After a discussion about the recent update I did a trip Trenton to New York (train 3852) and here is Speed, signalling and ATC/ACSES stuff I've noted: - Speed limit 15mph when leaving Trenton station: ACSES allowes higher speed. Would say it's an in game track speed issue. Maybe it's correct but it makes no sense to me because you can enter all other other tracks at higher speed. - Driving from Trenton to Edison the timetable allowes plenty of time for coasting or driving "slow". 80 mph is probably more than enough here. - while approaching Edison I got suddenly CAB-signalled down to 45mph, that speed stayed all the way past Edison and Metuchen. The speed only released around midway between Metuchen and Metropark. Now I noted this was actually due to an Amtrack train ahead (that passed me around Edison) and the CAB speed released as soon as this train was clear of the plaform and the switch at Metropark station. For me this looks more like a sophisticated way to avoid train running into caution signals rather than a bug. > Noted that I was still on time even with this speed limits - approaching Newark Airport I ran into a distant approach giving me another 45 mph, this speed then stayed active even after signals released due to approaching a 45 mph track limit after the station. Looks fine to me. - approaching Newark Penn at 30 mph I get a sudden drop to 20 mph at the (visible) code change point (CCP) only to be released to 30 mph at the next lineside signal. Same thing repeated shortly after at the next CCP and this time 20mph stayed to the station stop and further all the way out to the 30 mph switch at Harrison. Here this time only at the second lineside signal CAB speed went up to 30 mph but there's another CCP signalling down to 20mph only eventually released at the "clear" signal after the switches. During this period lineside signals were showing limited clear, approach medium limited clear and finally clear. Cab speed behaved like I was constantly approaching signals at danger but I was not... That's the thing I thought might have changed with the update, but unfortunately it has not! However I did capture a screen recording at will do a bug report. - finally there is the approach to NY Penn. I think it's ridicoulous how early you have to reduce speed to 45 - 30 and 20 mph especially because you are approaching the station in a brutal ramp. But I cannot judge if that's realistic behaviour or not. However I know ETCS L1LS and L2 and they have large to very large safety margins when compared to preexisting national safety systems in Switzerland. (the industry will not admit that but at least they stopped arguing when you say it because it's true ...) And it can be noted here that ACSES on the Northeast Corridor is engineered by Siemens and they did not reinvent signalling but the available safety system is obviousely an adaptation of ETCS... So in my opinion the approach to NY Penn (as well as to any signals at danger) is realistic behaviour even when I think it's ridicoulous... also note: even when following these approaching speed limits you arrive in NYP on time! > I did NOT follow the 20 mph speed limits around Newark Penn because I think these are bugged. You can do that because there is no need to apply breaks or go to suppression. It's enough to go breaks to neutral. It does not even cut off traction power. I guess that's a bug too... Give me your thoughts (and insights if there's NEC drivers or industry people around here). For me it's really just the Newark Penn Station that does not add up in my brain...
If you saw the signal programming documentation the team had during the development of Trenton and compared it to how things actually behave in the game, your jaw would likely drop to the floor in disbelief. Compare the NEC portion between Newark Penn and New York Penn on both the Trenton and Morristown routes. The difference is night and day. You can easily test this using free roam.
Yes kinda some of the restrictions are accurate like the approach medium going southbound before North Elizabeth I believe the slow down near Edison was Real before the FRA got real jump of a derailment happened on the MNRR and a 45 was placed there
Now where would I find that documentation? ;-) I currently don't own Morristown Route and cannot compare. (I am busy enough with Trenton and I believe I prefere this route due to also having Amtrack on the line)
It's not something you'd find online. I'm just stating that "if" you saw them, it'd blow your mind how much of a gold mine it is. The literal Bible of signal programming documents. And it was barely referenced for NYT.
So you're saying that they had all the documents on how it should be, but failed to follow them for Trenton? Also, do you have any examples of how the Trenton signalling is inaccurate?
Yea, that is what I am saying. And no I don't have any specific examples right now except the approach into Penn Station. It's been ages since I've ran the route.
So as we know there was a chance to get some stuff at discount. I now own Morristown Line and will try to compare. But for now ACSES aside how am I supposed to see I need to stop here? Almost ran into Amtrack
And this is why NEC NYT needs a complete reboot! Signaling Scenery Lighting Ext to Philly Freight Statics in those empty yards and Im sure there is more!
that picture is from Morristown actually... so I did one ride NY Penn to Sunnyside and back and one to Dover and back. On the ALP46 and the NJT-cab car so as to compare it to NYT. I did not see any major difference in signalling and cab speed between the two routes. On Morristown you have to go to suppression to acknowledge a speed drop which is most likely as it should be. Also I did run into another train standing at a signal and it felt like I was able to approach that faster than I would have on NYT. And you can approach (and probably run over) signals at danger on Morristown which is more or less impossible on the cab signalled part of NYT. But that last part could also be because the signals on Morristown are programmed with a release speed because you have to go close. On NYT there is no need to stop right in front of a signal so maybe there is no release speed IRL. There is no speed indication on the CAB on neither route, for me that's generally kinda missing but not sure what it should be like IRL. [When IRL I drive on ETCS supervision I cannot get closer than around 20-30 metres to the signal position at danger if there is no release speed, and that's about the distance you get braked on NYT... On all conventional routes with lineside signals like Morristown we always have release speed...] On both routes I had multiple consecutive signals showing approach medium without any actual track speed limit and not fully understand that. But at least cab speed and outside signals do the same thing. Also it seems to me as if on Morristown AI-Trains maybe also kinda follow signalled speed rather than just going all in. Not sure, just a feeling for now... Anyway for me both routes are well playable and I really enjoy NYT because it's busy and has some fast speeds. I do simply ignore the probably buggy speeds at Newark Penn... Morristown is really scenic on the other hand! And that Arrow looks tempting to drive
