220hotwheels

Hi Hubert Thanks for the nice comment. It is still very much a work in progress with considerable improvement needed in many areas, but then that's what this hobby is all about, you start simple, you have an idea and then you start to change it as you gain greater knowledge. I must admit that I have received a lot of help and guidance from Tom (Metallix) he has so far kept me on a reasonably straight path although I do tend to stray at times!!!!! In the past I have never really got involved with forums, tending to keep myself very much to myself but I must admit that with this particular hobby the forum just draws you in. My main dilemma, apart from lack of time, is lack of knowledge and therefore lack of confidence. I read some of the questions and comments and feel as though I should be back at primary school, everyone seems to be so switched on with some of the terminology just going completely over my head. In time, no doubt, like most things you gain experience and knowledge and therefore feel confident to contribute more. Cheers, stay safe in these trying times. Pete

Hi Neo I hope the following info will help. I have three main layouts on the go. Fairmont - 2599 kb as mbp ( my first, started in V4 then moved to V5. Nothing much done on it for 9 months as fps too slow) the second is Belfort- 1904 kb (this one I am currently working on the most) fps not too bad seems better with V6 than in V5, the third is Portland - 1370 kb (very much at the early stages). In V5 I have run all three layouts with the delay times after selecting an item of Fairmont 3 secs, Belfort 2 secs and Portland 1 sec. In V6 from the example screen shot that I sent you the delay is 10 secs. My only observation when comparing V5 and V6 is that V5 does not have the event "Train/Vehicle stops" which of course I am using in V6 I have run a similar test in V6 selecting something not covered by the "Train/vehicle stops" and the delay is usually about 3 secs. If there is anything else that I can do to help to resolve this then just let me know. Kind regards Pete

Hi Neo Yes I'll see what I can do. I have to go out for about 2 hours so will have a look when I get back and let you know. Kind regards Pete

Hi Neo I have attached a screenshot which I hope explains. When I select target in order to choose the correct item it now seems to take much longer to select it than it did before, either that or I have got much more inpatient. Either way now I seem to have time for a sip of coffee and a bit of biscuit whereas before I struggled to get the sip of coffee!! Kind regards Pete

Hi Neo Brilliant. That will be a lot quicker than my solution so many thanks for that and for the explanation. Is there a similar simple solution to the delay in selecting items from my database when working with EV. I have only just started to do additional work in this area setting up crane operations and noted that when selecting items it can take much longer for them to be selected than before. Is this down to the size of the data I have amassed? my layouts are not exactly small!! Kind regards Peter

Hi Goetz Thanks for that. I've just tried it but because the latest version is V6 it won't let me open it in V5 and the only V5 version I have of this particular layout is back in July. That one I can load in V5. Clearly my backup process needs to be improved. What I should have done is keep the most recent V5 backup before converting to V6. We live and learn!!! I've already started to touch up my V6 layout, whilst making some improvements to my EV. By the time V7 comes out I might have sorted and got to grips with V6. Cheers Pete

Sorry about that. The only backup copy I have that will run in V5 is one from the 01/07/20, one that you kindly repaired for me. All others have already been converted to V6. Having looked at the attached copy from July I can see areas where the baseboard has not had the same degree of finished texture as in other areas but overall the effect is not as obvious as now. It's as though the depth of texture has blurred. I am also finding when working in EV that it is taking much longer to select items from the data list with V6 Kind regards Pete Belfort V5 for Neo dated 01_07_2020.mbp

Hi Neo I have attached a copy of the backup of V5 taken on the 15th October and the latest one which is V6. I don't seem able to open the V5 version as V5 it simply wants to convert to V6 so I cannot see myself the difference between the two versions. I just know that before V6 the base scenery was more normal. Pete Belfort.mbp Belfort.mbp

Hi Neo I have attached 3 screenshots, I've removed all of the trees and shrubs to give a clearer view, which I hope will give you an idea of my issue. Putting it right is not really a problem, just a bit time consuming although everything that I do at the moment seems to be a work in progress and is therefore constantly being changed. I view it as part of the learning curve but to understand why things happens is perhaps more than half of the battle. I await your views and recommendation. Kind regards Pete

Hi everyone Since upgrading to V6 I have noticed that quite a large amount of my base scenery seems to have developed what I can only describe as cloud or misty blotches. This can be rectified by "repainting" but it is going to take several hours to put right. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me. Cheers Pete

Thanks for that Neo. Nice to know all is well with the program. I've not had too much time to get to grips with much that is new but I have certainly noticed how much smoother movement around the layout is. I had added some road sections to a trest layout that I am working on so attach this so you can see the problem although I think Metallix might just have given me the answer. He also very kindly pointed me in the right direction for sorting out a crane operation/cargo loading and unloading although I still haven't got the "magic" right to send all the cargo back to their respective start points yet. Many thanks Pete Test layout.mbp

This question sounds really stupid but having spent a couple of hours trying to solve it and getting nowhere I decided to seek help. On previous layouts I have had no problem with roads. I start off with a straight and then edit it to create curves etc. So, if I now take a section of "street" edit its length to say 500mm then add a curve of 150mm x 180 degrees I find that route '0' has changed but routes 1 and two have not. I can change them manually but can only guess at the length required. If I apply the same length as for '0' then the vehicle will not stay on the track. I have looked at road sections in older layouts and can see that the various routes have automatically changed the length to suite the curve. This phenomenon has only become apparent since downloading V6. That said I have gone back to look at layouts in V5 and the same problem is now affecting those layouts if I introduce additional road sections. I must admit that when downloading V6 I did get a malware message telling me not to continue with the download but I chose to ignore it. Perhaps this is my penalty for trusting the 3d Train Studio program rather than my security system. If any one can show me the error of my ways I would be most grateful. Pete

Thanks for that. I now note that V6 will be available in the next few weeks so will check it out then. In the meantime I will continue to refine my V5 version layouts. Cheers Pete

Hi Goetz That's great thanks. I'll have to see if I can upgrade from V5 to V6. I have automatic update enabled but presumably that does not include a version change. The picture of the Messerschmidt brings back memories of the first car that one of my friends bought. It too was one just like this. He used to drive it like an F1 driver and scared the life out of me. They were not the most stable of cars and he was no respecter of corners. His moto being 'flat out at all times' and keep your fingers and legs crossed at the bends. Once again many thanks for the advice. Pete

Hi I wonder if anyone can point me in the right direction of how to have different vehicles travelling on the same road, in the same direction but that they will stop or slow down when the one in front does so. I am aware that there are invisible spacers that will do this, to a point, but I am trying to achieve closer to reality than simply having one follow another like a robot. Ultimately I hope to be able to create a situation where one vehicle can join a road, follow other vehicles but then turn off when it's particular program dictates so that it can then follow a different designated route. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Pete

Hi Tom It's been a long time since we last spoke. I hope you are well and not having problems with the dredded Coronavirus. Life here in the UK is a bit challenging but then I have 3 D Train Studio to keep me busy. That said I have spent around 1200 hours on the latest layout. I am learning plenty as I go and keep going back to modify earlier efforts when I find a more professional approach to a problem. All was going well until about four hours ago when, whilst doing a routine back up I got an error message telling me that something had gone wrong and to restart the program. No matter what I do I cannot get this particular layout back. I have sent a message back via the error message itself but am unable to send a copy of the layout backup as it is not in mbp format. The file is quite large, 4510 but not as big as the Fairmont one. I have asked if there is anyway that I can send them an email with the file as an attachment but have so far heard nothing. Have you encountered this problem yourself before and if so how did you get round it. It all started when I was modifying some virtual track for pedestrians. I decided that I didn't need two particular junctions and so removed them. Having done so I backed up and in doing so got this error message. I know the problem is not with the actual program because Fairmont will load OK. Any advice that will point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Pete

Hi Tom I do already run two computers in order to compare certain aspects as I go. I would dearly love not to get involved with Lua and can normally find my way around the graphic EM but this time I was totally stumped as to how to achieve the "Multiple conditions bit in the first line of the Road Traffic events 'Track contact is triggered'. I do plan to redo this part of the EV over and over until I get it right. In the second event, 'Object variable is changed' the only thing that was missing was the word 'else' on the penultimate line so how I would have sorted that in the graphics EM I am not too sure. Over the next couple of days I will see if I can apply, from memory, all that I have now learnt into a simple crossings barrier function on part of my current layout, a simple single road in and out, around a single track and see how that pans out. I have already found out that both positioning of TC's and acceleration and deceleration of vehicles is critical too especially when attempting tricky maneuvers both into and out of depot's, but must confess that I have not yet tried any of this with more than one vehicle following another. I have noted that there are invisible spacers that can be used but then that will surely mean that all vehicles follow one another at the same distance all the time which isn't very realistic and never happens on any of the roads around my home area!!!! Once again thanks for your advice, I am most grateful. Cheers Pete

Hi Tom After much deliberation I still could not figure out how to achieve the necessary amendments to the two lines in the "Road Traffic" section. As a last resort I converted both your example and mine to Lua script and compared them. As a result I have been able to sort the problem and I think the demo is now running fine. Clearly I need to give more thought as to how to sort matters out without having to revert to Lua script. Cheers Pete Crossing barriers test track.mbp

Hi Tom I found time this evening to play with the demo layout. I decided that for the purpose of learning I should try to emulate your demo so that I could fully understand the various aspects. I believe I have made progress as the trains close and open the barriers. The cars too will stop at the barriers but do so whether they are up or down. I wonder whether this might be because under events "Road Traffic" "Track contact is triggered" I seem unable to acquire the first event "Multiple conditions", this I thought came up automatically when multiple conditions were present as I cannot see a separate heading under "which actions should be performed". What am I overlooking please. Cheers Pete Crossing barriers test track.mbp

Hi Tom Will do. I hope to make a start on sorting it out later today. If all goes well then I might get it finished either today or tomorrow depending how many family interruptions I get!! Cheers Pete

Hi Tom Once again many thanks for your advice. I have briefly looked through it all and printed it off so that I can constantly refer back to it. My initial thought was that of confusion but like most things the more you concentrate on it the clearer it becomes, or at least I hope it will. You are also so right in that it is only by doing things yourself does it totally sink in so the back to the drawing board and start from scratch as a final measure is definitely the best way. Once I begin my start from scratch program would a track contact with deferred timing do a similar job to that undertaken by the track section at the crossing barrier or must I alter all of my track sections where crossings are involved. Cheers Pete

Hi Tom As most of the roads in the new layout are only single roads I thought it would be a simple task to adopt your EV for my purposes. I believe I have translated everything correctly but cannot get the barriers to operate using 01 Schlieben. If I change to 02 Offrien then the barrier will close but then open and close again instead of just opening. I assume the problem is to do with the instruction under the variable Belegung but having tried one or two alternatives it seemed to make no difference. The bus on the other hand will stop whether the barrier is up or down but will not start again in any event. Clearly there is something that I am not doing right but I cannot see what it is. Help please!!! Crossing barriers test track.mbp

Hi Tom Many thanks for that. From a brief glance through the EV it would seem that I was not far off the mark at times but just got certain bits mixed up so then went down numerous other paths. If Mr Google and I get a bit lost with any translation might I impose on you yet again for help with that? Cheers Pete

Hi Tom I hope you are well, that you enjoyed your Christmas and are now ready to fully embrace 2020. May I take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for this New Year. Since our last contact I took the decision to follow your advice and put Fairmont well and truly on hold pending quite radical alterations once I have learnt more. To that end I started a new layout, much smaller by comparison, so that I could concentrate on more interactive operations in order to try to understand EV management more fully. As a result of this I now have greater control of trains and loading and unloading of waggons so that the overall operation tells more of a story rather than them simply going around a circuit. I have also got to grips with trucks and trailers so that they too arrive at depots, load or unload with fork trucks, cranes etc and depot doors and gates operating at the correct time to facilitate arrivals and departures. All in all I am quite pleased with my progress so far which I have to say is largely down to your guidance and my sheer determination to master as much as possible. Having said that I am under no illusion that I am still at a pretty basic stage, especially after reading some of the posts and comments on the forum. Speaking of which I did take a look at your suggested post regarding crossing barriers and have tried so many variations to see if I can understand the principle for a smooth operation. I have to admit that to date I have failed miserably. Getting the train to close and open the barriers is simple enough. Getting the vehicle to stop at the barrier is simple enough but getting it to stop only when the barrier is down is proving more difficult. Once the barrier is down and the vehicle has stopped then getting it to start again is also not difficult by using the track contact to open the barrier and start the vehicle. I would, once again, be very grateful if you could point me in the right direction, in simple terms, as to how I could achieve this operation. My thinking has been to try to find the right combination of instructions to achieve what is a simple operation, ie when the road contact is triggered stop the vehicle only if the barrier is down and to carry on if the barrier is up. In trying to achieve this I started by following your examples for barrier operation and then tried to alter them to meet my requirement but so far nothing has worked. This time I setup a simple test track and have attach this so that you can consider my feeble attempts to solve the problem. I have also downloaded instruction for crossing control posted last August, see below, but this is too advanced for me at the moment. 1. A train approaches the level crossing and passes the (green) track contact for closing the barrier: Increase the counter for the level crossing occupancy (variable "train occupancy") by 1 by trains. 2. If the level crossing is "free" from cars (variable "car occupancy" = 0), the protection signal opens. If the protection signal before the level crossing remains closed (variable "car occupancy"> 0), the train must stop in front of it. 3. Occupancy variable "Train occupancy" is increased from 0 to 1: Switch traffic lights for the cars at the level crossing to "Red" and prevent other cars from crossing the stop lines in front of the barriers (stop cars). However, the barriers cannot be closed while there are still cars in the level crossing area. 4. Car leaves level crossing (recognized by leaving the black track contact behind the level crossing): Reduce the counter for the level crossing by cars (variable "car allocation") by 1. 5. Occupancy variable " Car occupancy" is reduced from 1 to 0: Close barriers (there are now no cars in the level crossing area). 6. Closing of the barriers completed: opening of the respective protection signal when a train is waiting to be opened (i.e. is in front of the signal or is approaching). Start the stopping train or let the approaching train pass. 7. Train has passed a protection signal in front of the level crossing: close the protection signal. 8. Train leaves level crossing (identified by leaving the green track contact behind the level crossing): Reduce the counter for the level crossing occupancy by trains (variable "Train allocation") by 1. 9. Occupancy variable "Train occupancy" is reduced from 1 to 0: Open the railroad gates. 10. Opening of the barrier has been completed: switch off the red traffic lights, remove the blocking of the cars at the stop lines, and let the cars in front start driving. 11. Cars crossing the level crossing enter the black track contact between the stop line and the barrier: Increase the counter for the level crossing occupancy (variable "car occupancy") by cars I would therefore very much appreciate your further guidance please. Kind regards Pete Crossing barriers test track.mbp

Hi Tom Thanks for that. My thinking for Lockington Main is to present me with as many different scenarios to solve that may appear in Fairmont. Different tracks, different crossings and so on but without any clutter. As I solve one problem I can then introduce another whilst having to retain the overall operation capability. So onwards and upward with the crossing problem. I've copied and translated the crossing demo shown in the posts under demo and will look to apply that logic to my problem. As for Auto Updates. I already have that "ticked" permanently so assume I will always have the latest available. Cheers Pete