8X?

[eric]

No, it doesn't.

You are conveniently ignoring the fact that "in this country" does not apply to the other 95% of the world......and there are plenty of MSTS/OR users out here who like to operate railways/railroads that are beyond the borders of North America.

Cheers!
Bruce

Just thinking out loud, but maybe there's a need for a new type of CFG file where operating rules like this and other parameters can be defined on a route specific basis?

e.g. behaviour when running a red signal, trailing an unlined switch, exceeding a speed limit, how far ahead to define a path

[neyland]

The more customisation the better. Even within the UK there were different systems per railway company, pre British Railways. The GWR was the only mainline company to operate ATC, which would stop a train automatically before a signal at danger was passed.

[conrail1]

In this system, if a train, either player or AI goes off it's route, as in beyond the end of it, passing a red signal, the entire Activity is now invalid.
and personally I prefer not getting a "Game Over" because I ran 11 feet past a red signal. I'd rather back up and let the game reset and correct my mistake.

Red what?

It’s either a stop indication (control point signal) or a stop and proceed/restricted proceed (intermediate/automatic).

Even within the UK there were different systems per railway company, pre British Railways. The GWR was the only mainline company to operate ATC, which would stop a train automatically before a signal at danger was passed.

We have similar systems here in the US also, LSL, ATC and ATS as just a few examples. If the train does not comply with signal indication (cab signal over-speed as one example) or if the engineer does not acknowledge a signal aspect downgrade (some systems will even enforce a braking profile curve) the system will initiate a penalty brake application.

Notice I said penalty brake application not the usual misconception emergency application which are two different animals.

[neyland]

Yup understand about the US systems conrail1, thank you.

The GWR system dates back to 1906, the ATC ramp which was placed before each Distant semaphore signal.

Was energised if the next Home (Stop) semaphore was off (clear). If the next Home signal was on (Danger or Stop), the ramp became de-energised and the emergency brake application was made, independent of what action the driver took.

The later British Railways AWS is based on the ATC system, but is inferior as it is possible to over ride the system.

[twpol]

Having read through this topic; could I suggest that the suggestion is put to the OR team to make this functionality optional, so that UK users get "normal" which works as present and US users get "normal" which works how it was before?

The sim needs to be developed in such a way that normal operating practice is simulated correctly for wherever you are in the world. To start with I would envisage a tick box for UK, US, EU etc, but as the editors are created, it could potentially be built into the route settings.

We're well aware that this isn't a universally desirable feature; ultimately, it may become a combination of locomotive, signal and/or route option so that a whole range of prototypical content may exist and work without toggling options all the time, but in the short term I am hopeful we'll have options (much like MSTS's realism ones) that disable this emergency stop behaviour.

[NorthernWarrior]

Then there's the German speed sensing system (Indusi) which throws the brake in if the lineside balises don't detect a sufficient reduction in speed after passing a caution signal. The UK TPWS system, introduced a few years ago as an enhancement for AWS to mitgate the effects of a SPAD, is a somewhat simplified version of Indusi in that it only causes a train stop if the train passes a red signal or has failed to reduce speed sufficiently for an upcoming severe speed restriction.

I always find it quite incredulous that the US runs many of its main line railroads with no form of AWS/ATP or train stop for danger signals!

[seagoon]

....I always find it quite incredulous that the US runs many of its main line railroads with no form of AWS/ATP or train stop for danger signals!

May go some way towards explaing why head-ons and head-to-tails occur as frequently as they do, Vern.

[rdamurphy]

Red what?

It’s either a stop indication (control point signal) or a stop and proceed/restricted proceed (intermediate/automatic).

Pardon my lack of clarity. You're right, I should have said a STOP indication, not a red aspect. Two different animals.

Robert

[eric]

May go some way towards explaing why head-ons and head-to-tails occur as frequently as they do, Vern.

Frequently?.... Without specifics, I'd say on a ton-mile basis, the rate is probably low...

Regardless, PTC is coming, which will reduce it even further.

[rdamurphy]

I always find it quite incredulous that the US runs many of its main line railroads with no form of AWS/ATP or train stop for danger signals!

You and a lot of other people! Three reasons:

Expense. 140,000 route miles of track, and 16,000 miles of that is double track.

Competition. Getting two railroads to agree on something is nigh on impossible - and always has been. Even after EMD and GE tried to standardize diesel locomotives, look at how many variations there are among locomotives of the same model due to railroad customization.

We don't need it. From 1987 to present, there have only been three railroad accidents that some kind of train control would have prevented.
That didn't stop the Government from imposing a madate it be installed in 2008, which will cost the railroads $10billion.

Of course, that legislation was triggered by the accident in Chatsworth, CA where a Governement employeed engineer controlling a Government owned train which was using a privately owned rail system violated a railroad safety rule by texting in the cab and caused an accident killing 25 people.

Only in America can the Government cause an accident that killed 25 people, then blame it on somebody else, and then decide everybody has to spend $10 billion to fix the Government's mistake...

Robert

[conrail1]

Of course, that legislation was triggered by the accident in Chatsworth, CA where a Governement employeed engineer controlling a Government owned train which was using a privately owned rail system violated a railroad safety rule by texting in the cab and caused an accident killing 25 people.

The Metrolink engineer involved in the accident at Chatsworth was employed by Connex (a French based company which operates bus, rail and other services throughout North America). Amtrak ran Metrolink trains between 1992 – 2004 when Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA) gave the contract to Connex.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/aug/28/metrolink-will-replace-train-operator-connex/

For those here who can actually comprehend the information given, this is the report on the accident and how it could have been avoided -

https://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/2010/RAR1001.pdf

[seagoon]

Frequently?.... Without specifics, I'd say on a ton-mile basis, the rate is probably low...

Regardless, PTC is coming, which will reduce it even further.

Yeah, I'm sure you're right.
Maybe I just remember those instances down the years which were somewhat over-publicised.

Bruce