I've probably done something wrong, but I can't imagine what it is. Last night I was running the third STLNA activity, "Local to Berryville". We stopped at the Grandview depot for orders and were told a northbound would hold in the clear at Freeman until we passed. I broke the train there, pulled over to the lumber siding and pulled out the two loaded flats. I pushed those back onto the main, joining the rest of my train. I disconnected again with the empty flats trailing, pulled back into the lumber siding and dropped the empties. When I started forward, I was startled to see a northbound train stopped on the main right at the points passing track. He isn't moving, and I don't have enough room by 10-15 feet, to pull out of the lumber siding and rejoin the rest of my train. Where did that guy come from? Is he supposed to be there. If that's the train they just told us about, why isn't he holding at Freeman? And most important of all, how can I get him to move so I reassemble my train and go on?

That one is a bit of a toughie. Turns out I inadvertantly made the run/switch time too close for newcomers to get it down and on their way out of Grandview before the AI train spawns at Freeman.

The path/AI logic is such that you MUST be on your way before the train spawns at Grandview. If you are, it will obiediently wait at Freeman just like its supposed to. However, if its taking longer at Grandview than it was supposed to and the AI spawns... if you make only ONE reverse movement, it will think you're clear, and here he comes.

Might want to skip that activity until you get more 'sperience" at the virtual throttle and more familiar with the route... then return to it later?

Andre

Don't sweat it, Norman. We all caught it on that one ... As I recall, I had finished my switching at Grandview and was headed for B-ville, when before I hit the downgrade for the King's River bridge, this character comes hard-charging north. Well, we wiped the clock and joined the birds, but it still was a spectacular cornfield meet ...

Turn-of-the-century railroading is rough and ready, and that's the way Andre dishes it to us. Some flowers to cheer your day:

I think I understand. Being relatively new to this stuff, I wondered if I should have left my train on the passing track instead of on the main while I was shuffling cars in and out of the lumber spur. Then old #4 could have highballed right through. Oh, well...at least he didn't clobber my standing train while I was fooling around on the spur.

How about it, Andre? In a situation like this, would you pro's leave the train on the main, or after stopping for orders, would you pull up and back it into the passing track?

BTW, Andre, what railroad do you work for? My granddad worked for the L&N from 1908 to 1959, so I have a special fondness for that road and it successors.

I had the same problem on my first run of that Activity.
On my second try (since I knew #4 would be coming thru), I took the passing siding at
Grandview, and did my switching from there. Then (right on time) Ol' #4 rolled thru on
the main. I finished my switching and went on to Berryville.

It's kind of a "cheat" but it works!!

Hi L&N, you said/asked:

> I think I understand. Being relatively new to this stuff,

We all were at some point.

> I wondered if....

<snip: switching options>

> How about it, Andre? In a situation like this, would you pro's leave the train on the main,
> or after stopping for orders, would you pull up and back it into the passing track?

Operating from memory from back in the Train Order days I was around:

First, we already had authority to occupy the main track from Grandview to Freeman, because the train at Freeman was SUPPOSED to hold until the arrival of our train. (In train order days, such an order would [should] have been treated as if it were written in stone.) Therefore, knowing the Freeman train was captive to our main track authority Grandview to Freeman, we would make it as easy as possible on ourselves and hold the main and switch off of it until finished. When completed, we would have whistled-off and headed for Freeman.

That's the way the activity was designed. However, MSTS see's it a bit different. (See above "reverse" move quirk.) Therefore, the early departure of the train holding at Freeman.

FWIW: In "real life", if we were taking too long, the 'Spatcher could have issued new orders and held us to keeping clear of the main track south of Grandview, and released the Freeman train to leave to meet us using the siding. Now the Freeman train would have authority over our train to occupy the main track between Freeman and Grandview, and thus we would have to keep clear of the south siding switch. Train orders were very cool to operate a railroad by. Track Warrants are okay, but quite sterile and unimaginative compared to Train Orders.

> BTW, Andre, what railroad do you work for?

I work for the Arkansas Southern RR, a Watco company. I also am used to cover shortages on various subdivisions of other Watco properties. However, it's been a couple months since my last loan-out... I'm getting itchy feet to go again.

Andre Ming

> I work for the Arkansas Southern RR, a Watco company.

Just wondered. Your "road trip" post said something about "off to the Nashville sub" and that got me curious. I hear Nashville and think Tennessee, since that is where I was born and raised. It's been a while since I lived there. We've been here in southern Indiana for nearly 26 years.

Happy railroading!