In the far future, when Open Rails gets its own path format, perhaps we could add a special speed instruction that changes the AI's target driving speed when it reaches a specific point. Well, one can dream...
As in being able to set an AI train should only be able to travel a certain percent of the postes speed limit of the posted track speed?
The problem now is to try to determine approximate "realistic" speeds for AI trains. The speeds will vary according to whether the trains run on the flat, go up hill, and go down hill. One way is to drive AI trains under the wanted conditions and note the maximum speeds, and then edit the AI trains consist file and/or the Default performance under MSTS AE. This is a slow process. Plus the determined speed is only realistically applicable for AI trains under the conditions it was tested under (on the flat, up hill, or down hill). Since AI trains speed remains about constant regardless of the terrain it runs under, it becomes difficult to simulate AI train speeds over varying terrains.
One way around this is to create AI trains with set speed limits (set under consist file, and/or under the AE) for each of the varying terrains. So one AI train only runs on the flat, the other AI train only runs up hill (at set grade), and the other AI train only runs down hill (at constant grade). The AI trains are exactly the same consist, the only difference is their maximum speed settings (for various terrains).
Again a lot of extra work creating more realistic AI train speeds!
Sigh!!!
It appears to me some basic calculations would be the only way to control the behaviour of the AI trains to match physics.
A workaround perhaps that does not break too much the current model
- basic calculation of the maximum attainable speed of the train for current given environment (train mass, loco max power, grade, friction): or whatever is already implemented for AI adapted to perform this.
- update the max speed limit accordingly (if lower than current allowable speed limit from other settings)
- perform the above calculation every minute or so, so as not to have too frequent acceleration/braking on the AI train
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