I have some questions about signals I've encountered on Sand Patch and Boston Sprinter. I believe they may be bugs, but it could be that I'm misinformed. Sand Patch Grade, Powering America Part II scenario – When exiting the east leg of the Rockwood wye onto the Keystone main line, you're given a restricting signal. However, once the rear of the train clears the switch, the HUD shows line speed instead of 15 mph. Should this signal show slow clear instead of restricting or is there simply a disconnect between the signal and the HUD? Sand Patch Grade, Fully Fueled scenario – When departing the north end of Cumberland Terminal onto the main, the dwarf signal shows restricting. Once the rear of the train clears all switches, the HUD shows line speed instead of 15 mph. Should this signal show slow clear instead of restricting or is there simply a disconnect between the signal and the HUD? Sand Patch Grade and Boston Sprinter – I notice that approach signals are often preceded by approach medium signals instead of advance approach signals. Are these behaviors bug related or is that how signal progression is supposed to work on those lines IRL?
With SPG the HUD will always show line speed, the signals are not reflected as there is no in cab signalling. With Boston, you do have some indication of signal speed due to the in cab signalling.
First question: whose signal rules are you using to interpret the aspects? CSX has three different sets; on Sand Patch the rules for former Chessie track apply, whereas around Boston it's the Conrail set. Both, naturally, are different than UP's signals.
I found these three tables that deal with restricting signals on CSX territory: Regardless of whether I'm looking at Chessie, Conrail, or something else (in the case of SPG I assume either rule 1290(h) or CR-1290D would apply), it seems that one's expected to stay at restricted speed until passing a more favorable signal. In my experience, the HUD normally takes signal speeds into account. However, I've noticed that this isn't always true. So I still wonder: is the HUD incorrect or should that signal have been modeled to display a different aspect? I suppose I can simply run at what I believe to be the "correct IRL" speed and ignore the HUD. Regarding the approach medium --> approach signal progressions... Aha, good point. CSX doesn't utilize advance approach aspects on former Chessie lines. That would explain why I don't see any on SPG. This answers half of my question #3 from above. But doesn't the current Providence - Boston portion of the NEC utilize NORAC signal rules, which provide an advance approach aspect in the form of a single flashing yellow at the top? (I grant that this doesn't mean such an aspect will be used on that portion of the line IRL. For all I know, the signal progression was modeled correctly.) In the absence of some first-hand knowledge or documentary proof, I suppose there's no way to know for certain.
And what experience is that? The HUD has never taken signal speeds into account. It always displays track speed.
That's not entirely true, it's 95% true but not always. For example switch outs it will show the 15mph or what ever limit over them and then revert back. Yes its hard coded but to the uninitiated it appears the HUD is showing the signal speed.
That’s not signal speed though technically speaking. If a switch has a 15 mph limit, then the track speed over the switch is 15 mph.
I know that but to the uninitiated it appears the HUD is following the signal speed as the preceding signal will be restricted. Do learn to read ffs
No need to be so rude. Can’t we discuss something without reverting to ad hominem arguments? You claimed that signal speed is being taken into account in 5% of the cases but that’s not the case (even if it may look like it as you say).
the signal and track speed vary depending on how the switch is set so yes it is the case. Is it 5% well that depends greatly on the service and route. A short run like Harlem from GCT to Yankees Stadium there's 5 speed changes if routed on the fast and on of those is the 30mph limit for the junction so on that route it's 20% of the time. Others such as Sherman Hill it could be 1 out of 10 speed changes is matched by a signal indication. Some you might have 10 speed changes and none with a matching signal change. So depending on the metric used 5% could be an over or under estimate.
So it seems that the answer to questions 1 & 2 is: "The HUD speed only reflects the track speed. Sometimes the HUD appears to be reporting the signal speed, however this is due to the fact that the track speed is equivalent to the signal speed in those cases. There is no bug in the specific instances cited." As for my question about Boston Sprinter, according to the reports in this thread, this is a known issue.
