Waiting post within station demarcations

[oakpalms]

In setting up a passenger AI pulling into the Belen train station using the Bin 6.1 I ran into a puzzling situation. I first placed the waiting point for 600 seconds just past the blue station markers and the train stopped at the station, then pulled forward to the waiting point and remained there for the 10 minutes and then went on its way.

I then tried to place the waiting point within the blue markers hoping to remove the pull in, stop, and the pull forward motion of the train to reach the waiting point. When I did this, I immediately caused the train to stop at the signal just prior to entering the station and of course it stayed there.

I then relocated the waiting point past the station where I first had it placed and the train pulled right through the signal and into the station albeit I was back to the pull in, stop, then pull up to the waiting point. This looks like the most practical remedy and suggest the waiting points for stations be just past the blue marker and not between them when doing activities.

Bob Edwards

[westerngy]

Not sure Bob as with WF5 and WF7 I've been creating identical activites as there seems to be a signal problem out of Whitefish...but I use waiting points at the Whitefish depot to resemble crew changes and the wait points are within the blue lines for the station area.Train both AI's pull in stop and wait the prescribed time of 300 seconds or 5 mins.


Just Rollin Down The Tracks

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Dale

[SAL]

Do you have Belen ticked as a station stop in the AI's path?

If so, try removing Belen as one of your stops in the path, that should clear up the AE's confusion.

--Andrew

[oakpalms]

I tried the suggestions you guys gave, by unchecking all the stations and then placing the waiting point between the blue markers. I still got a red signal at the switch coming into the station. The switch allows for the train to enter a short track for station service.

I then went back to placing the waiting point past the station which really made more sense anyway since it allowed for the train to stop with the passenger cars in front of the station instead of the engines. This once again allowed the train to pull into the station without encountering the red signal.

I have a feeling that MSTS senses that the length of the train and where the waiting point was placed within the station area would cause the train to extend beyond the switch and out on to the mainline where another train could clip the trailing cars. I am using a 10 minute stop as per the real time schedule. I think it only takes this in to account when a waiting point is in place. I have not noticed that just using the station check box has anything to do with signals whether the train extended out on to the main or not.

It is really great to see the waiting points working properly. In my activity at Belen (Clovis Sub) you can see the passenger train entering the station, waiting 10 minutes, and then starting off as scheduled all while you are hooking up to the train that will follow the passenger train. Bin 6.1 is highly recommended for the feel of reality!

Bob Edwards

[seern]

Bob,

I am curious as to why you are using a WP with a passenger train. If you want the train to stay in the station longer just increase the number of passengers loading in the properties for that station. If you are trying to do a "double stop" for a long train, then the WP is the way to go.

[oakpalms]

Sharon,
I am trying to replicate a 1958 time table that has the San Francisco Chief stopping at Belen for 10 minutes on its eastbound journey over the Clovis Sub. It is an AI train so I don't know how the number of passengers would function for an AI. I can tell you that the Waiting Point using Bin 6.1 works to the exact second.

Bob

[seern]

Setting the number of passengers in station properties for AI's works just fine though its trial and error to get the time right. Glad to hear that the WP's work.

[drjoe]

Bob,

Have you tried using a consist that "fits" in the station siding to test your "length" theory? I am curious about this. Perhaps waiting points, like reversing points, need to have the whole train between switches to work properly.

[oakpalms]

Joe,
No I did not change the train length to test the theory. I may try and do that later today.

Bob