Interacting with AI trains

[slipperman12]

Hi Gentlemen,
I'm not into writing complete activities (yet!), but am interested in creating a couple of cameos.

The two scenarios (sorry about the 'foreign' word in MSTS!) are :

a). i) Station Pilot pushes coaching stock into platform
ii) Player loco couples to (the other end of) the coaches and uncouples the Pilot
iii) Player loco and coaches depart station
iv) Pilot returns from whence it came

b). i) AI express pulls into terminus platform
ii) Player loco (pilot) couples to coaches and uncouples the AI train loco
iii) Player drives train out of platform
iv) AI train Loco then follows the coaches out of the platform

I have tried scenario a) and i), ii) and iii) operate as expected, but the Pilot loco doesn't move, however much time I give it! If I don't couple up the Player loco, then the whole AI train returns to where it came from (as it is programmed to do). Am I to understand that the action of coupling the Player loco destroys the AI path? I have tried placing another AI loco (thought of using an Invisible Loco here in the final version) in front of the Pilot, after item iii), and setting the path to push it back, but as soon as one AI loco touches the other, either the Pilot loco goes flying into the air, or the second AI loco stops dead and the Pilot loco very gently rolls away, depending on the speed of contact!

Obviously the second scenario is just a variation on the first!

I use a waiting point to hold the AI train in the platform.

I came across this thread : http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... s#p1124198, which seems to imply that it is possible, but I'd like the comments of some of the Wizards on here, please.

Regards,
Ged

[buttercup99]

My experience: Only the player train has active couplers.

So: It is possible to have the player train couple to a loose consist and an ai train. It is possible to have an ai train couple to the player train. It is not possible to have an ai train couple to anything other than the player train (another ai train or loose consist) because couplers are not active.

As soon as the player train couples to an ai train the ai train becomes part of the player train and is no longer treated as ai train and uncoupling from it does not restore it to ai status.

[slipperman12]

Hi Eric,
Thanks for your info; I was afraid that would be the answer

However, I'm going to investigate those activities said to contain similar workings, but am prepared to accept they are only connections between Player and AI!

Cheers,
Ged

[jimmyladd]

you may have to beef up the coupling breakinging forces of your stock if you try to make an IA train couple its stock to your train, as it will give a hell of a jolt as its coupling is reactivated. I made an activity on the ELR route where an AI train put coaches behind your engine, and first few attempts before beefing up the couplings the player loco ended up in Tescos car park!

[slipperman12]

Hi Jimmy,
I hadn't thought of doing it that way, but thanks for the tip! I'll add it into my MSTS Encyclopedia

I assume (very bad thing to do!!) that even doing it this way, the AI train loses its status as an AI train.

Cheers,
Ged

[slipperman12]

Hi Jimmy,
I was just a little too late to apply an edit!

I have now pushed an AI train on to the back of the player loco, without problem! I used three 1 second wait points just before the player loco to slow the AI train (maybe two or even one would have been enough!). I didn't change the brake parameters, but had to make sure the player loco had its brakes fully applied - my first attempt resulted in it rolling forwards for a very short distance, after coupling.
For information, I was using the default Class50 and Blue/Grey Mk1s.

I have answered my own query about AI status!

Cheers,
Ged

[jimmyladd]

Glad you got it working Ged. Its a shame more interaction isn't possiable with AI trains, as it really adds a much needed dimention to the sim. Are such things possiable with the railworks series of sims?