Does ORTS Struggle with Long Block Sections?

[NorthernWarrior]

Indulging my new found passion for running old MSTS routes in ORTS, fired up my old Far North route from 2004 to see how it played. Apart from wincing at my early attempts at placing/making scenery and the abrupt drop off of scenery placed to the original MSTS 2km draw distance (in those days few UK route builders bothered with Distant Mountains, most terrain was hand crafted let alone Demexed), my opposing AI train seems to have got lost.

For those unfamiliar with the Far North line, it's approx. 160 miles long and runs from Inverness to Wick in Northern Scotland. Entirely single track with crossing loops (sidings), the further north you travel the further apart these are with long absolute block sections in between. If two trains set off at the same time from either end, they should meet at Lairg, Rogart or Brora and running in MSTS this was generally how it panned out. However I've now reached Helmsdale, 12 miles north of Brora and still no sign of the AI. It is now 25 miles to the next crossing loop (Forsinard) then another 20 miles or so to Georgemas Junction. The advanced F5 seems to indicate the AI train has travelled at a speed no more than 20 MPH and may be waiting at Forsinard - TBC.

So I'm just wondering why the activity isn't playing out like it should do?

[sidp]

Have you tried looking for your AI train in the "Dispatcher Window" ? It displays a live map showing where all of the consists and trains are. You must check the option "Fast Full-screen Alt-Tab" on the Video page of the Options. When OR is running, Ctrl-9 will start the Dispatcher Window behind the OR window; pressing Alt-Tab cycles through the open windows on your screen until you find the Dispatcher. After that, Alt-Tab will switch back and forth between OR and the Dispatcher Window.

There are sometimes small differences between MSTS and OR in the start times of AI trains for trains that start right at the start of the activity. Sometimes this can lock a train behind a red signal.

Also, the Dispatcher window is very useful for manual switching of switches and signals.

[eric]

Is your route signaled?

I had some problems with AI and timetable trains running on longer blocks without signalling, but adding signals seems to have fixed that.

Broken coupler syndrome, however, is gone.

[NorthernWarrior]

Route fully signalled, albeit with the basic MSTS UK signals.

Dispatcher window shows it has stopped at a station in the 25 mile section between Forsinard and Helmsdale where it must have been for some time. That's about 50 miles north of where it should have been at this point in the activity. I'll keep driving towards Helmsdale from the south to see if my arrival there triggers the AI into moving, but it is beginning to look like something bugged out.

[eric]

As an experiment, you might want to consider reading up on timetable mode, and replicating the activity that way. I've had much better luck writing timetables than I ever did with activities just for AI...

[csantucci]

Which OR release are you using? Does your AI train use varying performances? In OR 1.1 this case is not correctly handled, while it is correctly handled in OR 1.0 and in actual testing and experimental releases.

[NorthernWarrior]

Latest stable version AFAIK.

No idea about varying performance, this was set to 75% in the MSTS AE editor.

Edit: V 1.1.1.3487