Question about running MSTS activities in OR

[plethaus21]

Now I'm trying Time for a Wash 2 using ctrl-m to pick up the cars and caboose like you said, but I'm already seeing bizarre behavior - my entire train just warped over to the first yard track while I was backing up towards the caboose; after that when I was pulling out of the yard, my entire train warped to the far track in the yard, giving me an OutOfControl: Misaligned Switch error because the train was warped over the switch onto yard track 4. ...

edit: OK, color me silly, the warping come from misaligned switches... takes some getting used to operating in full manual mode. Sorry if I annoy with my ignorance However after more carefully monitoring the switches, I did get myself out of the yard with the train intact and then back to auto signals once I got out. Very un-intuitive as I never would have figured this out on my own - but I do understand that like you said Gerry, MSTS activities were designed in a multitude of ways to get around MSTS's quirks, and I know there could never be one all-encompassing way to improve without requiring some work arounds with legacy activities.

Still stuck on the Fruita Turn activity, though..

[geepster775]

Have you pulled up the dispatchers panel to see how the authority is advancing ahead of the train?

With X3215 Fruita worked for me, in that I can make it past the meet, but I do notice that the running times for AI trains, especially those AI trains that have a long path, have progressed farther in OR than in MSTS. When I run this act in MSTS, the AI is running later, and I can get in the hole, traverse a 30 mph siding, and have a brief wait. In OR, the same AI train is farther ahead, and ends up between the siding switches before I even enter the siding.

I noticed the same problem with Seligman 2's "Bad Day for Trains part 1", In that act, I depart Needles on the yard lead. In MSTS, the first AI is waiting at East Needles for me to cross over in front of him, while in OR, that same AI is farther ahead, and I pass him even before getting to the approach signal for East Needles.

[R. Steele]

..., MSTS activities were designed in a multitude of ways to get around MSTS's quirks, and I know there could never be one all-encompassing way to improve without requiring some work arounds with legacy activities.
Still stuck on the Fruita Turn activity, though..

I'm running the default version of 1_East End Road Switcher.act (Fruita Turn), can't find any changes to activity.

Yeah, the learning curve in the beginning with OR can be steep, especially after you have used MSTS for a while.
I read geepsters post --- you should provide some more info from the F5 HUD Dispatch and the OR log, that will help.

I would be interested in a posting a log if there is something relevant to be found there, but I'm not sure what options to enable to log properly and where the log file would be stored

By default the OR log should be on your desktop. It will rewrite each time you open a session. The log helps people determine your settings and provides a look at any warnings, or issues with loading files...that can really help people unravel what is happening in your specific situation.

[R. Steele]

There is another Streamlines ATSF Sel2. The Eastbound SWChief has no AI traffic at all. There should be a freight entering the yard throat just after departing Needles and another freight in the siding just after crossing the river at Topac. Then there is occasional traffic all the way across to Winslow but in OR there is none, it is like running for 5 hours in explore mode. Very lonely run and not fun.

Here try this...I am not too experienced at passenger activities, but this now opens with all traffic present and running both East and West bound.
Would appreciate someone running it and providing some feedback. Not meant as a complete replacement, but rather, a good place to start from.

Edit - removed by poster, see new thread

[plethaus21]

Have you pulled up the dispatchers panel to see how the authority is advancing ahead of the train?

The Fruita player train is the green square with 0 on it. The red bar shows signal authority ahead for each train, and it advances as both trains do.

Hi Geepster,

I took a look at the dispatcher and watched it during the activity like you said. What's quite bizarre is that the signal on the player's side of the siding in your screenshots is green (or approach or whatever you call it, green/yellow) while mine is at danger even at the very start of the activity and never changes from that. Here are pics:

[roeter]

So in this case, the OOC "slipped" error refers to going off the scripted player path I'm guessing? What would one do in that scenario if that happens? I tried continuing on in auto mode but it "broke" the activity as all signals were red at that point.

To get back to normal, change to Manual mode (CTRL-M). This allows you to release brakes etc., and get back onto your proper path.
When the 'own train' symbol in the track-monitor changes to white you're back on track, and can switch back to auto mode using CTRL-M again (no need to stop when going back from manual to auto if you're heading in the right direction).

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

[plethaus21]

To get back to normal, change to Manual mode (CTRL-M). This allows you to release brakes etc., and get back onto your proper path.
When the 'own train' symbol in the track-monitor changes to white you're back on track, and can switch back to auto mode using CTRL-M again (no need to stop when going back from manual to auto if you're heading in the right direction).

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

Thanks for the tips, I will go with the manual control mode if I run into more issues. I was mostly just worried about AI getting messed up or routed incorrectly if switches were set to manual.

Also, do you have any idea why the signal on that SLI "Fruita Turn" activity seems to be behaving differently from the other two users who posted screenshots of successfully getting the signal onto that siding?

Thanks again

Also I should add that I tried going full manual to get around that AI in that activity, by giving myself the signal as well as aligning the switch; however as soon as my train crosses by the signal the switch immediately changes back to the mainline running me into the AI. So I cannot think of any way to make the activity work aside from modifying it in some way - so might be a good activity for y'all developers to examine

[grncherry1]

Here try this...I am not too experienced at passenger activities, but this now opens with all traffic present and running both East and West bound.
Would appreciate someone running it and providing some feedback. Not meant as a complete replacement, but rather, a good place to start from.

[ATTACH]67529[/ATTACH] THIS WILL OVERWRITE EXISTING ACTIVITY....MAKE A BACKUP< PLEASE

Thanks for the reply, but still no luck. Here is a copy of my log file, don't know if it will be of any help. Your help is greately appreciated. I am clueless when it comes to the workings of MSTS and OR.

[R. Steele]

Also, do you have any idea why the signal on that SLI "Fruita Turn" activity seems to be behaving differently from the other two users who posted screenshots of successfully getting the signal onto that siding?

Have you tried reloading the route to get a new copy of the sigcfg.dat file? Yours may be corrupted, just guessing here. From what I am seeing (and without looking at the OR log...which would be helpful - look on your desktop for an OpenRails.txt file) the problem may lie with the route and not the acitivity.

[plethaus21]

I tried reinstalling the route, no change. My sigcfg.dat in the Routes\DRGW_GreenRiver folder the shows a date modified of 5/16/15, 46.4 KB (47,540 bytes.) What does yours show?

Also put my log file below.

Thanks for taking the time to help, btw!

[geepster775]

Mine is 4/22/2011. All individual files in the route folder have either 4/22, 4/29 or 4/30 dates.

The route was released in 2011. My purchase was on 5/6/2011

[plethaus21]

Mine is 4/22/2011. All individual files in the route folder have either 4/22, 4/29 or 4/30 dates.

The route was released in 2011. My purchase was on 5/6/2011

Perhaps it was changed at some point in the SLI installer (although admittedly unlikely.) Maybe I can try the sigcfg.dat you have to see if it is any different?

[R. Steele]

Perhaps it was changed at some point in the SLI installer (although admittedly unlikely.) Maybe I can try the sigcfg.dat you have to see if it is any different?

Attached is the default copy of the sigcfg.dat file for the SLI DRGW GreenRiver, purchased my copy 4-24-2013.

I also noticed in your log that the option UseLocationPassingPaths = False, best to use that option when running MSTS activities, also does no harm to have the ExtendedAIShunting option also checked.

Nothing else I saw in log would indicate any signal problems, a few minor sound errors.

[plethaus21]

Thanks for posting that Gerry. That file was indeed the culprit. The signal in question now shows approach instead of danger. Looks like SLI did indeed change the sigcfg file at some point after you guys bought the route.

One problem solved at least!