Not sure Julie Andrews has that much to worry about really :/

This probably ought to be four topics but I couldn't resist the opportunity.

Seriously:
1) Any possibility of a shortcut to bring up ground frames from close to their release, rather than having to go through the menu?

2) Could levers be modified to include the checklock positions? In most places where a lever works motor points, it is stopped about 3/4 way through the stroke until the points have completed their movement and been detected in the proper position, at which point the operator (signalman) has to finish moving the lever manually. There are a couple of variations which could be included. The old Southern Railway (and Southern Region) didn't use any checklocking on points levers, certainly in their miniature lever frames; you could pull the lever straight through (as in the current ground frame operation). And the slide frames installed by the LSWR and the GCR had "dynamic indication": the lever would be held at the checklock position until the points answered but would then complete its stroke under its own power, without the signalman's intervention.

3 & 4) Absolute block working could be a so-and-so to set up, but just think of all the possibilities that would become available if it could be done. York Loco Yard (295 levers) anyone?

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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 10:35 #7426
JamesN
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1580 posts
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CScot already has some AB Working (Larbert Jn up to Dunblane), albeit without bellcodes or Line Clear within sim.
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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 11:45 #7432
kbarber
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1712 posts
JamesN said:
CScot already has some AB Working (Larbert Jn up to Dunblane), albeit without bellcodes or Line Clear within sim.

Which I think is what I was hoping to be able to get, also a more complete representation of AB than simply giving/asking a slot where it goes off-sim.

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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 13:02 #7437
clive
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2739 posts
Keith:

(0) This is a ground frame simulation, not a signal box simulation.

(1) This was a deliberate choice. The ground frame isn't mounted in the middle of the panel, after all.

(2) We will do some thinking about this, but in general ground frame levers don't work motor points, they work the points mechanically. So no checklock.

(3) Dream on!

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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 15:57 #7453
pilotman
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189 posts
Not sure what the norm is but we have levers working HW machines and others. There is a front lock which is mainly to check TC occupation. Once this is proved clear the lever can be reversed (or normalised) with no detent related to the operation of the points. If the detection fails (i.e. the points do not respond to the lever position) then the relevant signal cannot be cleared of course. If a ground frame is local to the relevant points it might be thought unnecessary to have TC interlocks, but recent incidents have shown this may not be the right way to go.
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Access to levers and checklock positions 19/03/2010 at 16:26 #7456
kbarber
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1712 posts
[/tongue in cheek]

Fair enough guys, I hadn't realised until Clive responded to my Borough Market posting quite how limited the lever frame project had been.

clive said:

(3) Dream on!

I could never be a developer, I don't have the programming skills, but I'm sure someone could do it. One day...

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