Standard Scenario Issue: Directing a train to move and failing

[bnsf9580]

Another issue that I have found: I try to create a standard scenario. I lay out my player train on the track I want, add the driver, open Timetable View, and start adding places to stop and go through, and the red line on the map doesn't appear, and I get the message about reversing, electrification, and turntables and traverses. I tried to see if it was perhaps the route by placing a single piece of straight track, and it still did not work. I don't know what the issue is. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

[PolyesterMafia]

I may be mistaken, but I think you have to have a destination - an instruction that points to a siding or destination marker - for your train to travel to before you can start adding stops, pickups, etc.

[robbit]

I may be mistaken, but I think you have to have a destination - an instruction that points to a siding or destination marker - for your train to travel to before you can start adding stops, pickups, etc.

That is true for the player train only. You can add the stops and go vias before the final destination but you will get the errors until you add it. AI trains do not need a final destination assigned but you are better off having one for all trains and when possible have the ai trains final destination going into a portal.

[arizonachris]

Mr. 9580, have you had a chance to read thru this section of the Forums here: viewforum.php?f=8 Couple of good, new articles in there.

[OldProf]

Another issue that I have found: I try to create a standard scenario. I lay out my player train on the track I want, add the driver, open Timetable View, and start adding places to stop and go through, and the red line on the map doesn't appear, and I get the message about reversing, electrification, and turntables and traverses. I tried to see if it was perhaps the route by placing a single piece of straight track, and it still did not work. I don't know what the issue is. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

The red line you mention should begin to appear the moment you add the first driving instruction (Go To, Go Via, Pick Up, etc.), providing that the track marker you have selected suits the engine in question, can be reached from your train's starting point or the last marker, and is qualified to drive from its previous location to the newly identified one (as the error message states, electric powered engines cannot travel non-electrified tracks and, alas, no engine can cross a turntable or traverse bridge that is not already aligned to allow it to pass from its current location to the next location).

I've never known the red line not to appear if all the above conditions are met. For which route are you trying to make this scenario? Which engine are you using? Have you identified the engine or train in question as player-driven by checking the appropriate box in its flyout? Actually, that should not matter, but I'm just trying to think of all possible hitches. Providing detailed and thorough information will help others to help you.

Oh! and have you read the Timetable Editor users' manual? Even though it is way out of date, the basic information it contains is still valid.

[bnsf9580]

Another issue that I have found: I try to create a standard scenario. I lay out my player train on the track I want, add the driver, open Timetable View, and start adding places to stop and go through, and the red line on the map doesn't appear, and I get the message about reversing, electrification, and turntables and traverses. I tried to see if it was perhaps the route by placing a single piece of straight track, and it still did not work. I don't know what the issue is. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

The red line you mention should begin to appear the moment you add the first driving instruction (Go To, Go Via, Pick Up, etc.), providing that the track marker you have selected suits the engine in question, can be reached from your train's starting point or the last marker, and is qualified to drive from its previous location to the newly identified one (as the error message states, electric powered engines cannot travel non-electrified tracks and, alas, no engine can cross a turntable or traverse bridge that is not already aligned to allow it to pass from its current location to the next location).

I've never known the red line not to appear if all the above conditions are met. For which route are you trying to make this scenario? Which engine are you using? Have you identified the engine or train in question as player-driven by checking the appropriate box in its flyout? Actually, that should not matter, but I'm just trying to think of all possible hitches. Providing detailed and thorough information will help others to help you.

Oh! and have you read the Timetable Editor users' manual? Even though it is way out of date, the basic information it contains is still valid.

I've been able to build scenarios in the past, and I even add a final destination before I start anything else, without AI trains in the way, and it tells me it won't work. I'll go grab a screenshot here in a bit and show you guys. To answer your questions: Custom Route with markers (would the markers have to specifically be destinations? I always use siding markers, I wouldn't think it would matter); SD40-2 Weathered; I did mark it as a Player train. The locomotive, considering it's diesel, should be able to run on any track, and it's obviously worked in the past. Would it be because I start in a yard with manual junctions? I notice that I am able to click and change other junctions, but none within the "would be" path of travel for this train, even though they are switched in the wrong direction.

And yes, I have read the manual. That's how I figured out how to get into Timetable view in the first place xD

[bnsf9580]

Marked Driver as Player Train

I want it to park on the far track of the near spur

Keeping it as simple as possible, it still fails. It failed when I put a stop at Atlas E Lead prior to it backing onto the spur. Reversing is enabled also.

[arizonachris]

providing that the track marker you have selected suits the engine in question, can be reached from your train's starting point or the last marker, and is qualified to drive from its previous location to the newly identified one.

I notice that I am able to click and change other junctions, but none within the "would be" path of travel for this train, even though they are switched in the wrong direction.

Answered your own question right there. Read again what Tom posted. (he really does know his stuff)

[bnsf9580]

Answered your own question right there. Read again what Tom posted. (he really does know his stuff)

But the "dispatcher" should know that it is a manual junction to be switched by the player for switching scenarios, and that the train can still run across it. Because even before I start, if I flipped the switch, it wouldn't work because it would be in the wrong direction driving forward to pass it. From the starting point, I can add a stop at the "siding" directly ahead of it and the path appears as the red line in the timetable. However, when I add a stop at the spur, the red line disappears and the error messages appear.

[Chacal]

You need a "stop at" instruction at or beyond the reversing point.
Somewhere north of the top of your map.

[OldProf]

You need a "stop at" instruction at or beyond the reversing point.
Somewhere north of the top of your map.

I agree. This is not always necessary, but sometimes our buddy the MD (Mythical Dispatcher) just can't figure out how to get from point A to point B without a map-load of specific instructions. Try placing a track marker (destination is most appropriate, but siding should also work) north of the last switch the engine has to traverse before reversing to your chosen destination. Set that marker as an intermediate destination, using a Stop At instruction. You can set the time at 2 or 3 seconds or leave it at the default 20, but don't set it to 0 or the speed higher than 0; the intermediate marker then becomes a reversing point.

This hunger for a defined reversing point does not always happen and, in fact, I've seen the MD reverse it's demand for one in later editing sessions, forcing its removal. Sometimes I think that the MD simply craves attention.

The condition of manually controlled switches should not matter during the editing process, since the MD figures that you know how to control them. Of course, failing to set switches correctly while playing may result in an "off the path" warning and perhaps even a derailment. If you like, however, you can preset manual switches while editing, using the 2D map much as you would while playing.

EDIT: it just occurred to me that track directionality may be at work here, although I doubt it. Keep in mind that the scenario editor and the MD both tend to follow Murphy's law!

[bnsf9580]

I never thought of that, nor realized anything like that existed... I've been playing this game for 3 years, and have just started playing with world editor in the past few months, and never knew anything about directionality hahaha I figure track is track. But I changed it on a new route. Is the track direction able to be changed after the track been put down? I have an entire route I think I built that way, which would explain a lot. But it's a huge map...

[OldProf]

I'm not familiar with the route editing process, since I only use it to unlock annoyingly padlocked routes. At the scenario editing level, track directionality can be edited, but it's a tricky process.

[bnsf9580]

I'm not familiar with the route editing process, since I only use it to unlock annoyingly padlocked routes. At the scenario editing level, track directionality can be edited, but it's a tricky process.

I figured out that that was indeed the problem. I don't know how it ever got switched, but I will keep tinkering with the settings until I figure out how to change it. I laid well over 300 miles of track in a real world route and didn't realize that directionality was the issue.... And I honestly don't want to rebuild the ENTIRE line... Although I do need to fix some spots, it's still not worth an entire rebuild. Not sure if you're familiar with the Northern Illinois area, but it centers out of Belvidere, Illinois. It heads north all the way to Janesville, WI, it runs east along the UP all the way to the West Chicago (Proviso yard if I'm not mistaken), it runs west from Belvidere to Rockford, and south down the old CB&Q to Rochelle. And apparently all built with directional track.............

[Chacal]

I don't know much about track building, but if this can be automated by changing something inside xml files, I can probably help.