Train Sim Scenario Creation - Red signals

[malc-c]

Can anyone who produces their own scenarios or is an active TS2020/21 player help me out as to what might be causing an issue I'm experiencing with a scenario I'm building.

That is all lights are are RED! - Basically I have built a scenario that involves a bit of shunting and then departing with a train of waggons, travels 20 miles to some other sidings, runs round and then comes back. It has around 5 AI trainsand lasts for around 1hr 15 minutes. It all runs fine, however at some point it ends up with all signals on all lines set to stop. I went back last night and re-built the scenario, and this time rather than happening half way through, it happened almost at the end. Only way out is to SPAD or escape.

This is repeatable, and happens every time at the same location. I tried running the scenario at a slower pace, so rather than having to wait at a red light at a junction for an HST to pass, the HST passes me a lot sooner ane will have cleared the junction by the time I got there, but that wasn't the cause.

Obviously its frustrating that after a rebuild the same issue happens, and I have to play the scenario for over an hour only to find the issue still remains.... anyone have any ideas ?

 

[Trackman]

I assume there are no conflicts.
Out of curiosity have you tried tabbing through the red signal? I think there is a hard signaller request to pass at danger, I think shift/or ctrl tab- you could give that whirl.
You could also change train priorities, i.e set the others to goods or stopping passenger or whatever they are called and see what happens.

 

[Domh245]

If you launched the scenario directly from the editor, that can cause problems. It's recommended to click the launch button, exit the scenario and then load it normally from the 'drive' menus. Failing that, it may be that you've run up against one of the limitations of the game/signalling setup on the route and you'll just have to request to pass the signal (Tab if it's ahead of the train from the driver icon point of view, Ctrl+tab if behind)

 

[Trackman]

If you launched the scenario directly from the editor, that can cause problems. It's recommended to click the launch button, exit the scenario and then load it normally from the 'drive' menus. Failing that, it may be that you've run up against one of the limitations of the game/signalling setup on the route and you'll just have to request to pass the signal (Tab if it's ahead of the train from the driver icon point of view, Ctrl+tab if behind)

Might be worth clearing the cache as well.

 

[malc-c]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes Tried tab to request permission to past, but always denied. Like I said, it runs, just for some reason the signalling gets screwed up.

For clarity. I use the save option from the timetable (where you set the stops for each train), then the play button which starts the scenario, which I exit out of all the way back to the main menu and then select Drive > Scenario > and then the scenario that I'm working on.

@ Trackman, How do you clear the cache ?

 

[Iskra]

Have you definitely ticked the box to say your train is the player train?

Also, it might be worth increasing the priority of your service to special to ensure it gets right of way over other services.

 

[malc-c]

Have you definitely ticked the box to say your train is the player train?

Also, it might be worth increasing the priority of your service to special to ensure it gets right of way over other services.

Yes my train is the player train...

 

[Trackman]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes Tried tab to request permission to past, but always denied. Like I said, it runs, just for some reason the signalling gets screwed up.

For clarity. I use the save option from the timetable (where you set the stops for each train), then the play button which starts the scenario, which I exit out of all the way back to the main menu and then select Drive > Scenario > and then the scenario that I'm working on.

@ Trackman, How do you clear the cache ?

Settings-Tools.

Clearing the cache is biggie when sorting out signalling problems, Matt (from TS) mentions it in his you-tube videos.

 

[malc-c]

Thanks. Does closing the applications and Steam automatically clear the cache, or are things still retained at the time of exiting the game ?

 

[Trackman]

Thanks. Does closing the applications and Steam automatically clear the cache, or are things still retained at the time of exiting the game ?

No it doesn't.
Clearing the cache within settings, to put it simply it sort of deletes temp files within the TS folder. It's nothing to do with the Steam cache.
I've not done it for ages as it restarts in 32bit mode, this may have been fixed.
I use a simple command line .BAT file within the TS folder to clear the cache it's: del /s *.pak

 

[malc-c]

Thanks, I'll give that a go and see if it makes any difference

Well an hour and 20 minutes and I got to the end of the scenario.... seems clearing the cache must have worked - Thanks Trackman.

I need to alter a few of the timings of the AI trains to make it work a bit more interesting, and then add the narrations etc, but it's now playable. If I wanted to share this with someone to test on their PC, is there as simple way to "package" all the items I've used etc so they can import the scenario and provide me with some feedback ?

 

[_toommm_]

No it doesn't.
Clearing the cache within settings, to put it simply it sort of deletes temp files within the TS folder. It's nothing to do with the Steam cache.
I've not done it for ages as it restarts in 32bit mode, this may have been fixed.
I use a simple command line .BAT file within the TS folder to clear the cache it's: del /s *.pak

It still restarts in 32 bit mode, so instead, do Clear Cache, and no to restarting. Exit the game manually from the start screen, then reload from Steam in 64-bit mode.

 

[malc-c]

OK some progress has been made - clearing the cache resolved the issue with the signals, and the game is playable. I now get into the habit of clearing the cache before each run whilst I'm building the scenario. It's running fine bar three things.

1) - I have an AI train that used to work just fine, but now it's a ghost train, with just front and rear tail lights and the couplings between carriages visible when it passes (with sound!). I don't know why as it worked in earlier iterations of the games as I was cloning versions as I went so I always had something to fall back on.

2) - When the train has completed the route and pulls in to the destination the game doesn't exit out with a "completed" message. The train does have a final destination in the "programming" of the way points

3) - I've had to use some modellers licence in the scenario as the scenario doesn't replicate the real movements the real live service undertakes. Have a look at the track map in the sim around Biggleswade. The train pulls up on the up reverse, repels backwards across the two fast lines to the down reverse siding. It then draws forward into the headshunt. Yard points are set and the train reverses into siding 3, where it's split, dropping off 12 wagons. It then pulls forward, points change and then reverses into siding 2 and collects 12 empties. Draws forward into the headshunt, then reverses and drops the 12 empties into the yard departure siding. Now this is the part that I can't get working. In real life the train then pulls forward into the headshunt, and then operates the ground frame and reversed back into the down reverse siding in readiness to pull back across the fast lines to the up slow when cleared to continue on to Bow in London. In the sim, pulling forward without hitting the tab key causes a derailment. Hitting TAB sets the points for the head shunt, but doesn't then change them to route the train to the down reverse siding. It keeps the point set straight as if the train was going to reverse through the departure siding and into platform 4

At the moment the scenario has to be run without dropping off the empties, which still makes for an interesting scenario, but it would be nice to replicate the real thing. However I don't think this can be done as the two facing points that give access to the headshunt are operated by a ground frame once York box has been contacted and permission given to the train crew to manual operate.

If the third item isn't possible to model then I can live with just dropping off and collecting wagons that I currently have, but it would be nice if it were possible. However items 1 and 2 are more crucial to fix.

 

[Trackman]

Thanks, I'll give that a go and see if it makes any difference

Well an hour and 20 minutes and I got to the end of the scenario.... seems clearing the cache must have worked - Thanks Trackman.

I need to alter a few of the timings of the AI trains to make it work a bit more interesting, and then add the narrations etc, but it's now playable. If I wanted to share this with someone to test on their PC, is there as simple way to "package" all the items I've used etc so they can import the scenario and provide me with some feedback ?

No probs.
As for testing and packaging , have you used RW tools?
It will give you the destination folder then you can find the directory structure for the scenario, so copy that folder and send it to whoever- with the destination.
Obviously they would have to have all the rolling stock etc for the scenario but RW tools can suss out if they are missing anything.
Ghost train- again, RW tools would check for missing files/textures etc.
Completed message- You'll need to fill in the completed /failed scenerio text boxes, cannot think they where they are off the top of my head.
Scenario shunting problem, sounds like it's probably a signalling thing, you'll just have to faff about with it or indeed in may not be even possible. You could seek expert advice on www.uktrainsim.com

 

[malc-c]

Thanks again. Will check out RW Tools - All this is new to me, although I've had the sim since 2015 version, I've not really used it much, probably clocked up as many hours in the past week as I have in the previous four years

Fixed the ghost train, and modified the scenario so it now gives a completed message when ended. The routing issue apparently is down to how DTG designed the ECML and the points in question are one way (I was informed of this by someone on the steam community with a lot more understanding than I have of how things work).

But thanks for the tip on clearing the cache.... the application runs a lot smoother than it was now I do this every time I close the application