Cambrian Milk Train Problem

[cambrian06]

I've been trying to drive this activity but have run into a problem. I get as far as Forden, start to run round the train but get stuck at the ground signal at the crossover when trying to set back onto the train. I can't TAB past this signal, I get the "wait for further instructions" message. I've tried the MSTS shuffle and varying the position in which I leave the train but can't clear the signal. Any ideas?
Regards,
Andy

[emrhd01]

Hi Andy,

You might be running too late and the AI on the return leg has grabbed the path, I have completed this Activity with no problems. If you have been a bit slow on shunting (the instructions are not that clear) this will be the problem, I'd try again from the start now you are more familiar with what is required.

[mendes]

H Andy,
Robert's answer is right on the money. As I recall it you need to be leaving Forden for Oswestry by about 15:20. I intended to mention this in the briefing, but obviously forgot.

The Welshpool shunting is a bit fiddly, so it might be worth doing a save here.

The 3MT loco is quite a good mover until it gets all that milk behind it.



Cheers



Martin

[cambrian06]

Thanks guys, I must have just been missing the path by a minute or so. Have now managed to arrive at Forden by 15.10 (guard had a bit of a rough ride!) and everything OK.
Regards,
Andy

[mendes]

Hi Andy,
If your guard starts kicking off then I think you should sling him off the train!!

Seriously though, I've added the tip to the activity download text rather than build it into the activity which would require new approval etc etc.



Cheers


Martin

[dwgowen5]

Hi everyone

Must admit I found this activity realistic and enjoyable up to the point where I reached Welshpool. First of all it seems impossible to reach Welshpool much before 15.10, never mind Forden, then after finding out the hard way that the brake van has to be left on the main line, while going to pick up the milk tanks, following the preset path lands you on the track alongside the brake van ! Going back to an earlier saving point and then getting to the final point before the brake van and resetting that manually, lands you straight into a red signal and the activity closes. Help ! How do I get to Welshpool early enough to make Forden by 15.10 without breaking every speed limit on the line and when I get there how do I get to complete what should be a fairly simple shunt ? I'm clearly doing something wrong, but I can't see what, having followed preset paths throughout.....

Dave

[mendes]

Hi Dave,
I agree that the instructions could be clearer (apologies).
With just the guards van attached the 3MT will move pretty quick, you should be moving to Welshpool at close to the speed limit.

The path to leave Welshpool is quite convoluted, just make sure that you follow the reversing arrows correctly. When I released this I was concerned that it might cause problems as it is a goods activity and you can't control the arrival/depart times. Yours is only the second issue and the first one was resolved.

You don't have to leave the brake van behind at all at Welshpool, you shunt it onto the milk wagons, remember you are assembling a train to travel back East to Oswestry.

As I recollect it you take the 3MT + Toad into a siding in front of the Milk Wagons, you then reverse the Toad onto them , couple up and go forward into the sidings again and then reverse out to a point where you can go forwards onto the line towards Forden. I would recommend a save on arrival at Welshpool, the Dairy and Forden.

You need to be leaving Forden by 15:20 not 15:10 (I agree that would be impossible) I'm not sure what the critical cut-off time is. I remember when testing it I would typically be departing Forden between 15:15 and 15:20.



Cheers


Martin

[dwgowen5]

Hi Martin

Thanks for making things a lot clearer - my own default position was that I couldn't quite assume that the rules would allow the train formation from Welshpool to Forden (admittedly a short distance but still on the mainline) to be locomotive + brake van + milk tanks. Did they ever do that in reality I wonder ? Anyway, the good news is that I now understand the explanation of running round the train at Forden for the run back up to Oswestry - with the brake van at the right end for that it must save a lot of time, and the idea of being able to leave Forden by 15.20 becomes a real possibility. Now I need to try it for real.....

Thanks again for the clarification - and the activities !

All the best

Dave

[mendes]

Hi Dave,
I'm glad that's cleared things up, as for the reality of it, you may have noticed that I do sometimes get carried away and some of the things in my activities bear no resemblance to reality at all. I make it a priority for them to be entertaining rather than realistic (with the exception of the 2008 ATW ones).

By the sound of it, you know a lot better than me whether this would have been allowed.

I was giving it a go a few minutes ago, but got distracted by the cooking on the television and achieved a most spectacular derailment when I hit the points at Westbury at at least 50mph !! One of the finest derailments I've ever seen.


Cheers



Martin

[dwgowen5]

Hi Martin

Take your point about what might have been allowed or not allowed - I suspect a lot of gentle bending of the rules over short distances over a fairly quiet stretch of track might have gone on, in the interests of simplifying the assembly of a train which is going to end up going in the other direction anyway. Before your e-mail I had wondered if one way out might have been to use the Activity Editor to add the brake van to the milk wagons in the siding at Welshpool, and simply not bothering to pick up the van from Shrewsbury, simply making the trip light engine only - but presumably this would just shift the problem to Forden instead ? Anyway your routine sends one awful lot simpler !

All the best

Dave

[mendes]

I had wondered if one way out might have been to use the Activity Editor to add the brake van to the milk wagons in the siding at Welshpool, and simply not bothering to pick up the van from Shrewsbury, simply making the trip light engine only -

Hi Dave,

Then you would miss out on that little journey round the back of Shrewsbury Station and back which needless to say was totally unplanned, but which I thoroughly enjoyed when I first tried it out.

On most routes you would just find an undetailed siding somewhere like that, but it says a lot about the C2 that there should be so much detail in an area that might never even be visited.



Cheers


Martin

[MrHillingdon]

This discussion prompts me to say thank you to Martin for that aforementioned little trip to the yard at the back of Shrewsbury station. I for one never realised it was there and am grateful for the journey to that little seen area.

Thanks,

Paul

[ianmacmillan]

It is perfectly acceptable to have the brake van anywhere in the consist provided that it has a thru brake pipe and all vehicles are vacuum fitted.

Since milk tanks are passenger rated, they will have vacuum brakes and a maximum speed of 75MPH.

[MrHillingdon]

Ian, would a brake van have had a maximum speed or would other factors dictate? If in a milk train for example, would the guard be subjected to 75mph? Poor chap!

Cheers,

Paul

[mendes]

Ian, would a brake van have had a maximum speed or would other factors dictate? If in a milk train for example, would the guard be subjected to 75mph? Poor chap!

Cheers,

Paul

I know for a fact that the guard on this train is a GOG, so make him suffer I say !!