Effect of Platform Position on Passenger Load Times

SJDobby · Post by **SJDobby** » Tue May 13, 2003 1:30 pm

Can anyone say for sure if the stopping-position relative to the end of a platform has any effect on passenger load times? (NB I always ensure that the whole train is alongside the platform). When I run activities in the rain I like to drop people off as close to "cover" (e.g. waiting rooms) as possible, but don't want to do this if my load-times are definitely going to go up.
I am going to experiment a bit, but if anybody knows for sure then I'd appreciate any info you may have.

andynwt · Post by **andynwt** » Tue May 13, 2003 2:04 pm

i am pretty sure it does. if you stop the train right in the middle of the platform then load times always seem to be lower for me. could just be imagining it though!

Breedlings · Post by **Breedlings** » Tue May 13, 2003 3:40 pm

I've found similar when testing activities too. If driving sloppily to get to the part i want to test it's easy to not stop on the sweet spot and find that 20 second passenger loading takes over a minute.

Defeats the object a bit

simont · Post by **simont** » Tue May 13, 2003 4:57 pm

The time you wait at a station can be calculted (in seconds) as the number of passengers you set, divided by the number of coaches*, then multiplied by 10. (So a 2-car DMU at a 12-passenger platform will wait one minute).

* That's the number of coaches that can fit against the platform marker. So if some of the coaches miss the platform, it might be longer. Remember that the platform marker set isn't always as long as the platform that you see.

asalmon · Post by **asalmon** » Tue May 13, 2003 5:04 pm

Yep, you're best off stopping when the "distance to next" in F10 monitor is 0.00. If you have a short train on a long platform you have much more leeway; and if a long train on a short platform, it doesn't matter so much as long as the cariages and not the engine are within the platform markers (which unfortunately are invisble unless you're in the route editor.)

-Alan

noelmyoung · Post by **noelmyoung** » Tue May 13, 2003 6:30 pm

Nothing like realism, if you stop too far up the platform, then the passenegers have got to walk along the platform in order to board the train.

Noisy Noel

simont · Post by **simont** » Tue May 13, 2003 6:35 pm

Of course, all AI trains stop at the end of platform markers. I hope that's something that's resolved in V2.

ThinLizzy · Post by **ThinLizzy** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 1:51 pm

I normally try to stop either at the end of the visible platform, or at the 0.00 mark on the next station display. Depends on my train length. When i am running loco hauled stuff {mainly steam trains} and i have abit of a short platform, i stop with the first coach at the end of the platform {ie the loco overshoots the platform}.
Just be carefull of 'starting signals' when you do this.
An old driver was telling me, if the starter signal was 'on' then they stopped before it, but if this meant coaches being out of the platform abit, then the station foreman used to have to ring the box, and ask permission for the train to draw forward into section. Then somehow the signalman used to pull the signal off to allow this.

SJDobby · Post by **SJDobby** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 2:36 pm

It is a more realistic test of driving skill to position the train visually rather than "number-watching" on the station-aid.

Therefore I guess it is best to ensure that as many of the train's doors as possible are against the platform, with priority being given to the front ones if the platform is too short. The default stopping position should be with the front-most passenger doors a couple of metres or so from the end of the usable platform (i.e. before the platform begins to dip at the end thereby minimising "accidents" to passengers).

If driving a loco-consist then there is no need for the loco itself to be on the platform, so running past a non-red signal to enable the rear carriage of a train to be alongside the platform should be permissable.

Where a red light is preventing the complete passenger-set being alongside then the driver should request (<tab>) to pass the red signal before coming to a stop. I don't know what criteria MSTS uses to determine whether a red can be passed or not, so I wonder whether or not you will ever be given this "SPAD permission", but procedurally it would seem OK.

Of course, there may be platforms where the above is overridden by local guidelines - e.g. if an eight-car train with only the front four coaches alongside the platform leaves one or more of the rear coaches parked in a tunnel!

TomB · Post by **TomB** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 4:36 pm

Alternatively, if it's over just by a bit then try and get the end door in the front car and the front door in the rear car in the pform. If it's too long try to roughly equalise the platformless cars between the two ends.