Amtrak #3 Southwest Chief Sept. 1995 Segment 3

[amtrak115]

The third segment of the westbound Southwest Chief #3 from 1995 has been uploaded to the library. After leaving Kansas City Union Station, you will have to make a fuel stop in Argentine Yard. Typically this takes about 20-25 minutes, however since we're running late, ATSF will try to get it done faster (12 minutes). I tried to simulate the fuel stop using Activity Location messages that will automatically clear once the timer for each expires. I've used the corrected wag files for the Express cars on the Chief so we'll run at passenger speeds across the Emporia/Topeka Subs, this early morning. Traffic is not too bad and you should meet the East bound Southwest Chief after the stop in Topeka. Because I used some Open Rails unique commands with the fuel stop dialogs, I've included an alternate activity that doesn't have the fuel stop which should work with MSTS. (I don't have a working copy of MSTS, so if you run into issues on MSTS let me know and I'll try to correct those.) I've started working on the next segment, the dash to La Junta, CO. The segment should be available in the next day or so. Thanks to all who have downloaded the other segments and the Patch I put out. so until next time, this is....

Amtrak115

Out

[amtrak115]

To all who downloaded Segment 3. I apologize. I missed 2 files that needed to be included in the zip file. I've re-uploaded a new zip amtrak_3_atemsb_1995A.zip that contains the all the files including the 2 missing ones. Again I apologize

[eric]

Whats the logic or precedent on a 12 minute fuel stop?

This ain't NASCAR... fuel flow at a terminal is going to be ~300 gallons per minute at best using 1990's technology, so assuming a minute on each side to connect and disconnect, you won't be topped off. A truck operation would be closer to 200 gph.

Even with modern equipment running at 600 gpm, I think you would be hard pressed to do a 12 minute stop.

I know, it's a game, but it's one where we try to use real world physics and constraints...

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[amtrak115]

the logic for the timing of the fuel stop is based on some posts I saw/read on "trainorders.com" concerning fuel stop. Typically #3 &#4 makes a fuel stop in Argentine yard. it's talks approximately 25 minutes or so for the fuel and possible some watering/etc of passenger cars. I saw one reference that when they are running late, they "try" to do it faster, but could never get a read on exact timing. So when I developed the Activity, having to "stop" at a fuel stop in the early morning for 25 minutes of simulation time, seem excessive as you were just sitting there and not much was going on. So I reduced the time to 15 minutes, and that still seem excessive to me, so for the activity I reduced it to 12 minutes. that was the logic. Since the dialog boxes operate independently of the simulation, it would be easy to change the ORTSContinue argument to the equivalent of 25 minutes in seconds or to what ever time you wanted.