Berthing a ship

[220hotwheels]

Hi 

I am attempting to create a more realistic vessel berthing procedure rather than it simply pull up alongside the quay, there are good technical reasons for this in the current layout that I am working on. Getting the ship to stop, imitate side thrusters to move to the quayside and later back out to the main track is no problem. Where the difficulty arises is then getting the vessel to continue on its way. As can be seen from the screenshots everything would seem to line up correctly but the vessel will not move off unless it is given the tiniest of nudges.

I have managed to sort this out, in a fashion, by using a second SX1 dummy but that too creates further problems down the line when the vessel has to negotiate entry and exit from the lock. No doubt I am overlooking the obvious but thus far the solution escapes me. Any thought please.

Pete

[Goetz]

when you shift your ship sideways, you detach it from it's running track.
The only way to (re-)attach it is to manually move it back onto the track. 
 

Your alternative: Don't shift the ship sideways, shift the track instead.

[220hotwheels]

37 minutes ago, Goetz said:

when you shift your ship sideways, you detach it from it's running track.
The only way to (re-)attach it is to manually move it back onto the track. 
 

Your alternative: Don't shift the ship sideways, shift the track instead.

Good morning Goetz

Many thanks for that very useful information. I hadn't considered simply moving the track. I'll give that a try. If that works then I have to see if I can achieve realistic side thruster motions. If not then a tug might be the answer. Onwards and upwards. Isn't life fun!!!

Pete

[Goetz]

vor 34 Minuten schrieb 220hotwheels:

Isn't life fun!

sure is ... 

[220hotwheels]

1 hour ago, Goetz said:

sure is ... 

Just had time to run through your suggestion in between lunch and next batch of work. It works a dream, so many thanks for that. Now all I have to do is sort out suitable thruster effects. If that doesn't pan out too well then a tug will be the alternative.

Pete

[simonjackson1964]

Hi Pete.

I tried something similar a while ago, and just as a tip, I used actual track, on its own layer that I set to invisible, because virtual track doesn't have points/turnouts/switches/junctions (depending on what part of the world you're from!) and I found making my own was a) a pain, and b) didn't work properly with routes, when having more than one ship moving at a time...

By the way, a ship will usually tie up with the port side to the dock. This is long standing tradition and is to avoid damaging the "steering board" that used to be on the other side of early sailing vessels (Steer board became starboard over time). It's something that isn't necessarily followed these days and I know there are lots of examples on the internet where it isn't true, but certainly the RN follows it still, wherever possible.

[220hotwheels]

20 minutes ago, simonjackson1964 said:

Hi Pete.

I tried something similar a while ago, and just as a tip, I used actual track, on its own layer that I set to invisible, because virtual track doesn't have points/turnouts/switches/junctions (depending on what part of the world you're from!) and I found making my own was a) a pain, and b) didn't work properly with routes, when having more than one ship moving at a time...

By the way, a ship will usually tie up with the port side to the dock. This is long standing tradition and is to avoid damaging the "steering board" that used to be on the other side of early sailing vessels (Steer board became starboard over time). It's something that isn't necessarily followed these days and I know there are lots of examples on the internet where it isn't true, but certainly the RN follows it still, wherever possible.

 

20 minutes ago, simonjackson1964 said:

Hi Pete.

I tried something similar a while ago, and just as a tip, I used actual track, on its own layer that I set to invisible, because virtual track doesn't have points/turnouts/switches/junctions (depending on what part of the world you're from!) and I found making my own was a) a pain, and b) didn't work properly with routes, when having more than one ship moving at a time...

By the way, a ship will usually tie up with the port side to the dock. This is long standing tradition and is to avoid damaging the "steering board" that used to be on the other side of early sailing vessels (Steer board became starboard over time). It's something that isn't necessarily followed these days and I know there are lots of examples on the internet where it isn't true, but certainly the RN follows it still, wherever possible.

Hi Simon

Nice to hear from you, I trust you are well and nicely settled into 2023.

On the main layout I have used actual track simply because it is easier to see and adjust but I do find that the virtual track allows for more precise positioning under certain circumstances. As for the rule about use of the port side against the quay, I didn't know that, I may well have to get the harbour master to hold a meeting with all of the ships captains and admonish them for ignoring this long standing procedure, either that or redo the port routes. No I think I'll leave the harbour master to give each captain a good ticking off!!

Cheers Pete

[Goetz]

vor 1 Stunde schrieb 220hotwheels:

As for the rule about use of the port side

... it doesn't matter anymore, as today everything is geared towards efficiency.

The only ones who may still follow this old procedure are cruise ships ... because with those, it's all show and pretence and theatrics.

[220hotwheels]

7 minutes ago, Goetz said:

... it doesn't matter anymore, as today everything is geared towards efficiency.

The only ones who may still follow this old procedure are cruise ships ... because with those, it's all show and pretence and theatrics.

Many thanks Goetz for the additional insight.  I might just leave telling my  harbour master this as when last I spoke to him he was looking forward to admonishing a few ships captains in an effort to maintain tradition and discipline.

Pete

[streit_ross]

Hello @220hotwheels,

Here is my little demo for docking and departing a ship at the quay.
Press the playbuttom and see what happens.

Kind regards

streit_ross

Schiff am Kai.mbp

[220hotwheels]

Hi streit_ross

Many thanks for your kind reply and for the demo. 

My current example runs pretty much on similar lines since I was put on the correct path by Goetz yesterday. I'm still working on a suitable side thruster simulation, nothing quite right yet, but I have introduced a tug into the equation which is quite effective although it still needs some fine tuning. The plan once finished is for the tug to withdraw once it has berthed the ship and to lay alongside awaiting the time when the ship needs to be pulled off the quayside ready for it's journey. So still some work to do. I've taken the liberty to attach my example thus far. Just press play and let me know what you think.

Kind regards

Pete

Berthing1 experiment.mbp

[streit_ross]

Hi Pete

Your example is a bit closer to reality. It looks very good. Maybe even two tugs could push the cargo ship

Kind regards

streit_ross

[simonjackson1964]

9 hours ago, Goetz said:

... it doesn't matter anymore, as today everything is geared towards efficiency.

The only ones who may still follow this old procedure are cruise ships ... because with those, it's all show and pretence and theatrics.

And the Royal Navy, because tradition is what the Navy is based upon.

[Goetz]

vor 25 Minuten schrieb simonjackson1964:

And the Royal Navy

but of course! how could I forget?

[220hotwheels]

2 hours ago, streit_ross said:

Hi Pete

Your example is a bit closer to reality. It looks very good. Maybe even two tugs could push the cargo ship

Kind regards

streit_ross

Hi.

What can I say to that suggestion other than, Hmmmmm. It's taken me ages just to get a suitable track layout working reasonably for one tug to pull away from the ships side, manoeuvre alongside, wait until all cargo has been unloaded and then return to the ship ready to pull it away from the quay and then to theoretically scuttle off, bad choice of word for a ship, back to it's base, plus I don't think I could find enough space in the dock area of my current layout for another tug.  Still more to do, smoke from the tugboats chimney and if possible hawser lines from the tug to the ship for a more realistic pull but not sure if that will be possible as they would need to appear and when finished disappear. I'll send you an update of my efforts when complete.

Cheers 

Pete

[220hotwheels]

1 hour ago, simonjackson1964 said:

And the Royal Navy, because tradition is what the Navy is based upon.

Hi Simon

Good job mine are all merchant ships then !!!!

[220hotwheels]

On 2/8/2023 at 5:43 PM, streit_ross said:

Hi Pete

Your example is a bit closer to reality. It looks very good. Maybe even two tugs could push the cargo ship

Kind regards

streit_ross

Hi

As promised I have attached a somewhat more rounded version of my ship berthing process. It's not quite perfect yet and I've given up on the possibility to introduce hawsers for pulling the ship from the quayside, somethings have to remain a fantasy!!!. All remaining alterations will be made on my actual layout which currently has the timber ship, a container ship, 2 general cargo ships and a roll on roll off ferry, hence the restriction for too many tugs per ship. Then of course there are all the trains and other vehicles. This particular layout does not have an airport, as had my two previous ones, but then the file size just gets too big. I'm already over 4000kb.

Any thoughts you have that might improve this will be very gratefully received.

Kind regards

Pete 

Berthing1 experiment.mbp

[220hotwheels]

4 minutes ago, 220hotwheels said:

Hi

As promised I have attached a somewhat more rounded version of my ship berthing process. It's not quite perfect yet and I've given up on the possibility to introduce hawsers for pulling the ship from the quayside, somethings have to remain a fantasy!!!. All remaining alterations will be made on my actual layout which currently has the timber ship, a container ship, 2 general cargo ships and a roll on roll off ferry, hence the restriction for too many tugs per ship. Then of course there are all the trains and other vehicles. This particular layout does not have an airport, as had my two previous ones, but then the file size just gets too big. I'm already over 4000kb.

Any thoughts you have that might improve this will be very gratefully received.

Kind regards

Pete 

Berthing1 experiment.mbp 89.33 kB · 0 downloads

I forgot to mention. Press play and then double click the switch on the quayside to get everything underway.

Pete