@#%$%%*&^$$ AI Traffic!!!

[Denny]

Designers, Ideas please!
I still battle with a bugaboo in player-AI traffic. here's the problem:
On the NEC at MP24, I have actions to perform on some sidings. a northbound amtrak is scheduled to pass at 11:30. he's a no show!
HMMMM! In fact there's no northbound traffic passing.
I leave mp24, cross the lanes to southbound with no reds and no goofy path changes. motor thru Wilmington to a drop at MP33. good signals, good path. then on to MP40 and a drop and pickup. no signal problems and good path. But still no northbound traffic. Now I'm missing 2 amtracks.
I do my thing at MP40 and then.. I dont have a path over to the northbound side thru an interlocking at newark station. I've lost my path.
And here come the 2 amtracks. They had sat at a red for an hour til I came down and completed my actions at MP40.
And even after they're through i dont have the path. All AI traffic is on player-drivable.
I keep on finding this problem that if the player has some actions going on in a certain area, until those actions are performed, strange things happen. It seems to be the AI path rather than the AI services.
My fix for it in the past is to eliminate any AI paths in those areas. but is that the only way around the problem.
Any similar problems and solutions?
Regards,
Denny
nectrackteam@aol.com
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3be893ad589dbb46.jpg

[rockisland]

Denny, this is just a guess, but you might try starting your AI traffic paths further back. It seems that the AI dispatcher likes to have a minimum of 4 to 5 signals to work with prior to anticipated meet points in order to properly control the AIs. Without enough separation, the AI trains tend to stop at the first signal they encounter and wait until everything clears up.
Hope that helps a little.

ROCK

[Denny]

rock,
thanks for your reply.
the ai traffic in this case actually starts in DC. traveling the entire length.
there is certainly a connection between;
a. the player path
b. the ai traffic path
c. signalling
d. and the "actions" of the player.
Once I clipped the AI path off short of this area where the player performs the drops and pickups, no more path glitch.
I'm just about ready to post this activity, and as soon as I do, I'm going to go back into the activity editor and eliminate all the "actions". All the pickups, drops and assembles. Not that the player wont be prompted by the work order to go and do them. But I want to see if by eliminating one of the above listed "connections", whether there is change in the activity.
I'm sure you've noticed that when you enter a signal block where you have work to perform, your looking at a red signal ahead. And as soon as you complete the "action", you get a green. I think the action completion triggers the signal.
Anyway, I'm going to play with it and see what happens.
Regards,
Denny
http://hometown.aol.com/nectrackteam/main.html
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3be893ad589dbb46.jpg