I'm trying to make a freight scenario on LIRR with plenty of freight, but the pathing is giving me minor issues and there seems to be some serious issue with the signalling. Long story short, the scenario starts at Long Island City terminal and the player is controlling a freight train going towards Hicksville. There are plenty of trains coming the opposite way to make the route busy, but those don't really interfere with the player's train. But to make things interesting, there is a trains starting just before the player and going in front of us, to make the scenario a bit more interesting with yellow signals. But the issue is, the AI train in front of the player is going really slow. I noticed that it keeps slowing down and even stopping between Hunterspoint and Jamaica. Even though there is nothing in front if it, the tracks are all clear, yet the signalling is showing red and it only changes once the train is right on it. Because if this, the scenario is really slow, as the AI train in front of the player will be very slow for no reason. To make things worse, the AI train is refusing to enter Jamaica, even though the platform for it is clear. On this screenshot you can see it, the AI train I'm talking about is the bottom left one, coming from the direction of NY Penn. It's trying to go to platform 7, which is clear, you can even see the signal at the right showing yellow at the end of the platform, yet the train won't pull in (and thus prevents the player from doing so as well). Another tiny, but annoying issue is that with the player starting at Long Islang City terminal, the junction between Long Isladn City and Hunterspoint is set in a way that the player would be diverged onto the wrong track. On the closer shot you can see how it's set to go to the left instead of the right. Sure, it's a manual junction, the player can set it themselves, but couldn't it be set the correct way from the beginning? If I upload it onto Creators Club, how are the players supposed to know they will have to change it?
So I did another test run and figured out what the problem is. It's like the AI train is not getting any green signals and it can only move forward if my signalling is allowing it to. Because it will always be 1 or 2 blocks ahead of me, but it will never get a green to go further. If I reach the end of my block (which shows yellow due to the AI being ahead of me in 1 or 2 blocks), the signal I just passed turns red (as it should) and only then will the AI train's signal turn yellow. The screenshots here show it happening. We are moving from the left to the right. Ignore the middel train, that's on a paralell track. The player is the left train, the AI in front is the right train. In this first screenshot, the AI at the right is held by a red signal. My train on the left is approaching a yellow at the end of the block. There are only 2 signals between my train and the AI. On this second screenshot, my train has passed the signal, which turns red. At the same time, the AI train at the right gets a yellow and begins to move. But after this, the AI train gets a red again on the next block, and again it has to wait for me to catch up. So both of us are in a slow crawl, as the AI is getting yellows and reds constantly for no reason until I catch up, and I also get yellows because the train is in front of me. I suppose the trains start too close to each other and my signalling overwrites the AI trains signalling or something, as there are not enough blocks between us? In any way, sounds like a bug. Another reason LIRRs signalling need to be fixed.
Well the issue described above has been solved by simply starting the AI train another station ahead, that way the two trains signalling doesn't interfere with each other, so both trains can go without problems. On the section just west of Floral Park, with the crossover junctions, where the player train is also supposed to change tracks, all trains just seem to halt. Even though the track would be clear for many of them, everyone is getting reds and noone is moving. Seriously, what a bugged route... I just wanted to make a semi interesting scenario, but the game locks up even with the very limited options it gives us. If anyone at DTG is reading these... could we get a LIRR signalling fix please?
I *think* where this might come from is the last update, LIRR is permissive block and a very old less than optimal version of it. Both of your trains (the AI and you) might be in the same block and for whatever reason I suspect the dispatcher thinks you're the same train. Sounds weird I know but that's the only thing I can think of.
Just to add, good on you for putting in some game play putting a train ahead of you. Red and yellow make for more fun play. Just out of interest, what happens if you do the same thing with two passenger trains?
Yes, only suggesting out of curiosity to see if the dispatcher copes with passenger trains. No idea if it will work but at least you'll have some fun trying it .
