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Hello, all, I'm an Activity Editor newbie, and not all that conversant with MSTS or real trains either, so please bear with me. I've read a few other topics on this, but I'm still not sure what it all means, and I don't find it to be very thoroughly addressed in the tutorials I've read, so I think I need to back up and ask some more basic questions. My experience so far is a complete passenger activity, and a bunch of consists. First of all, I understand that switches can be automatic or manual, but is that completely a function of the route, or can that be changed in the Activity Editor? Specifically, I'd like to design a few switching activities in the default Settle & Carlisle route -- does anyone know if that has, or can have, any manual switches? If it doesn't, and I want it to, does that mean using the Route Editor? And if I use the Route Editor to modify a default route, what is the implication of that if I want to distribute the activity? Will the Activity Packager also package the route modifications, and will they install automatically for the user? Might this cause other activities using the same route to break? If I'm understanding my reading correctly, even if switches are not manual, they can still be used by creating "reverse points", except I'm not clear on exactly what those are. Are they something like places where the train can go past and stop, at which point they are thrown automatically so the train can back up and take the other path? Are they thus an alternative to manual switches? (Although it seems to me that the downside is that you limit the operator to only doing it the way you planned, rather than any way they want.) Update: After posting this, I got into the AE and looked at the default Royal Scot Rescue activity, recalling that there was some switching in it. It didn't really help me, because I can't figure out what's going on with the path. I know I'm the green line, and the purple line is AI traffic. But around where the switching is to occur, my green line changes to a yellow one, but it still doesn't lead exactly to the sidings where the switching happens, and I don't see any reverse points indicated. Maybe these are actually manual switches? But what's with the yellow line? Thanks for any advice.- John
> First of all, I understand that switches can be automatic >or manual, but is that completely a function of the route, >or can that be changed in the Activity Editor? Specifically, This is a function of the Route Editor and the original authors work, which can not be changed in the AE>I'd like to design a few switching activities in the default >Settle & Carlisle route -- does anyone know if that has, or >can have, any manual switches? If it doesn't, and I want it >to, does that mean using the Route Editor? And if I use the >Route Editor to modify a default route, what is the >implication of that if I want to distribute the activity? No one else will be able to use your activity unless they have exactly the same modifications you have made.>Will the Activity Packager also package the route >modifications, and will they install automatically for the >user? Might this cause other activities using the same route >to break? Same as above. Yes this would ruin other activities for the same route since more than likely the paths would be different and no, the Activity packager will not package the modifications to the route. Distributing mods is an entirely different ball-game.> If I'm understanding my reading correctly, even if >switches are not manual, they can still be used by creating >"reverse points", except I'm not clear on exactly what those There is a very good article on Reverse Points and double-reverse points on both steam4me site and Kevarcs tutorials - neither of which I have the url for at the moment.>are. Are they something like places where the train can go >past and stop, at which point they are thrown automatically >so the train can back up and take the other path? Are they >thus an alternative to manual switches? (Although it seems >to me that the downside is that you limit the operator to >only doing it the way you planned, rather than any way they >want.) Basically yes to all of the above, plus if they try to vary the way the operation was intended, often will run into permanent reds, very low speed limits etc.
> > Update: After posting this, I got into the AE and >looked at the default Royal Scot Rescue activity, recalling >that there was some switching in it. It didn't really help >me, because I can't figure out what's going on with the >path. I know I'm the green line, and the purple line is AI >traffic. But around where the switching is to occur, my >green line changes to a yellow one, but it still doesn't >lead exactly to the sidings where the switching happens, and >I don't see any reverse points indicated. Maybe these are >actually manual switches? But what's with the yellow line? The yellow lines are passing paths which are set up by the activity creator. These are rather advanced in useage, so would wait until you get much of the other 'under your belt'. Reverse points look like little curvy arrows in both track monitor and AE if I remember correctly (not at MSTS now)John, probably the best thing to do is simply to go into the AE and try making a simple activity. When you run into something you don't understand or can't figure out, simply do a search on this forum and if that doesn't produce an answer .. come back here and someone will help. With the AE, doing is the best way of learning.RobertR .. ADF-M&RM at http://www.adfrr.com
John, just make sure you have enough room between the reverse point and the switch that will be changing for the entire consist. That's usually the biggest problem.RobertR .. ADF-M&RM at http://www.adfrr.com