The "ticking Time Bomb" Scenario

"Ticking" is supposed to be capitalized in the title. DTG, can you stop changing case in our titles? Thanks.

Now you might be asking me, "Cyclone, what do you mean by a ticking time bomb?" The answer is a train that has no option but to unfortunately crash into another train, likely something caused by modifications to the dispatcher way back around the 2015 or 2016 version, and as a result the scenario ends when the crash occurs. Hence, a ticking time bomb. I found such a scenario included with the WCML North route. It is called "Scots Pine".

The only included Career scenario where it's possible to get 1,000 points has you driving a Class 47 service from Mossend Yard to Kingmoor, a 100 minute journey. My initial drive went well, I got to my perfect score, and suddenly as I headed to the second-to-last task I got a game over error. I went back to my save at the 800 point mark, meaning I had to drive that 40+ miles through Lockerbie a second time. This time, I looked for ICN5, which I was told had caused the crash. I noticed, prior to the collision, that the junction was set to send the train into a siding instead of through Lockerbie platform. The crash is unavoidable. If you are not finished by 15:58 - the supposed due time at the last checkpoint, as you arrive at the sidings - you lose everything in the last 100 minutes.

So I gave it another run. This time, I left a VLC window open and it took over the screen, so nothing recorded except audio with this screen.

The third run came, I made excellent time (I left two minutes early from the fourth timed point, crucial to success). I got to the final timed checkpoint, entered the siding, hurriedly disconnected and moved forward to the point for the reversal to get into position for the final coupling task. I got to the switch at 15:56. I set it to direct me to my final task. I then slowly went along, intentionally, to get a chance to watch ICN5 cause its disaster. As it entered the siding, I went back to my train, it connected almost right away, and I sat there for 15 seconds. Suddenly, the game over screen came up. However, if you succeed in pulling off this rare treat, you still get credit for the completed scenario.

By the way, 37100 goes through before ICN5. It is NOT directed to the siding and portals to the Lockerbie Dn Portal. I think the dispatcher becomes confused and thinks there is still a train in the area after it portals out, and thus sends ICN5 into the siding to crash not paying attention to the train actually idle in there. This is a dispatcher error, I'm fairly sure.

Try it out. It's a bug, but it gives you that very rare treat of something you don't get to see often.

 

Alright, will play it before I fix that one

 

I already identified a few fixes and this will be on my channel when I visit GWML.

1. Delete the service. Clean and easy.
2. Set a waypoint for Lockerbie's platform on the Down line.
3. Portal the train at Ecclefechan on the Down line (a slower player may see it vanish, but it should start around the time you reach the goods track junction where the 20 is located if you are optimal).
4. See if the 37100 service ahead of it can portal further up and if the dispatcher then routes ICN5 correctly. Setting the train in the siding as a service might give the dispatcher awareness, too.

While 4 is the most complex option, I think the train stopping in a portal is indeed part of the problem. Since the dispatcher thinks it's "blocking" the track, the dispatcher sends the train around, but is unaware of the train in the siding and causes another disaster for Lockerbie (remember the terrorist bombing of a plane crashed there).