Yard Speeds

[charland]

Hi All,

I've been adding speed limits to the portion of the Dominion Atlantic route I've been working on. I'm having a bit of a problem starting eastbound freights from the west end of my main yard, Kentville. The yard is essentially divided in two, the west half has tracks on each side of the mainline, the east half has three tracks, two south of the mainline. A 20 MPH speed limit is posted (|) at each end of the yard.

http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/paul_charland/KentvilleYardDiagram.jpg

Passenger trains, westbound freights, and Explore Mode trains originating within the two 20 MPH speed limit show 20 MPH in the Track Monitor when starting... But... Eastbound freight trains (only) when originating from the southwest yard show 40 MPH on the Track Monitor. The speed limit previous to the 20 MPH yard speed is set to 40 freight/65 passenger. The end of the freight is about ten car lengths from the change in speed limits.

I've tried adding another 20 MPH speed limit in several places in the yard with no success. Any help would be appreciated.

Paul :-)

[jovet]

Can you provide a bit more detailed of a diagram? Or perhaps some screenshots showing the area in question?

[charland]

Hi Joseph,

Here's a diagram of the yard showing the locations or the two speed limits that have the yard and all other tracks you see set at 20 MPH including a two and a half mile long spur that heads towards the north west in the upper left of the diagram:

http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/paul_charland/KetvilleYardFull.jpg

The signal to the east of the platform is simply for measuring mile posts, the line was not signaled.

If you look at this "aerial shot" of the west end of the yard you will find a train heading east and the track monitor shows it's good for 40 MPH in this 20 MPH zone.

http://i479.photobucket.com/albums/rr160/paul_charland/KentvilleWestYard.jpg

Turn the same train on the same track and it starts with the proper 20 MPH speed indicated in the Track Monitor. Trains starting in either direction from tracks on the north side of the mainline start at 20 MPH as do RDCs starting in either direction at the station.

Paul :-)

[Richard]

Hi Paul,
This kind of sounds like the speed limit problem we had at Warwick when starting on the engine tracks? MSTS can do some strange things at times, have you tried placing speed limits on the stub tracks just south of the eastbound train?

[Coonskin]

Hi Paul:

Can't help you on the funky acting speed limit... but that sure is a neat yard you've built there!

[charland]

Hi Rich,

I looked at Warwick because it's just about the same set up as Kentville, double ended yard with a spur off to one side. Didn't notice that you had your stub tracks with speed limits. I'll take another look and give it a try in Kentville.

Kentville was the main shop and headquarters for the Dominion Atlantic. Had to have full service as it was isolated from it's owner Canadian Pacific. The concrete coal tower stood into the 1990s when the DAR folded.

Paul :-)

[charland]

Hi All,

New symptom as House would say...

Ran a light engine over all the tracks south of the mainline and all showed the 20 MPH speed limit. Started an activity with the light engine on all the major tracks south of the main and they too started at 20 MPH. Tried the train and still started at 40. Changed the engine and still started at 40. Strarted removing cars from the train, still started at 40. Down to a five car train, still started at 40. Removed the last of the cars so it was an engine only, started at 20 MPH.

Next I'll start adding cars one at a tile to see where it fails or if it's one of the remaing five cars I was using that triggers the 40 MPH limit appearing.

Paul :-)

[charland]

Hi All,

The last batch of tests show the problem is with any freight train on any track facing east. I removed all the cars from the test freight and when it's engine only the 20 MPH speed limit shows properly. Add a single freight car without moving the engine and the speed limit shows as 40. You can have two engines and still have the 20 MPH speed limit, just no freight cars.

Opened a freight train heading east with the 40 MPH speed limit, backed out of the yard into a 45 passenger/40 freight limit, the speed showed at 40, headed back into the yard and the speed limit changed to 20 where it should have.

Westboud freight open with the proper 20 MPH limit.

Any thoughts why this only effects trains with freight cars when they face east? Haven't had the chance to add speed limits to stup tracks as Rich suggested. Rich, does this sound the same as Warwick, it's been a long time!

Paul :-)

[jovet]

Try placing speed limits facing off of all the tracks that terminate from the yard.

[charland]

Hi Joseph,

Rich came up with a solution that appears to have solved my problem. Was as simple as placing two 20 MPH speed limits in the middle of the yard that covered the three main tracks just about where the engine on the freight is in the aerial shot. The activity now opens with a 40 MPH indication but as soon as you close the breifing the speed changed to indicate you are in a 20 zone.

Paul :-)