Clinchfield Constructive Feedback Thread.

Yeah. You have to actually pay attention to what you are doing in the passenger routes where you will overshoot the platforms if you don’t. Plus, the PZB system is unforgiving so I am watching the speed changes closely. It’s great.

 

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla. For myself, I like to drive a train, not stop a train every 2 miles so that stupid humans can get on it.

 

The likelihood is no but it’s great we’re all picking up on things we can feedback to make it even better. I agree with you totally.

 

A pathing issue cropped up on me, I had been playing the Greenbriar turn from start at Part one and pausing it when needing time away from the PC. I got part 6 done and hadnt really been keeping an eye on the time but I was late, Unfortunately on reaching the stop point to become part 7 I was later than realised. The Dispatcher had allowed a Northbound empties (1542 off Dante I think) to Continue and I was expecting it to pass as the points ahead where set for the adjacent loop but the Signal on the approach was at Danger, no problem I thought it will come off (Clear to proceed) when the Northbound Empties gets nearer.

Alas this didnt happen and the Empties stopped in the Single Line section at the previous signal to the one controlling the loop and just stayed there.

5 hrs of very enjoyable time on the route shunting and seeing new parts pretty much ended abrubtly. We need the dispatcher/Signaller to do better here, or is it a case of the paths being set up and assumptions made that these services wouldnt pass here?

I noticed in the timetable list the Part 7 sets off at circa 15:19 and I was commencing the part 7 around 16:30 so appreciate I was late (Unsure how I lost so much time). It just a little frustrating that Its caused a standoff between two trains despite there being a long enough loop to get the on time one around me...

DTG please improve on this, I know you guys want a better dispatcher and I am sure many of us on here also do too.

J

 

Further Woe with Greenbriar Part 7, I get to the part 5 miles down the line (Cant recall the name something storage) Stop a bit beyond the Stop marker (25 yds IIrc) Check the Caboose is clear of the junction to enable the train to shunt past it when reversing, yes plenty of clearance. Pull forward in accordance with the markers thence reverse again all spot on, unhook the rear 12 Wagons then forward again, Gain permission to pass the red stop board and the next signal is at Danger, Here lies the problem, Denied Train in section ahead, after looking at map no train in the section. I am presuming it thinks the Caboose is foul somehow as I didnt leave it exactly as the marker wanted, or maybe there is somekind of Track circuit occupancy at play here as per signalling locking the protecting signal at danger.

I am beginning to feel that my style of shunting along with the dispatchers total rigidity will lead to me never completing a full set of chained scenarios in one go or even in this case one part...

Was chuffed to bits with CRR when I first had a few goes but its testing the TSW2 operational flexibility to the limit and beyond here as well as my patience...

Time to fire up Zusi 3 again methinks and hope that the 'Rush Hour' Improvements bring TSW2 closer to real railway operations. I have to hope so and the work on it doesnt get lost in a sea of Dosto doors and Pacer demands...!

 

Its actually due to a timetable service that is scheduled to run northbound out of Dante.

 

Which one? I started part 7 off the bat at 15:19, I also spawned on foot at the spot where its shunting and noted the caboose left by the AI driver in the same place I left it, he then had a yellow aspect at the point I was denied. Nearest Northbound I could see was at Dante waiting departure from the yard.

 

There is a train, although when you reach this point it usually has yet to start moving on the map unless you've been really slow. Just wait.

 

Will give it another go and see what happens.

 

When I first read about the journey-linked series of timetabled activities (which I still tend to think about as "services" as differentiated from "scenarios"), the concept sounded intriguing. Now, reading some of the posts in this thread and knowing that I tend to drive cautiously -- i.e. slowly, I'm thinking that I'll be better off driving them individually, which I have begun to do.

 

For some reason, it is better not to use return to free roam. I confirm. One by one, it's cool enough anyway!

 

The thing with timetable mode is that its a full day of train operations. A Scenario is a stage managed event which will be identical every time usually. Timetable mode should be something which can be played for the full day if you wish or just one train. The fact that it locks up so easily in my experience shows the weakness in the dispatcher not the timetable mode concept which is great. The timetable runs thread shows what can be made to be more interesting if you say dont move a service for 10 minutes. However on Clinchfield this proves troublesome to the dispatcher on occasion as I found when I ended up one hour and twenty minutes late with a chained scenario. If you can only do it in stages and not from free roaming or another linked service then it will soon become more routine and less of a personal experience to that service.

We need a more fluid randomness to TSW2. Then I feel that DLC will become more usuable.

I have spent many hours running ZUSI 3 on the same routes because every single trip is different in some way.

On TSW2 will anybody really run every single S Bahn service on HMA? Some may but I am done after a couple. And thats on a route that has a higher amount of variety than others.

Clinchfield has shown TSW2 strengths and weakness in one package.

Great Scenery
Great Trains
Variety of branch line operations

But..

Dispatcher limitations
Sounds could be better.
No editor for those of us who would like to write our own timetable and maybe have longer consists.

 

I think you are correct in that the Dispatcher AI currently is not powerful or adaptive enough, and Matt has talked about it. That apparently is an upgrade they are working on.

Having said that, CRR was (and is) a single-track RR with passing loops, and a train that got behind schedule would in real life be forced onto a siding and made to wait for its more punctual brethren.

 

The dispatcher is working on a prioritized basis now. It has little or no adaptability. Nevertheless, the CRR looks very credible!

 

I suspect the despatcher is much akin to that in MSTS and TS. It decides when you launch the scenario where trains will meet and won't deviate. It won't consider alternate routing to avoid standoffs or to produce a more flexible solution. I haven't bought Zusi 3 (yet) but Zusi 2 was dynamic and adaptable when it came to the AI signalling. Only one route I ever had issues was that wee little route between Wolfsberg and Braunschweig (now closed in real life) where the timetable was set up at saturation point with IC and D train diversions.

 

Never had Zusi 2 but I imagine its a similar dispatcher, Zusi 3 will lock up if too much chaos ensues, it will wobble on the Westerland (Syllt) route with it being single track in many places resulting in loops being full and the sections either side also being full, if that was real life then the signalman would be in for tea and biscuits in no time. You can however go into a list of trains and remove the offending ones. The real life solution would be a reversal by the errant train which was causing the lock up.

Alternate routing seems to be always in the too hard to do category in TS20** and TSW despite it being part and parcel of normal railway operations. I would hope thats looked at again as its a shame to have such stunning looking railway and such a rigid routing set up.

 

I have not done this specific set of services. However, that has not been my experience with the TSW dispatcher. The dispatcher is conservative, but dynamic. It will adjust depending on where you are and plan meets accordingly. Each train creates a wave of clearance and the traffic is cleared on a first come first served priority. The waves in CRR are relatively large and can create significant waits while traffic clears.

 

I love the emphasis on operation that the Clinchfield provides. I am also happy to see DTG take on the complexities of dispatching on a single track main.

Currently, dispatcher seems conservative, but that may be necessary to keep it robust. Right now it seems that trains are cleared through the next siding and the main just beyond if the track is available.

I am looking forward to advances in dispatching that diminish the wave of signal clearance ahead of the train and allow clearance only to the end of the next siding.