New Metro North Activities

[crstagg]

Hi Charles,
I got a message from a German OR user with a similar complaint about OR not behaving like MSTSbin in a specific case, but I couldn't reproduce it. All engines I tested worked as desired.
Only a comment about your thorough tests: you get different results for OR in EXP #1 and EXP #2 (in the first case only a panto raises, in the second one both are raised). ORTS does not consider the PantographToggle1 and PantographToggle2 lines, so, if the addition of the PantographToggle2 line is the only difference between the two cases, you should get the same result. I just tested and was able to raise both pantographs (rear panto with P and front panto with Shift-P) also without the PantographToggle2 line.

Your statement I Bolded and underlined answers Don's problem of why the M2s that are AIs or Loose Consists in the activity do not have their Pantographs raised when run in OR. Since the third value of the PantographToggle# line is the default value for MSTS and since the PantographToggle# lines are NOT read by OR, what line/entry does the user need to enter to tell OR to have the Pantograph raised for AI and Loose consists.

Reran EXP #1 and found you are correct.
Results should be:
EXP #1

ORTS
--- Both Pantographs DOWN at Start
--- P raises Rear and Shift-P raises Front

[Don6218]

That is interesting. What can be entered so that OR can read it to raise the pantographs on AI & Loose Consist locomotives?

BTW, these MNRR M2 locomotives only have One Pantograph shared by Two Locomotives, an A Unit & a B Unit.

Thank you again for your interest in this.

[csantucci]

OR presently does not allow to define the initial position of pantos. It uses following defaults in activity mode:
- player train has pantos down if initial speed = 0, and has panto 1 up if initial speed > 0;
- AI trains have panto 1 up;
- static consists have pantos down.
I don't know if this is valid also for timetable mode.

[baldwin]

The M2s have a rather odd arrangement for the single panto. It is modelled in two parts, with one part having the raise and the other part having the lower. Each part in addition is labelled Pantograph1 to raise and Pantograph2 to lower. Both parts run in unison for raise or lower.
I think it is this odd arrangement that is the probable cause of the problem in OR.

[Don6218]

Yes I think you may have the main difference here. baldwin. Could the Pantograph on these M2's be replaced with a better arrangement that agrees with OR? Maybe the ones from the Acela, or PRR Silverliners by Steve Thomas? If the original builder would agree?

With some assistance I would be willing to do it myself, for my own use.

Thank you all again.

[crstagg]

Yes I think you may have the main difference here. baldwin. Could the Pantograph on these M2's be replaced with a better arrangement that agrees with OR? Maybe the ones from the Acela, or PRR Silverliners by Steve Thomas? If the original builder would agree?

With some assistance I would be willing to do it myself, for my own use.

Thank you all again.

You cannot just swap Pantographs. You have to edit the shape file. That is far beyond my pay grade.