CTA in Train Simulator

[sw4400]

Was testing ATC, didn't work quite right:

Funny thing is, the simulator hasn't told me I've derailed yet. I can still drive around.

Where would you be without help arriving for those poor Kimball-bound passengers???

 

[Busjack]

Gotta make it sound authentic, briman. Here ya go....

http://www.chicago-l.org/multimedia/sounds/automated/OperatorOffTrain.wav

No, Mr. CTA should have a message about "Your operator has had a narcoleptic seizure and will awake shortly."

Where would you be without help arriving for those poor Kimball-bound passengers???

 

Need 5750's paramedic unit. Maybe also his big crowbar.

[briman94]

Got a nice spot to stand on the Red Line this morning where I could see the driver. I watched the throttle closely, and sure enough, the ATO/cruise control system (see here) works exactly as I implemented it in Train Simulator, so that was pretty cool seeing it in action.

Another of my suspicious was confirmed too, in that moving the throttle to "coast" and back down to brake cancels the stop-smoothing feature. As most of us are aware, that feature usually results in the train coasting for a few feet before the brakes slam on and make everybody stumble instead of making the stop any smoother than normal. This driver would wait for the train to nearly stop, and when it started to coast he'd move the throttle to "coast" and then back down a little bit so that the train would still stop smoothly.

Pretty interesting, the things you learn just by watching through the cab door window...

[Busjack]

Got a nice spot to stand on the Red Line this morning where I could see the driver. I watched the throttle closely, and sure enough, the ATO/cruise control system (see here) works exactly as I implemented it in Train Simulator, so that was pretty cool seeing it in action.

Another of my suspicious was confirmed too, in that moving the throttle to "coast" and back down to brake cancels the stop-smoothing feature. As most of us are aware, that feature usually results in the train coasting for a few feet before the brakes slam on and make everybody stumble instead of making the stop any smoother than normal. This driver would wait for the train to nearly stop, and when it started to coast he'd move the throttle to "coast" and then back down a little bit so that the train would still stop smoothly.

Pretty interesting, the things you learn just by watching through the cab door window...

It sounds like the main distinction is that under the system as implemented in the older cars, the operator had to slow down or the ATC would impose a penalty stop. Now it just coasts.

[briman94]

It sounds like the main distinction is that under the system as implemented in the older cars, the operator had to slow down or the ATC would impose a penalty stop. Now it just coasts.

Sorta, yeah. In the older cars, the driver could accelerate at full power for 2.5 whole seconds after the ATC system started beeping. That's close to 10 MPH they can get above the restricted speed. In the 5000s (and up), it'll force the train to coast instead. They still get a penalty stop if they don't apply the brakes when overspeed, but it is impossible to accelerate past the restricted speed (it accounts for the jerk limit and coasts early enough that they won't actually pass the speed limit).

[Scionic]

So, I always feel like I'm missing something really important.  I've installed TS2016 off of Steam, I place the downloaded files in the appropriate directories, but when I go to "Free Roam" and pick a line, I only get a train, a platform, and a white/blue holodeck grid.  No rails or anything, even though the simulation clearly understands there are rails there and follows them.  Did I forget to download/install scenery or something?

[briman94]

So, I always feel like I'm missing something really important.  I've installed TS2016 off of Steam, I place the downloaded files in the appropriate directories, but when I go to "Free Roam" and pick a line, I only get a train, a platform, and a white/blue holodeck grid.  No rails or anything, even though the simulation clearly understands there are rails there and follows them.  Did I forget to download/install scenery or something?

Do you have the New York New Haven line? The old route uses entirely NYNH scenery. The new route uses a mix of custom/CTA scenery, NYNH scenery, and Metra BNSF Chicago scenery.

[Scionic]

Do you have the New York New Haven line? The old route uses entirely NYNH scenery. The new route uses a mix of custom/CTA scenery, NYNH scenery, and Metra BNSF Chicago scenery.

Yyyyyyyyyyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.  Not at all. I guess I'll a) learn to read and b) go ahead and download that.  Thanks!

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

I just had a random thought: Have you considered making slightly different styles of your map depending on the time period? Nothing too major like the addition of tracks or anything. For example, the Blue Line used to have track trips and wayside signals along the route, but now those are only at switches.

I thought it would be a little more challenging to hold a timetable if you had those signals in place with the slow zones the Blue Line has today.

[briman94]

I just had a random thought: Have you considered making slightly different styles of your map depending on the time period? Nothing too major like the addition of tracks or anything. For example, the Blue Line used to have track trips and wayside signals along the route, but now those are only at switches.

I thought it would be a little more challenging to hold a timetable if you had those signals in place with the slow zones the Blue Line has today.

I hadn't really given it much thought, but it's pretty difficult to get it accurate unless I can use actual data that I can go out and get myself. That means it would reflect the system as it was when I went to gather data, but I have been contemplating adding "timed" signals which would cause slow-downs in places like the Ravenswood Connector, the Dearborn subway, etc.

[MTRSP1900-CTA3200]

Finally had time to download and run your route. Nice job so far! I can't wait to see more stuff in the future! And it boosted me almost up to 300 hours in the game. 

I downloaded build 23 on your site. If I wanted to update the route when you add more things, how would updating the route on my own computer work? Just keep installing the route the same way and have it overwrite the existing route?

[briman94]

Finally had time to download and run your route. Nice job so far! I can't wait to see more stuff in the future! And it boosted me almost up to 300 hours in the game. 

I downloaded build 23 on your site. If I wanted to update the route when you add more things, how would updating the route on my own computer work? Just keep installing the route the same way and have it overwrite the existing route?

Haha, it's a great time-waster, that's for sure  

And yes, to update it, just install it the same way and it will overwrite the old version automatically.

[briman94]

Recorded a new video today, all stops from Kimball to Midway. Not a whole lot has changed on the Brown Line except for the addition of more scenery, but you guys haven't seen the Orange Line yet unless you downloaded build 22 or 23.

 

[TheBrunswickBowler]

How's the progress on the routes going so far?

[briman94]

5 hours ago, TheBrunswickBowler said:

How's the progress on the routes going so far?

I haven't been working much on the routes lately; I've been working more on the fictional vehicle I'm creating instead. I had to reinstall the OS on my laptop again so I have to download and install all the tools for route creation (3DS max, Fireworks, etc) before I can make much more progress.

[Braber01]

how is the progress on the 100% custom Assets going?

[BVERailer]

The link to the site is not working. Can someone please send me the file so I can have CTA?

[briman94]

3 hours ago, BVERailer said:

The link to the site is not working. Can someone please send me the file so I can have CTA?

The site is fine, you just have to tell Chrome to "proceed anyways". My website's certificate isn't from a big-name company so browsers freak out about it but it's fine. Also I can't help but notice you're trying to download it on Android; I'm not sure what you expect to accomplish by that because it will only work on a computer.

[Kevin]

47 minutes ago, briman94 said:

My website's certificate isn't from a big-name company so browsers freak out about it but it's fine.

I just recently heard about Let's Encrypt.

[briman94]

3 hours ago, Kevin said:

I just recently heard about Let's Encrypt.

I heard about them too; I don't think they're offering certificates yet. If I remember correctly, I signed up for some mailing list or something and I'm supposed to hear from them when they start offering certificates.

[BVERailer]

I know I was on Android, my computer wasnt available at the moment. I know I cant use Chrome lol.

[jajuan]

On 10/26/2015 at 2:26 PM, briman94 said:

Do you have the New York New Haven line? The old route uses entirely NYNH scenery. The new route uses a mix of custom/CTA scenery, NYNH scenery, and Metra BNSF Chicago scenery.

Speaking of which, I'm actually pondering between which to download for TS2016 from the following choices since Steam is now doing a March Madness sale with TS2016 and many of its addons: NJ Coast Line route addon (modeling NJTransit corridor service between New York and Bay Head, NJ), NEC: New York-New Haven route addon (modeling CSX freight, MTA Northeast Corridor commuter, and Amtrak intercity passenger lines between NYC and New Haven Connecticut) and Racetrack: Chicago-Aurora route addon ( modeling Metra's BNSF line and BNSF freight operations between Chicago and Aurora). The base game itself is currently 75% off and a good number of the addons are 50%-75% off. 

I notice that Metra like CTA seems to be protective of their logos in simulation games, or it's more difficult to get their permission to use them. The Metra trains in TS2016 have no identifying markings much like the 'CTA' had to be changed to 'CTY' in OMSI 2 and 'Metra' being removed from the commuter trains in the Chicago addon of that game. You do get the Metra colors on the locomotives though and the standard Metra bi-level passenger cars with a big blue stripe where 'Metra' would be affixed on the real life cars. Apparently MTA and NJTransit have no such protective compunctions since you see their logos quite clearly and unaltered in this game and other official simulation games and/or their payware addons.

[briman94]

Well, it's been a while since I've posted an update. School has been consuming me. However, I have recently found time to work on the project and I've gotten a lot done! Here's a quick video I just recorded showing off the latest version available: Version 27, downloadable at https://briman0094.com/rw_build . If Chrome or whatever browser you're using gives you a big red screen saying something about a security warning, just ignore it, nothing on my site is going to harm you or your computer. My website certificate just isn't "approved" by the big-name browsers because I can't afford that (they're expensive!).

I also created an automated installer for the project, which should work fine for anybody running the Steam version of Train Simulator.

Anyways, the video. I drive an 8-car Brown Line train (pay attention to the series...) express from Irving Park to Belmont, where I then take over a 95th-bound Red Line train until North/Clybourn. See if you can spot all the things that are new!

 

[sw4400]

48 minutes ago, briman94 said:

Well, it's been a while since I've posted an update. School has been consuming me. However, I have recently found time to work on the project and I've gotten a lot done! Here's a quick video I just recorded showing off the latest version available: Version 27, downloadable at https://briman0094.com/rw_build . If Chrome or whatever browser you're using gives you a big red screen saying something about a security warning, just ignore it, nothing on my site is going to harm you or your computer. My website certificate just isn't "approved" by the big-name browsers because I can't afford that (they're expensive!).

I also created an automated installer for the project, which should work fine for anybody running the Steam version of Train Simulator.

Anyways, the video. I drive an 8-car Brown Line train (pay attention to the series...) express from Irving Park to Belmont, where I then take over a 95th-bound Red Line train until North/Clybourn. See if you can spot all the things that are new!

 

Well, I see you got the 3200's different audio than the 5000's, you have the train beep horn that the Operator uses when he/she blows by "Not In Service" or "Express", you improved the Elevated stations and State Street Subway a bit, and you finally got wheels on the trains(Yay!!!!)  I see the cars are still standing room only(no seats.... poor passengers) and the Elevated structures and decent into the Subway is still a WIP, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and the Earth took six days...... this, too, will take time.... I probably missed more easter eggs, but I'm sure others here will point them out.

I would like to see Mr. CTA get used in the next update where he announces the stops, maybe makes his public service announcements and if there should be a make believe issue, his ***BEEP BEEP BEEP*** "Your Attention Please......(Issue Insert Here)..... We Expect To Be Moving Shortly"

Good job so far!!!  

[briman94]

11 minutes ago, sw4400 said:

Well, I see you got the 3200's different audio than the 5000's, you improved the Elevated stations and State Street Subway a bit, and you finally got wheels on the trains(Yay!!!!)  I see the cars are still standing room only(no seats.... poor passengers) and the Elevated structures and decent into the Subway is still a WIP, but Rome wasn't built in a day, and the Earth took six days...... this, too, will take time.... I probably missed more easter eggs, but I'm sure others here will point them out.

Good job so far!!!  

Those are the main things! I'm not going to be able to make the subway portals look nice until I completely finish the subway, so that won't be for a while. I also am very much procrastinating on modeling the seats and grab poles for the interiors because they're fairly unimportant and modeling seats is a difficult task  And yes, I finally added wheels to the trains. Didn't take that long, but it was annoying and tedious which is why I put it off until now

You'll notice, too, that the physics on the 3200s are different from the 5000s, not just the audio. Obviously because they're DC, they have a fixed number of power and brake increments and the rheostatic brake falloff is at a much higher vehicle speed than the regenerative brake falloff on the 5000s (about 14 MPH, as opposed to about 2-3 MPH). The 3200s are much jerkier as well, to model how they behave in real life  Amazingly, I only had to modify one line of code in the CBTC/autopilot script for it to work with the DC drivetrain.

Also (I see you edited your post ), the horn has been there almost since Version 1, but I've hardly used it in videos. I wanted to show off a lot more driving of the 3200s than just one station, but didn't want to take the time to stop at each one of them, so I decided to just do an express run