PC Boston - Providence After Update - Bugs, Glitches Etc.

Hi All,


So I just opened this, because in another thread we only started discussing graphics-related issues. However, the timetable also doesn't feel right.

This is the 19:30:02 timetable service from Providence to Boston:

I left on time, but shortly after departure, at the first freight yard, I got a 45mph speed restriction by ATC:


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Which then went down to 30mph at the end of the yard:


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The rest of the journey was fine. However, as I approached my next stop, I got an 80mph warning 5.7 miles from Route 128:


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Then 45mph shortly after (4.9 miles from Route 128):


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Then it went back to 80mph 4.6 miles before my stop. When I was 4.2 miles from Route 128, again, it went down to 45mph.

When I was only 2.7 miles away, the limit went back to 125mph:


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And this was my actual arrival at Route 128:


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I should've arrived by 19:54:51, which is impossible. No matter how hard you accelerate/brake, you'll be 1-1.5 mins late. Is this how this signaling is supposed to work after the update? Is it normal that it keeps jumping between 45-30-80?

I didn't have a train in front of me when I reached Route 128. Earlier I believe I had.

Some other issues:





Not sure I'm going to pick up Acela Express tomorrow, especially if timetable runs cannot be completed on time...

The fog also looks odd:


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The signal issue you reported is actually working as intended and I'll explain why. At scenario start, there is an MBTA commuter train about 3 miles ahead. Then it proceeds to South Attleboro where it makes a scheduled station stop. During this time, the previous signal (the distant signal for Hebronville) is at Stop and Proceed. This condition makes the previous wayside signal at Lawn interlocking display Approach and the next previous signal at Pawtucket display Approach Limited. Once the MBTA train switches to Track #4 at Hebronville and the switch realigns for your movement, the signals all upgrade back to Clear.

The signal progression before Route 128 is also correct. There isn't an issue there at all. You were getting closer to another train.

In the future I'd ask before assuming the route is busted. Every signal thing you experienced was true to life.

 

Yeah there are many timings in the timetable that need rework.

 

If everything was completely clear like you say, then you should be dropped to Restricting (20mph) just before the station platform. There's an implied stop signal after Providence because of how the timetable works right now.

 

Well, that's why I posted here, and in my post, I asked if this is true to life. I don't mind accelerating/decelerating all the time, I find it more challenging than running an ICE 1 with LZB on and punching the SIFA button all the time. I appreciate the hard work, and I'm glad that finally signaling works as intended. I'm more sad about the timetable, which I know is a DTG thing.

I believed that the timetable didn't work correctly because the safety systems slowed players down at places where the speed limit in fact could've been higher. Now that it's fixed, then it's clear that the culprit here was the timetable, not signaling.

Thanks for the reply!

 

You know this from the 2d map, I'm assuming. You can't rely on line of sight.

Just ran a service from Providence to Boston South. All signalling and safety systems seem to work fine. There were a number of restricted sections just out of Providence, but nothing unusual.

I was late into Boston, though. I've always had trouble keeping to the timetable on this route. I think it's because I drive a little too cautiously or maybe the timings are too tight.

 

I'm on PC (Steam). Anyone else have nothing but Red signals on the entire route? I've started approximately 8 timetable services from Boston, Providence, Stoughton and Readville with both MBTA or Amtrak equipment and I get stuck at an endless red immediately. "9" key map shows no other traffic nearby and all signals on the route appear red. Leaving Boston, if its busy enough, you can see AI services stuck on red signals as well.

Steam shows TSW3 updated at 9:24AM EST this morning. From threads on the forum at least some people/platforms are able to drive the route, but for me it appears something has gone horribly wrong with the update.

I've cross-posted in another thread here in the general forum and a red light thread in Technical Reports.

 

Maybe do a file check.

 

i have no problems and im using also all mods which are avaible for that route

 

Just completed my first service from Providence to Boston and signaling behaved very well. Was great to finally be able to turn the safety systems back on on this route. Thanks for the effor cActUsjUiCe, and also big thanks for the massive signaling video, I will definitely have a look on that

 

Excellent run on Amtrak NER 173 Boston to Providence. The safety systems appeared to behave as expected. Now someone at DTG needs to rework that schedule to reflect real world timing. I will second that big thank you to Brandon for the video. It was a big assist in running this route.

 

Yes, that completely ruins immersion. No way is it a realistic simulation of the RW if Amtrak is less than 30 minutes late.

 

Honestly, this all feels pretty realistic. Amtrak and the mbta are always late in real life too. I think mbta is something like 87% on time, and late is considered anything over 4 min 59 sec.

I actually like that this route has adverse signals and backed up traffic, most other routes are wayyyy too smooth sailing. Who needs another green light bore fest.

I just showed up like 10 minutes late to Hamburg because of adverse signaling, letting a 101 and another service pass- and I absolutely love that stuff, because it was totally not expected on that route.

 

Haven’t yet downloaded the update but glad to hear the signalling is working as intended!
Disappointed however that DTG have not aligned the timetable to workable timings, especially as the Acela layer will be added.
Why was this not done, when it seems the perfect opportunity to do it?

 

Well Redbus, the signaling was basically a one man show by Brandon and the sky update is Adam's team. Maybe Joe can find some time to work on getting us a real world schedule for this route.

 

Yes, everything is finally looking very good on BPE.

Just two things still need work:

1. The route needs to be busier outside Boston Metro.

2. The timetable needs to be more realistic. Right now, it's nigh impossible to reach destinations on time.

Of course, downtown Boston doesn't really look like Boston any more than NYC looks like NYC, but it's as good as it's ever gonna be, so it is what it is.

 

Trains being on time in Boston would be actually less realistic, lol.

 

The timetable is something I want to look at in my spare time. With the signal restrictions, timings are impossible in many cases.

 

I agree. Timetables are ridiculously complicated to get right. Plus, they take a lot of time to compile and save.

 

Lack of time/resources. [edited - JD - language] excuse but it's the truth.

 

If anybody here actually knows the purple line they'll know it's always late so it's pretty realistic imo

 

As long as we get gold medals for being late when out of our control - let the trains be as late as you like.

 

Yea I’m still picking up frequent golds on this route.

 

So driving service 608 from providence to Boston right around station Route 128 . This was around 21:47 I encountered an southbound Amtrak ACS-64 pushing and the amfleet leading heading down at speed. Is that supposed to be Ike that. I’m not sure since I never saw before

 

Hi Brandon, I am still sometimes struggling to grasp what the TSW HUD is telling me. In this screen shot we are in a southbound F40PH, a couple of miles from Mansfield on a 120+ mph stretch of track with clear signals. The red/white dot (track speed?) is showing only 80 mph, and the white/blue dot indicates an ACSES speed of 90 mph. So my question is why are both dots way lower than the real line speed?

 

I think this is the limit of your consist. F40s can't go 120+ at all.

 

Not intended. It got flipped somehow. I remember someone reporting that a while back during testing.

 

I don't get this. I'm no train fanatic but I'm really scratching my head with the decisions DTG is making. I noticed signalling went smooth but did not arrive on time. As I'm not a fanatic I blamed myself for not being on time. But then I read it's because the timetable was not reworked?

I'm just assuming here but DTG lets someone fix the signalling but no-one picks up that when signalling changes the timetable will also need to change? Like I said, I'm not a train fanatic but this seems like something that should have been picked up when fixing the signalling was given the green light.

 

ACSES on the F40 SDU maxes out at 90mph. While the loco is rated for this speed, the coaches are limited to 80, hence the MBTA requirement to not exceed 80.

 

Track speed limit is over 120MPH, but being an MBTA train, ACSES limits you to 90 MPH. And since the single level coaches you are pulling are limited to 80 MPH, your whole train is limited to 80MPH on the HUD.

 

Thanks for your replies. So the “track speed limit” on the HUD is an amalgamation of the track limit itself, plus the the loco & stock, whichever is the lowest. Is this unique to this route? Don’t get me wrong I think it’s great, but I don’t believe we’ve seen it elsewhere (please correct me if I’m mistaken).

 

I don't think the HUD takes into account equipment restrictions. You can go over 80 with safety systems turned on, you're just not supposed to. Fastest i've been in MBTA is about 84mph in real life...so it isn't unheard of.

 

Hello Brandon. I was wondering if you had any knowledge about the signals guarding final approach to South Station at East Cove. In the original release of NEC-BP, these signals were tied into ATC, but after a certain update (before your changes), they are now visual only and can SPAD with no corresponding cab signal. I just checked after the latest update and this behaviour is still present. So, my question would be, do you know which of these two setups is prototypical? Thanks for any info you may have to give.

I can also say that, at least on the Readville service I chose as a test service, ATC appeared to hold me at 80 mph instead of the usual 90, in keeping with the speed restrictions of the coaches. I thought I read that this would be present in the new update. However, I have not yet driven enough services to be sure.

Finally, I did observe that a few of my gold medals were downgraded to silver after this update. I replayed one of them and was able to get a gold again. Interesting.

 

I think the consensus is here that there was a lot of work put in a lot of good work however at the timetable isn't functioning properly all that work literally just gets flushed because you can't enjoy the work and/or the content and if you can't be on time when you're doing your route what's the point May have to avoid the new wrote and acceler for now until the timetable gets fixed because that's just an annoying thing when you can't be on time It's just frustrating

 

Red signal woes!
Nothing seems to work out of Boston, I tried the integrity thing and also did a re-install of the Boston DLC. Nothing seems to work at this point. As I recall everything worked fine before the latest update. Any insight out there? Benny

 

Can you clarify which signals? Do you mean the home signals for Tower 1 (up in the signal bridge)?

 

No idea. What works for some doesn't work for others. It helps if you post exact service/scenario names so they can be further investigated. I am certain it's not a signal issue but suspect it's something to do with the dispatcher.

 

The biggest difference between TSW NYC & Boston, is that one actually looks like you’re arriving in a city, we have a decent skyline on the approach into Boston - NYC is just missing far too much from it to be appealing in any way. You certainly don’t get the same ‘I have arrived’ feeling with NYC as you do with Boston.

 

Yes, these are the signals I am referring to. It is quite common for inbound trains to be held here for clearance for final movement into South Station. Thanks.

 

The signals out of North station, the home signal protecting the loading area. Every scenario or timetable event.

 

Lmfao what? No. That's an interesting one. Outside of depot stuff and Keystone corridor (not on this route) I don't think ACS-64 should ever be pushing :eek: .

 

The ACS-64 just having a very normal one post-patch...

 

Maybe it got stuck in reverse and the throttle stuck in notch 8.

 

To follow-up, when the new DLC self installed, everything started working properly on the Boston route. Thanks everyone for all the insight and concern.

 

I drove an evening service from Boston to Providence, which unfortunately wasn't great. Shortly after Boston, the signals were permanently on "yellow", several times they also showed "stop". The speed could therefore hardly be extended, it was more of a creep.

In Providence there was suddenly a train (without a driver!) in front of me in the station, although the entrance was free for me. It was only possible to end the service after I slightly rammed the train. Almost all the cars were parked outside the station.



And I noticed that the performance has gotten worse!

In some sections with a lot of forest/leaves, FPS drops can be observed several times. This is not the case in Boston itself or other localities. Somehow unnecessary and similar to Kassel-Würzburg.

 

FPS drops / stuttering is the norm for TSW3 branded routes, so no surprise there. That train ahead of you is hilarious though! Another route success story

 

I remember Boston Sprinter having quite bad performance in TSW2 as well. Now with TOD4 it seems a bit more worse as well.

 

It surprises me how the worse TSW3 performance compared to TSW2 is not talked about more.

 

That service (Amtrak #177) does not have "permanent yellows" like you say. You're following a commuter train so you're going to get signal downgrades as you get closer to it. All the behavior from the signals is perfectly prototypical and normal.

List of less favorable signals in that service
1. Slow Approach at Tower 1 when leaving Boston
2. Approach at Cove (after the sharp curve leaving Boston)
3. Approach Limited signal as you approach Hyde Park. All part of getting closer to the train in front of you. But it quickly upgrades back up to Clear since that train ahead is clearing Canton Junction.
4. Advance Approach at block point 206.5 because you're approaching the commuter ahead of you that's at Mansfield. You continue past an Approach signal and get pretty close to the home signal at Mansfield. It upgrades once the commuter in front of you clears the next block point. Then the commuter ahead veers off to Attleboro track 3 and you continue without disruption.

The commuter train that's blocking your way at Providence I have no explanation for at this time. I'll have to look at the timetable playback.

But from a signal perspective, this was exactly by design.