Tractor-Trailer decouples on country road turnoff 2+1

[hmclay]

The title is the post. Tried several tractor-Trailer combinations with same results, Half way through the turn the trailer detaches from the truck.

I can make sharper turns using the virtual Throughfare.

Anyone else experiencing the same, or know of a solution?

[BahnLand]

Hallo / hello @hmclay,

das klingt sehr danach, dass die Fahrspur der Abzweigung durch ein nachfolgendes Fahrzeug umgeschaltet wird (neue Fahrziel-Angabe), bevor der Traktor mit Anhänger die Abzweigung vollständig passiert hat.
This sounds very much like the lane of the junction is switched by a following vehicle (new destination specification) before the tractor with trailer has completely passed the junction.

Viele Grüße / many greetings
BahnLand

[simonjackson1964]

I have had this happen so often!

The best solution I've found is to put strict controls on all junctions to make sure that vehicles turning left only do so when there is nothing coming the other way. Right turns into the side road shouldn't be affected as long as traffic turning left into it is controlled. Right turns out need to have the priority set depending upon the yellow diamond being present or not, dictating who has to give way. One thing that can happen is that a vehicle can insert itself between tractor and trailer...

Traffic lights will usually solve the issue if set up correctly... otherwise a set of track contacts counting entry to and exit from the junction. The condition: "Vehicle is heading towards a track/contact" is useful to determine whether a vehicle is turning or going straight (and can also be used to set indicators!)

[hmclay]

Thanks for the post and information. I have not even tried going left or cross traffic yet, the guidelines presented will certainly help if and when I do.

I realized my explanation was quite vague, so I will explain further.

No other traffic .... because I had trouble with cars behind.

Right turn only from country road 2+1 immediately connected  ... not to another country road item ... but directly to a virtual Thorofare going straight ( the wire type).

Just trying to get into a gas station, and other country road items don't fit the scenario.

Cars and trucks without a trailer attached, are not a problem. Going to the virtual "wire" does cause a little "Step down" when the vehicle crosses ... maybe that's too much for the trailer to handle ... will investigate further.

[simonjackson1964]

There are actually ramps - one for road and one for rail - that smooth the transition.

Please will you upload the problem causing layout - or at least, duplicate the bit that's causing the problem. I have tried to recreate the issue from what you have described and can't.

 

[hmclay]

simonjackson196  .... thanks for your effort and replies.

I tried to make a demo to simulate my problem, but couldn't get the truck to decouple.

When back and looked at my layout to see what was going on. Oh my gosh, what a junction .... I could't even explain it with any degree of coherence,

so here is a picture.  I will need to do some re-arranging if I want to make that work.

[simonjackson1964]

Yes, I think you have too many tracks in one place. You have a situation not dissimilar from one I encountered waaaaay back when I first started with this hobby. (This was V4 so, yeah....!) I tried to make a double cross-over by placing two LH and two RH points together. This resulted in the trains pirouetting randomly between the routes because the program couldn't assign a valid route from those available.

I would suggest moving the railway points that are in the road to the side of the road. and make sure thay a single length of rail track covers that entire junction. Also I notice a length of virtual track sticking up? If you are using virtual track within the streets, and you want the vehicles to follow the virtual routes, I suspect that you may need to edit the streets to remove the routes built in to them, to avoid conflicts.

[hmclay]

simonjackson196...  It seems I blew the whistle way to quick. There was no foul and an instant replay proved it.

After a review, I removed all the tracks, virtual and otherwise, and still had the problem. OH NO ---- time to look at the code and see what was up.

Having a desire to limit the number of cars entering the gas station (Limited Space) it seems I was too fast changing the 'switch' to thru, thus not allowing time for the trucks trailer to pass. I didn't want the traffic to back-up. I thought I checked that, but whatever code I used .... that didn't work either.

Learned some things ... such as there are ramps to smooth the step down (need to try that) ... and the suggestion of editing the streets if I use virtual ... didn't occur to me ...

So much to learn ... Thank You for your replies!

[simonjackson1964]

I am assuming that you are using V7 or V8? In either case I would suggest, rather than using an Event to change the switch in the road, use vehicle targetting.  It's much more efficient and doesn't change the route too early.

 

That said there are some vehicles that the auto acceleration and auto deceleration doesn't seem to work properly on...

[hmclay]

I'm using V8 upgraded from V7

Thanks for pointing out that vehicle targeting would be a better approach. I tried construction of a mini layout to become familiar with that technique. So far, I've been unsuccessful at unlocking it's potential. The only target it was allowing was a contact, not street or virtual. Not sure what to call out for vehicle. I don't specify any specific vehicle to turn. It's random based on a timer. Didn't spend much time, so I will need to investigate further.

[Goetz]

vor 5 Stunden schrieb hmclay:

The only target it was allowing was a contact

That is correct.
Contacts are viable targets (and no other objects)

If you want a random target, you may put all possible targets in a list and pick from that list at random.

I made a li'l demo for you:   random targets.mbp

Bearbeitet 6. März 2023 von Goetz

[simonjackson1964]

What Goetz said. Basically when a contact is triggered you assign the triggering vehicle a new target contact. You can also use the same event to control the vehicle's indicators if you feel flashy. (Pun intended!)

[hmclay]

Goetz and simonjackson196 ... thanks so much for the info.

It took the evening, but I finally got the message.

Dissecting the demo Goetz was kind enough to provide, I realized my error. I was assigning switch positions to the routes I wanted, as you would a train turnout.  I thought the event would then pick the appropriate path as routes do. Then looking closely at the demo, I realized no switch positions were assigned. When I removed my assignments, the target event worked . I then realized how powerful that procedure is. No switch positions assigned, no flipping switches ... just tell the event what contact you want to head to ... and it magically heads it that very direction.  Must be using GPS or something!!!! I just wonder what other wonderful routines I could be using but don't know about/how to use. I still have not mastered extended variables. My belief is that they are also a powerful tool, but I haven't taken the time to analyze their potential. Too busy planting trees and building hills and mountains plus laying track. Now I'm trying to make it all work. Geez ... this program is powerful ... but complex. The two are inseparable.

Bearbeitet 7. März 2023 von hmclay

[Goetz]

vor 4 Stunden schrieb hmclay:

Must be using GPS or something!

Pathfinding, actually. But yes ...

 

vor 4 Stunden schrieb hmclay:

I just wonder what other wonderful routines I [...] don't know about/how to use.

Keep asking, we're eager to help.

[simonjackson1964]

Train routes are the flip side of road targets, You create your routes in advance by assigning a start and end way-point. A good rule of thumb is parity between routes and signalling blocks - As train signals have a track contact on them they can be used as waypoints, as can anything else with a track contact. When you select the route (either manually or using an event), it automatically sets all the points and signals. If there is a conflict with another train movement the routes automatically interlock to prevent a collision. (With one exception - diamond crossings need to have a switch added to them to prevent trains crossing from both directions at once!)

This is seriously good as it means you no longer have to do all the signal and point interlocking in the EV.

Bearbeitet 7. März 2023 von simonjackson1964
puntuation

[hmclay]

Again .... Thank both of you for your help. I appreciate the "Keep asking, we're eager to help" theme.

I have questions ... you have answers!