North Wales Coast 2 In OR

Just (belatedly) got round to purchasing this - what a glorious route and train pack.

However has anyone found the more complex activities founder in OR? Previously running NWC1, I couldn't get the Conwy Crompton (I think I was called) beyond the run round at Llandudno Jn. The section signal wouldn't clear and forcing the points/signals to get on the Down Main, OR still seemed to think I was running in the wrong direction (I had hit all the reversing points).

Yesterday evening, tried the activity where you take the nuclear flask to Trawsfynnd. Got coupled up and shunted out okay, but once back in the platform at LLJ, the signal wouldn't clear and I couldn't tab past.

The simple A to B scenarios along the Coast seem to work okay but a tad frustrating that I can't get down the branches!

What version of Open Rails are you using?

AFAIK the latest one (its on auto update).

OldVern wrote:AFAIK the latest one (its on auto update).

You are one ahead of me there! I was about to tell you that there are recent updates to OR that have corrected several reverse point and other MSTS/OR compatibility problems.

When you say "its in auto update" have you chosen "testing" or "unstable" in OR Options?

No Dave, just "Stable".

OldVern wrote:No Dave, just "Stable".

Good Morning Vern.

You will therefore not be getting the more recent updates that improve the running of activities in OR, which I referred to in the earlier posts. To get these you must set it to "unstable" or particular download a later update from "https://james-ross.co.uk/projects/or/builds". The one which will give you all needed for activities is "X1.3.1-18-g62079b8a".

Well I updated to the latest Unstable version...

Decided to try Amlwch Angler (Class 40 top and tailed ex Blaenau Ffestiniog). Couldn't start the train without briefly hitting autopilot. At the gradient change in the long tunnel between BF and Roman Bridge, no response from the train brake or loco brake until I put it into emergency.

I don't seem to be having much luck with this add-on!

Vern, you are initialising the brakes with "Shift" + "/" aren't you?

dforrest wrote:Vern, you are initialising the brakes with "Shift" + "/" aren't you?

Yes I did that first Dave, having remembered from trial and error on a previous activity.

As a control, I managed to coax MSTS itself into life and the consist runs and handles perfectly - well there's no partial release on the brakes but apart from that is spot on.

Hi Vern,

The problem is simple - the consist uses a Vacuum Braked Engine coupled to a rake of Air Braked Coaches and DIT Vacuum Braked Engine . This is fine in MSTS but not in Open Rails. All the rolling stock MUST have the same braking system including within the engine itself. If you substitute both engines for Air Braked Versions then the activity will work. I also suggest that you turn off the power to the rear engine using Ctrl+Y.

Hope this helps,

Stephen

Thanks Stephen, that kind of explains things.

Of course, NWC2 even though an update of the earlier version is still quite old in itself and OR was probably in its infancy when it came out.

The problem I have, is that Activity Editor no longer functions on the main PC, after I upgraded to a UHD (3840 x 2160) monitor. I can get the editors to load thanks to a dll that was referenced on TS dot com but once I start opening the various boxes the buttons become unresponsive, can't even exit without Ctrl-Alt-Del. Hopefully OR will eventually get its own AE (needs to be a priority IMHO) or hopefully Goku will bring the TSRE one forward a bit.

Hi Vern,

I recommend that you use Convoi for editing consists and more. It works outside MSTS Activity Editor and can be found here:-    https://www.activitysimulatorworld.net/Convoi.htm

It is in French but it gives English Translations amongst other languages. Please, don't install in C:/Program files (x86) or C:/Program files. Also if using W7 or W10 select Run as Administrator

I use it all the time with excellent results.

Regards,

Stephen

Thanks for that Stephen. Just grabbed Convoi as running the activity in MSTS ended up with a broken coupler at Llanwrst. Very surprised the people who compiled the route didn't twig that and put the coupler strengths up on all the stock used in activities to Blaneau. Also reveals one of the snags using UKFS - no short points to break up the long sections between nodes, MS Cutbank syndrome legacy lives on!

Update then - used Convoi to change to all air braked formation and working perfectly. I shut down the rear loco as suggested which resulted in a lovely full throttle thrash out of BFF up to the tunnel mouth dragging all that weight - just as it should be.

More important the brakes work though OR renders the train brake a bit harsh with Step 1 (1%) causing speed to drop rapidly. Best results dropping down the hill towards Llanwrst just using the straight air (loco) brake, though I feel sorry for the fitter on the next A-Exam when it comes in with brakeblocks like razor blades!

Update: Successfully completed Amlwch Angler and the reverse points work correctly. There was one small bug (also mentioned at TS) in that the departure time from Bangor never registered and F10 continued to display "Depart When Ready". In F1 the evaluation also showed the activity as complete even though I was still en route to Amlwch.

Conwy Crompton however is still broken - I have the latest test update running and I still cannot get the route to reset or signal to clear for the Down Coast after backing down and recoupling to the stock. The only thing  I can think of is that the last reversing move is unsignalled off the Down Birkenhead line. The stock is shown as a red obstruction icon in F4 and this doesn't change on recoupling. I haven't yet tested in MSTS to see if it works correctly there, maybe tomorrow.

Hi Vern,

The problem with the Conwy Crompton activity is that when you try to re-couple to the coaches at Chester the reverse point is in the wrong place. It is at the same place as the signal marker thus disabling the signal. Using the Open Rails Track Viewer I moved the reverse point very close to the next set of points - the result is that the activity now works. I also found two or three broken points which I corrected at the same time.

It is well worth learning how to use this tool as you can create and modify paths without having to access the MSTS Editor first.

Regards,

Stephen

Is that just in OR Stephen or MSTS as well? I know it's water under the bridge now as the add-on is so old, but looks like the activity may not have been fully tested.

Hi Vern,

Working from memory I think that it did work with MSTS although that was several years ago. I'm not going to try and put that reverse point where it was because unless it is exactly where it was before it is nearly impossible to test. Perhaps someone else with an un-modified path could check for us?

Regards,

Stephen

At some point I will try it Stephen, but I seem to keep getting distracted - at the moment heading for the Galactic Rim in Elite Dangerous!