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How many reverse points may safely be placed in an activity? I'm trying to design a local way freight activity for the Lehigh Valley route and am finding that when reversing to do switching at some of the cement plants, too many reverse moves seem to trash the signaling and I get "Permission Denied" advisories when trying to complete the run. Any tips? Jim Ward????? Rich Garber?????? Anybody? Joe Cooney, NYO&W
You do not need that many reverse points on the LV. I only use them when I have to move past signals. The only place I set a reverse point in there is where I want tthe last pickup to be before the end of the activity.Kevin Arceneaux It is time for Amtrak to become a fallen flag!
Kevin.... What gives me fits is when I'd like to shunt cars within the yards of the cement plants and the automatic switches reset against me ... at that point I simply have to proceed with the rest of the activity ... thanks for the help. I will use as few as possible and only when halted by signals. Joe Cooney, NYO&W
No.... most of the yard switches are manual but the mainline turnouts controlled by signalling are not. They give me fits. As long as I stay within the yards I am ok but if I have to wander out on the mainline to grab some cars or retrieve my caboose the automatic switches set against me and I'm dead. Joe Cooney, NYO&W
My experience has been it is not so much how many as how and where they are placed. If, while pulling out of a siding (for instance) the head end of your train noses into the next block, then the whole consist needs to pass that signal (and be completely in the block) before the reverse point is reached. If the consist starts into the block and then backs out again or reaches the reverse point before the trailing end of the consist passes the signal, the game logic will lock you out of going back into that block again. This is not a whole lot different then what happens if you set the reverse point so short that the consist does not pass the switch before the reverse point is reached. The switch does not operate automatically and the "pigtail" on the track monitor starts moving in the opposite direction instead of disappearing off the end.As Kevin pointed out, where manual switches are used often it is possible to work the switching operation without using reverse points at all. I am working on an activity on the Seattle route that involves 30 pick ups and set outs spaced out over 25-30 miles of track, yet only has two reverse points on the path.Brad Meyer
You have hit on my problem Brad. To make it easier on myself I've placed the reversing points too close to the switches so I cross the point before the end of my consist has cleared the offending automatic switches. I'll reset the turning points further down the line and try it again. Thanks. Joe Cooney, NYO&W
A trick that I use:I make up a consist in AE the same length as the one that will be using the reverse point (If it is still the consist that you started the activity with you can plce it as a loose consist.), and place it such that the trailing edge is past the switch/signal in question. I then adjust the position and zoom of the AE window so the head of the consist is right near the edge of the AE window. Then I pull up the path editor and place the reverse point on the edge of the window. leave the path ed, and check the result against the consist. When satisfied, I remove the loose consist.(Edit: one more thing to add) Even if you have the activity set up right, beware! While running the activity, if you are careless and pass a reverse point too far and nose into the next signal block, you are going to have troubles. I have a situation on an activity I am working on where the string on the siding was long enough to cause me to get into the next signal block to clear the siding and back out of the block to recouple the string I left on the mainline while getting the cars off the siding. Solution? Maiking the cut on the siding longer so that even though I nose into the next block, I go enough further into it that I do not back out of it when backing down to pick up the rest of the train.Brad "Try it, you'll like it" Meyer