HOW to set up OR timetable

[forevergone]

No - the timetable stop is based on the station name. This needs to be that way, otherwise the 'connect' command would not be possible - if the platform name was used, there would be no common ident, so trains in different platforms would not 'know' they are in the same station.

For complex stations, it may be required to have different station names for different platforms or part of platforms. This is particularly the case in stations with long platforms which is split by a cross-over, at such stations the two platform 'halves' can be used separately for short trains, but long trains use the full platform. To make sure trains stop in the right part of the platform, two different stations are required.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

That makes sense, I spent a lot of this weekend setting up my testing timetable and I am going through more manuals now just to figure out the extra coding that allows commands with respect to signals, and #dispose line commands. The #dispose line has added a lot of realism to my simulation.

Couldn't have done any of this without Eric's (eolesen) prompt help and example.

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

Been following along on this topic with interest - both here and at Elvas... All the discussion I've seen seems to focus on passenger train operations - is there any reason this won't work for freight operations as well ? Obviously - you wouldn't be stopping at stations...

[forevergone]

Hi Folks,

Been following along on this topic with interest - both here and at Elvas... All the discussion I've seen seems to focus on passenger train operations - is there any reason this won't work for freight operations as well ? Obviously - you wouldn't be stopping at stations...

I am running equipment (deadhead) moves for passenger trains which would be similar to freight, just give it specific stop times that are specific to your start and end destinations only and it should be fine.

The document in the OR documentations folder name "manual.pdf" is a true eye opener with examples of how to make timetables and the definitions. I am still learning the possibilities now. It is pretty awesome indeed.

My next step / question for the forum would be with regards to a siding, can a train be given a siding time ? Sidings dont have a station name so when times are inputted I wonder if it will read the station/siding correctly.

Many thanks again for the progress, and I hope this search comes easily to help others like myself with this topic.

[eolesen]

Hi Folks,

Been following along on this topic with interest - both here and at Elvas... All the discussion I've seen seems to focus on passenger train operations - is there any reason this won't work for freight operations as well ? Obviously - you wouldn't be stopping at stations...

That's one of my next attempts... I'm assuming if a yard track gets a platform name, it will behave.

I'd love to see siding names get treated the same as a station or a platform. In the TIT/TDB, there isn't much of a difference -- the only additional fields for a platform are Station(), PlatformMinWaitingTime(), and PlatformNumPassengersWaiting().

It should only be a matter of a case statement, e.g. if the station name is not present (which it isn't in a platform) then set the value used for calculations to the siding name.

[roeter]

The problem with sidings is that siding names apply to one track only, unlike station names which apply to all platforms. MSTS does not require siding names to be unique, and many routes have names like just "siding", or "siding 1", "siding 2" etc. all over the place.
It is very likely, therefor, to run into multiple occurances of the same name within a path. Clearly, that would create problems.
Another problem for freight trains, particular for North American routes, is that yards are often unsignalled. If a train comes of a signalled route into an unsignalled yard, it will always clear a path through to the next signal - which means in that situation a path will be set right through the yard to the exit or even back onto the main line. This path would be locked all the time the train would stand in the yard. One possible way to overcome this problem is to terminate a freight train in the yard and form it into a new train starting at that position.
But apart from these limitations there is no reason why freight trains could not be included in a timetable.
There are many freight-only (or almost freight-only) routes where the present activities have no intermediate timings for freight trains, and a timetable for such a route would simply set start-times only, and have no intermediate stops at all. Combined with the 'passing path' logic, the system itself will work out where trains will be held to meet.
And if you know your way around the route-editor, you could set up 'dummy platforms' anywhere on the route just for timing or control purposes.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink

[bprice]

I have been experimenting with the timetable and so far I like the results. I have been trying to figure our some of the start menu settings and where we get these settings.

1. Timetable Set: Apparently each spreadsheet is a different timetable set. So one set could be for the Modern Era and another for the early diesel or the steam era. Is that correct?
2. Timetable: Are there different timetables for a given timetable set? How are these set up in the spreadsheet? and how are they used.
3. The train is self explanatory.

This would be helpful.

Thanks
Basil

[roeter]

There can be as many timetables as one likes to have, but presently a timetable can only be a direct, single timetable file.
The longer term intention is to make it possible to collect multiple timetable files (i.e. multiple spreadsheets) into a single timetable.
This requires a new file-type (timetable list), and it has been agreed that such new files must be in JSON format. It is not realistic to expect users to edit JSON directly with a text-editor, so a menu to build such a timetable list must be added as well. That's still missing, so timetable lists are not yet available.
The main menu, on the other hand, has already been prepared to accept and process such timetable lists. That's why there is this additional 'layer' named Timetable.
So, presently, the timetable file can only contain a single timetable, and the Timetable entry in the menu offers no selection.
Once the new additional menu is available, the 'top' layer can be timetable list, and the Timetable entry can be used to select the required timetable from the timetables included in the list.

Regards,
Rob Roeterdink