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"Pool Freight pop-up's"

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flarrfan (255 posts)
Aug-14-01, 07:21 AM (EST) "Pool Freight pop-up's" I am just past Belton on this and wondering what everyone thinks of the innovative pop-up concept used here. I was about ready to shoot my running-at-the-mouth conductor before we even got to Columbia Falls, but I guess he got the message and quieted down. Maybe he figured out that the trainmaster's brother-in-law is my best friend Anyway, the tone of the pop-ups and the way they use the conductor to convey information and refer to dispatcher instructions is most interesting, and I was surprised there has been no discussion of it on the forum. What does everyone think? And if you haven't tried this, give it a run and see what I'm talking about. Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: Pool Freight pop-up's Denny Aug-14-01 1 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's jvizoso Aug-15-01 2 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's SP9800 Aug-15-01 3 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's dcrano Aug-15-01 4 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's flarrfan Aug-15-01 5 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's dcrano Aug-16-01 6 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's ergobob Aug-18-01 9 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's boxcarbob Aug-18-01 11 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's ergobob Aug-19-01 14 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's boxcarbob Aug-17-01 7 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's flarrfan Aug-18-01 8 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's Bens_Hanger Aug-18-01 10 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's boxcarbob Aug-18-01 12 RE: Pool Freight pop-up's rrfoose Aug-18-01 13

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Denny (144 posts)
Aug-14-01, 08:08 AM (EST) 1. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" i think bob's done a great job with this. and i'm not a big fan of popups. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
jvizoso (49 posts)
Aug-15-01, 06:58 AM (EST) 2. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" I finally pulled into Whitefish having been gripped all the way.. three attempts to get up the hill after I'd dropped the helper! I loved the pop up's !
Don't quite know what happens at the end cos, I missed the 'activity ended' box,just parked up by the buffers; kept expecting ANOTHER train to zoom into view! Nice one! jv Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
SP9800 (23 posts)
Aug-15-01, 05:15 PM (EST) 3. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" You'll have tons of fun if you make it to between Spotted Robe and Browning by about 12:30. I was coming down the hill on an approach, and as I was about a half mile from a stop and proceed intermediate signal, this damned AI train begins blasting up the hill - right in my face. So, I plugged it, and then BOOM! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
dcrano (6 posts)
Aug-15-01, 05:15 PM (EST) 4. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" LAST EDITED ON Aug-15-01 AT 05:18 PM (EST)I have finished the Pool Freight, and though I am not a big Pop-Up fan, these were done very well. I enjoyed them as well as the whole run. To bad there is not away to have the Pop-Ups without the pause or having to click OK. Better yet use of a 'Wave' file to simulate the communications. Oh well may be next rev. .Did not have any of the problems the others have noted in the other message group with stalled 'Reds' at all. Did get a couple 'Reds' while waiting a short time for the AI's to get by, but they worked just fine. Mostly Yellows as I watched the AI's go by on the other mains.But I did find an intersting problem. Seems the AI Dispatcher does not pay much attention to what is setting on switches when he throws the points. As a I stopped to drop the extra power in the Hole Siding, I left a back AutoRack sitting across a switch. When I coupled back up and went to pull out after dropping the power, I thought it was taking an lot of power to pull away. So I looked at the back to see if it was moving. Here is what I found. This is my train, the other part is running with me on the other main, since the cars were on the single when I pulled away, but the dispatcher still set the switch with a car setting over it. Funny thing is, still pulling, once we hit the next switch, it all came back together. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
flarrfan (255 posts)
Aug-15-01, 07:01 PM (EST) 5. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" I'm a little confused about the helper. There was a pop-up well before Essex advising that a helper would be picked up. There was something on it about where to put the helper in the train, but I ass-u&me-d that there would be further directions at Essex and did not pay attention to it. I pulled slowly into Essex waiting for another pop-up that never came, so I ended up putting the helper on the rear (a prototype no-no with autoracks or other delicate freight). So when I dropped it at Glacier Park, the end of my train was long past the switch that tripped up Don. So tell me, where was I supposed to cut in the helper? Interestingly, I have NO exceeds in-train forces on my eval at my latest save, east of Glacier Park, so putting the helper on the end doesn't seem to have hurt my evaluation. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
dcrano (6 posts)
Aug-16-01, 01:27 AM (EST) 6. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" The helper is set to be a mid helper, that is between 0-21 & 0-23. But does not seem to make any difference, you went rear, the first time I went behind the headend power, and tried again with it as called for in the middle. Seems does not matter to the activity, still get the same Evaluation, that is simply:"If you got to Shelby in one piece and no one was injured, you did a great job."Taken from the actual end of activity evaluation. DonBTW does not seem to have any freight damage turned on. I ran the second run without even slowing down for the switches as crossing from single to double and visa-versa, and all 'Freight durability limits were met'. Even pushed the speed limits a bit here and there.ACTIVITY: Pool Freight
You completed this Activity after 5 hours, 13 minutes and 47 seconds of driving.If you got to Shelby in one piece and no one was injured, you did a great job. MINOR OPERATIONAL ERRORS:
You committed no minor operational errors.WORK ORDER ADHERENCE:
Task Status
--------------------------------------------------------------
Pick up cars Completed
Drop off cars at location. Completed SPEED LIMIT ADHERENCE:
You exceeded the speed limit 6 times, for a total duration of 2 minutes and 15 seconds.09:47:21 - at mile post 1198.43 you exceeded the speed limit of 40mph for 30 seconds at a maximum speed of 44mph
12:38:14 - at mile post 1128.12 you exceeded the speed limit of 50mph for 13 seconds at a maximum speed of 50mph
12:53:17 - at mile post 1119.23 you exceeded the speed limit of 60mph for 14 seconds at a maximum speed of 62mph
13:18:39 - at mile post 1097.93 you exceeded the speed limit of 40mph for 9 seconds at a maximum speed of 48mph
13:26:19 - at mile post 1093.25 you exceeded the speed limit of 40mph for 14 seconds at a maximum speed of 41mph
13:37:58 - at mile post 1088.86 you exceeded the speed limit of 30mph for 54 seconds at a maximum speed of 40mphIN-TRAIN FORCES:
Freight durability limits were met.
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ergobob (276 posts)
Aug-18-01, 09:21 AM (EST) 9. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" If I recall correctly, the helper was supposed to go between 0-7 and 0-8 from the popup. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
boxcarbob (9 posts)
Aug-18-01, 05:10 PM (EST) 11. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" The helper is supposed to go between 0-21 and 0-22, but I didn't make it a hard and fast rule. The helper can actually go anywhere and not effect the Activity.It is interesting to see just how well a Computer Engineer will "listen" to the Conductor. I know he is a bucket mouth, but he did have some good info once in a while.Bob Lloyd
"If it ain't got steel wheels, it ain't art." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
ergobob (276 posts)
Aug-19-01, 10:24 AM (EST) 14. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" Yep, I went back and read it and you are quite right, of course. 0-21 and 0-22.bob Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
boxcarbob (9 posts)
Aug-17-01, 03:59 PM (EST) 7. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" LAST EDITED ON Aug-17-01 AT 04:02 PM (EST)I'm glad to see that most of you enjoyed Pool Freight. I put a lot of thought, and labor, into it and played it more times that I want to think about making sure it operated the way I wanted it to.One of the fun parts about building this activity was constructing the consist so it would make it up the grades, but just barely. I ended up setting up a Test Run activity so I could run various combinations to see how they worked.Regarding Pop-Ups: Being an old head Conductor, I still live with the idea that the Conductor is in charge of the train and is responsible to give the Engineer instructions. Old habits die hard. My apologies to all of you Hogpuppies. I agree that the pop-ups might be better in a wave file. And regarding being quiet for a while, the Conductor was probably reading the sports page while you ran the train. Not because he is interested in sports, but because if he watched you too long he would get a case of the nerves.Regarding the incident where train ended up on two tracks at Glacier Park -- that happened to me once. Must ge a glitch in MSTS, but what's new?Regarding the main line meet: Sorry about that, but if you were injured I know a good FELA attorney. Hope that was the only time it happened to anyone.The activity is really designed to be completed in 4'20" to 5'00". If you were running late you might have more delays. I have completed it 4 hours, 13 minutes and 29 seconds.As I said in the text file, I did have longer delays built into the activity (on purpose) to simulate a real run, but decided it wouldn't be too much fun to stare at the screen for 30", or so, until a westbound drag showed up.Keep up the comments, it is a learning experience and I'm still learning.Bob Lloyd
"If it ain't got steel wheels, it ain't art." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
flarrfan (255 posts)
Aug-18-01, 08:12 AM (EST) 8. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" More long-hauls please, Bob. I am one that had a cornfield meet, but if long-haul activities follow the moving/static suggestions in the thread on AI Trains-solution, I think they can be trouble-free. I'm looking forward to another like this, assuming I get my puter problems fixed before MSTS v. 2.o Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
Bens_Hanger (14 posts)
Aug-18-01, 11:18 AM (EST) 10. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" Bob:As you are aware, I had some initial difficulties with Pool Freight that had me worried! Most were attributed to my mis-understanding the level of difficulty of this act and the need to comply with strict speed/time constraints and correct execution of the work order.My second run, 4:28:13, went off without a hitch!I did notice a few discrepencies with posted speed limits not conforming with the track monitor. The "pop-ups" are fine IMO, though I would have preferred a printable work order also!I thoroughly enjoyed your activity. Please keep up the great work! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
boxcarbob (9 posts)
Aug-18-01, 05:24 PM (EST) 12. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" Four hours and twenty-eight minutes. You passed the test my man. You can be my engineer anytime!!Bob Lloyd
"If it ain't got steel wheels, it ain't art." Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
rrfoose (17 posts)
Aug-18-01, 06:19 PM (EST) 13. "RE: Pool Freight pop-up's" What activity is this? Where can I get it? I don't remember seeing it posted at train-sim.com. Thanks.
Foose
rrfoose@aol.com Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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