Mbta F40 Safety Systems - Tutorial Needed

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by wcwood92, Aug 21, 2021.

  1. wcwood92

    wcwood92 Well-Known Member

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    Anyone have any advice for the F40 safety systems?
    I seem to be getting penalty brakes but I can't figure out why.
    Couple times without alarms. Couple times before stations. Couple times where it seems to (maybe?) be transition from ATC to ACSES.

    It's almost always operator error but I can't seem to find the pattern of errors.

    A safety system and signaling tutorial would be outstanding
     
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  2. bescot

    bescot Well-Known Member

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    I don't get it either.

    Random brake applications for no reason. No problem with the ACS64, just the MBTA set.

    I'm also finding driving Amtrak services I'm having to crawl into stations for miles as the signal beyond is red. It clears as soon as I close my doors making me 10 minutes late by the time I've got to the other end of the route.
     
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  3. jayzhead

    jayzhead Active Member

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    I didn't get any random brake applications yet, but ACSES is all buggy and broken. It is impossible to arrive on time in almost any service if you're playing with safety systems on. Especially the MBTA Stoughton services, ACSES just keeps me around 30-45 mph during the entire mainline run, so by the time I get to Canton Junction I'm 5-7 minutes late. I just gave up on it for now, it's pretty unusable.
     
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  4. how sad that most of the services on the route are almost unplayable...
     
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  5. SiaL8er

    SiaL8er Member

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    Haven't come across any unplayable ones so far. Could you be more specific?
     
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  6. CK95

    CK95 Well-Known Member

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    ACSES is completely broken, as others have said it detects red signals that are miles away from where you are and keeps you crawling at 30 mph.

    I am yet to complete a service on time because of it, however driving a train without safety systems enabled just doesn’t do it for me.

    Also if you arrive at a station with a red signal, sometimes you are forced to stop halfway down the platform as the ACSES won’t allow you to get close to the signal.

    I thought Matt had said that we were moving away from the whole having reds only turn green after closing your doors, yet it’s still an issue? It’s tiresome arriving into a station 10 minutes late due to a broken safety system coupled with a needless red signal.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2021
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  7. montes_1234

    montes_1234 Well-Known Member

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    My guess is that they implemented that system just to be able to overcome the main problem, that is the signaler which is almost missing. Than any system which is interlinked with the signals will be straggling.
     
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2021
  8. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    I don’t find them unplayable, just a reflection of real life, Amtrak is seldom on time anyway. I just assume the time schedule is for non congestion on the line and with ACES and ATC reflects other traffic causing congestion.

    I follow the signal speeds. Haven’t failed to get a “Gold” medal yet on a run if that is what floats your boat. Doesn’t matter to me, making a run, follow the signals is what it is all about in RL anyway. I am not saying there isn’t a problem, but ones reaction to it is all up to the individual.
     
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  9. Tanglebones

    Tanglebones Well-Known Member

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    I just don't get why they don't create an in-game tutorial for these safety systems, and yet wax on endlessly in streams about how much more immersive it is to play with them. They spend time every release reminding us to look up, look down, etc. The thing with safety systems and signals unique to each country - you really only have to learn them once. They don't have to be added to every route if you have a dedicated training area to teach them. Create a simple test track, sprinkle signals and safety systems along the length and teach us.

    There are few things more aggravating than trying to teach yourself how these work only to have your train suddenly stop for no apparent reason and no amount of switch flipping will get it going again. Even a simple in-game explanation would be good.
     
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  10. CK95

    CK95 Well-Known Member

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    Pretending that it’s something it isn’t is fine, however it’s less so when it’s predictably broken, for example getting forced down to 30mph, 6.7 miles from route 128 (Boston approach) because of a static red signal is tedious, if they want to artificially simulate a delay then they need to push the red signal periodically and not just have it set to a hard point, ACSES deals with yellows much better then it deals with a red, my knowledge of US systems is nowhere near that of UK or even German systems, but I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be in restrict mode almost 7 miles from a red signal.

    Maybe having static pre-determined reds would be less of an issue if ACSES gets fixed, but as it stands it’s essentially like having a 30mph speed reduction at a specific point, because so far on 3 runs into Boston I’ve encountered the same red signal at Route 128, causing the speed reduction 6.7 miles back.

    The MBTA services are perhaps worse, as when you approach a red signal guarding a station egress, you are forced to stop far too short of a stopping point, meaning you have to stop, then approach the signal again and hope you don’t get stopped.

    I’m all for having delays, but just not when it’s predictably the same exact spot and causing issues such as what is happening with the MBTA services.
     
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  11. LeadCatcher

    LeadCatcher Well-Known Member

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    As I stated, all up to the individual on how to react to these nits… obviously you find it upsetting, I just play through and enjoy the run. Not saying there isn’t a problem, just I do not get as upset over it. I am not pretending anything, just following the signal as they are presented. If these “signals” are in error, a real life driver has no choice but to follow them as well. If DTG fixes these signals, then I will follow the signal speeds as indicated as I do now.
     
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  12. wcwood92

    wcwood92 Well-Known Member

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    https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/mbta-boston-stoughton-bug-or-feature.44005/

    This post is interesting. I'm going to experiment with it today and see what happens.

    Also there's some talk in the main NEC feedback thread about some braking curves that may need to be ironed out. All part of development. Hardly screams broken to me.

    Without a proper tutorial I'm reluctant to say it's completely broken. Almost all my safety system issues in this game have turned out to be operator error.

    LeadCatcher I'm with you there. I just like to play and enjoy it. I don't care too much about the gamey aspects (medals, scores, etc). I like running the simulation. And as far as being late.... it is the T after all.
     
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  13. wcwood92

    wcwood92 Well-Known Member

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    Okay it just happened again and I have absolutely no idea what I did wrong. Just bypassed Route 128 heading for Sharon as per the timetable. Under speed limit, green signals, no alarms, several miles to the next station, and it still put the brakes on.
    I'm really confused.
     
  14. thundergaming11

    thundergaming11 Well-Known Member

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    Which specific service or scenario are you running?
     
  15. wcwood92

    wcwood92 Well-Known Member

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    thundergaming11 I'll have to look. It's a late afternoon Boston to Providence off the timetable. But it's happened on other southbound timetable services as well. All occurrences are on the more southern parts of the line, once you're able to pick up speed.
     
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  16. bescot

    bescot Well-Known Member

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    Could someone please make a video on how to react to the atc in the F40, and how to stop it keep braking, how to recover from one of these brake applications, and please explain why the thing is so very restrictive when the train you're following is several blocks away, or the red signal is more than a mile away. Do trains with atc really crawl at 20mph for miles?

    The Stoughton branch is baffling. If the linespeed is 40 why is atc limiting to 20mph for so long.

    None of it makes sense to me. I get an alarm, put the brake in suppression.. Then acknowledge the alarm, and keep the brake in suppression until I hit the new atc limit, but the independent brake does not release at all bringing the train to a stop.

    Sometimes the Indy brake applies by itself for seemingly no reason.
     
  17. wcwood92

    wcwood92 Well-Known Member

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    Okay now I'm REALLY confused. Just started a run from Boston to Stoughton with Safety Device turned off in the fuse panel.
    ATC and ACSES were showing Cut-Out.
    Still got a penalty brake for no obvious reason. This time just after bypassing Ruggles.
     
  18. pacificorca#1435

    pacificorca#1435 Active Member

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    I experienced the same thing headed southbound about half a mile past ruggles, what was especially odd is it didn't seem like a full on penalty brake as the throttle was still functioning and applying power. Thus the train was gradually slowing despite being at notch 8. It's very odd given ATC/ACSES really shouldn't be all that complicated in theory.
     
  19. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    THIS.
     
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  20. Rich_84

    Rich_84 Active Member

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    It's been confirmed by cactusjuice that the acses isn't working correctly.
     
  21. Sharon E

    Sharon E Well-Known Member

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    This is why, though I have it, I am waiting for the update before trying it.
     
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  22. See the post by CK95 below yours, as I couldn't have said it better myself.
     

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