AI horn questions

[scottnelson]

I saw AI trains can blow the horn for a crossing if you insert a certain line in the act file but the trains makes one sound of the horn. Can it blow the horn more than once for crossings? I notice it works on Marias Pass but it doesn't work for Willamette Pass or the Scenic Sub. How can I get it to work for other routes?

[geepster775]

Detector voices are in the ACT file. Horn sequences are in the path file. A derivative of a wait point. All AIs that use that path will blow their horns accordingly.

In general, ORTS specific additions are ignored and abolished if the file is ever edited and re-written with the MSTS editors.

[scottnelson]

Here's what I have in the act file where the train blows just once from the Cutbank Switching activity. ORTSAIHornAtCrossings ( 1 )

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

In ORTS - you can play WAV files at events - you can have AI trains blow the horn once or as many times as you like by using Track Viewer to create your paths - you can have AI switchers making up and breaking down trains doing real work around the yard - you can have your AI road engine trundle out from the engine servicing facility grab it's train and head off to its destination - you can have AI helpers join the rear of your train - shove you up the hill - and disconnect when done - - - all without user intervention... Pretty amazing stuff...

Regards,
Scott

[R. Steele]

from the manual

10.16.5 AI Train Horn Blow
This feature requires selection of the Extended AI train shunting option.
Horn blow by AI trains is achieved by inserting into the AI train path a waiting point with a waiting time
value between 60011 (1 second horn blow) and 60020 (10 seconds horn blow).
The AI train will not stop at these waiting points, but will continue at its regular speed.
If a “normal” waiting point follows a horn blow waiting point, the horn blow must be terminated before
the normal waiting point is reached ( just in case).
On the other hand, a horn blow waiting point may be positioned just after a normal WP (thus achieving
the effect that the train blows the horn when it restarts).
To implement this feature it is not necessary to proceed as described in the first three paragraphs of this
chapter. It is enough to insert the waiting points within the paths with either the MSTS AE or through
TrackViewer.
10.16.6 AI Horn Blow at Level Crossings
If the line:
ORTSAIHornAtCrossings ( 1 )
is inserted into the activity file following the line:
NextActivityObjectUID ( 32768 )
(note that the number in the brackets may be different), then AI trains will blow their horn at level crossings
for a random time between 2 and 5 seconds.The level crossing must be defined as such in the MSTS route
editor. Simple road crossings, not defined as level crossings, may also be present in the route. The AI train
will not blow the horn at these crossings. Examining the route with TrackViewer allows identification of
the true level crossings. If a horn blow is also desired for a simple road crossing, the feature AI Train Horn
Blow described above must be used.

[scottnelson]

So do horn sounds have to be added to the eng sms file? I haven't gotten them to work in the activity. I see the crossings are defined when using the Track Viewer for Willamette Pass and Marias Pass. Does the train need to be near the AI train for it to work even if camera is freeform mode?

[geepster775]

I don't have an answer to that because I have no interest going into the weeds to test that theory, other than to state that I don't have any TRAIL or AI locomotives in my ORTS installs, so all of my locomotives on either player or AI trains are fully competent, player driveable, with full sounds and horns and lights.

TRAIL and AI loco definitions are handicaps created to cater to MSTS shortcomings. If you want to use unique ORTS features, then it's time to have ORTS compliant Trainset and Consists folders

[scottnelson]

So I got them to blow the horn using wait points and adjusted the number of seconds for the horn sound so they blow the horn correctly for the crossing. But I notice the bell continues to ring and don't know how to deactivate it.

[R. Steele]

So I got them to blow the horn using wait points and adjusted the number of seconds for the horn sound so they blow the horn correctly for the crossing. But I notice the bell continues to ring and don't know how to deactivate it.

Many questions about the MSTS engine and wagon files can be answered by this doc -- Richter&Realmuto Engine Manual

https://www.msts.steam4me.net/utilities/index.html#engwag

To answer your question: the engine file line you are looking for is underlined below -- change the 1 to Zero.

	DieselUsedPerHourAtMaxPower ( 262gal )
	DieselUsedPerHourAtIdle ( 6.2gal )
	DieselSmokeEffectInitialMagnitude( 0.5 )
	DieselSmokeEffectMaxMagnitude( 1.8 )
	DieselSmokeEffectInitialSmokeRate( 0.5 )
	DieselSmokeEffectMaxSmokeRate( 2.1 )
	DieselEngineIdleRPM( 315 )
	DieselEngineMaxRPM( 1050 )
	DieselEngineSpeedOfMaxTractiveEffort( 6.5mph )
	DieselEngineMaxRPMChangeRate( 55 )
	[U]DoesHornTriggerBell( 1 )[/U]

	EmergencyStopMonitor(
    		MonitoringDeviceMonitorTimeLimit( 0 )
    		MonitoringDeviceAlarmTimeLimit( 0 )
    		MonitoringDevicePenaltyTimeLimit( 60 )
    		MonitoringDeviceCriticalLevel( 0 )
    		MonitoringDeviceResetLevel( 0 )
    		MonitoringDeviceAppliesFullBrake( 0 )
    		MonitoringDeviceAppliesEmergencyBrake( 1 )
    		MonitoringDeviceAppliesCutsPower( 1 )
    		MonitoringDeviceAppliesShutsDownEngine( 0 )

[csantucci]

By reading this thread I decided to avoid that the bell plays for an infinite time when DoesHornTriggerBell is set to 1. I have generated a fix, that is already inserted in the official unstable version U2019.11.28-1736, so that the bell plays for further 30 seconds after the end of the horn blast, and then stops.