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8:24 pm
April 26, 2015
Offline
I recently started my 3-rd on-layout ProTrak OP session this time with my long term friend and mentor Bruce Metcalf as my fellow operator. Bruce knows prototype rr operations much much better than I do; but doesn't know the workings of ProTrak at all, although he is the one who directed me to purchase ProTrak many years ago. One thing that has plagued all of my on-layout op sessions is the extreme and consistent fullness of my RVS-Yd and Bruce commented frequently about that. So I'm undertaking some paper studies to see what I can do.
One thing that I noticed was that a GB that is in CIT mode with another GB both of which serve to keep a GB always at my Canada Dry "broken glass" door (FS07a), sat in RVS-Yd for 2 full sessions before being assigned to the FST-3/4 train to go over to FS07a. The reason for the GB being in RVS-Yd for two sessions before being assigned was that I had put the consignee on the WB for the loaded GB as a industry in staging and the train that went to that particular staging track ran after the FST-4 brought the loaded GB back to RVS-Yd. Therefore that GB was emptied in staging and came right back to RVS-Yd on the connecting train in the very next session, and then sat in RVS-Yd while the GB at FS07a fulfilled a 72 hour demurrage time.
So I changed the consignee on the WB, that moves the loaded GB out from FS07a, to a SPOT on my PRR interchange track and put a 24 hour (48 hours didn't work to keep a GB ALWAYS at FS07a) demurrage free loading and unloading time. I also changed the shipper on the CIT WB to the PRR Interchange track. Things still worked as I could always keep a GB at FS07a. My MNT-1/2, which serves the PRR Interchange track, rans after FST-4 returned the loaded GB to RVS-Yd. Thus the loaded GB was immediately, i.e. in the same session, sent to the PRR Interchange track. But (yes I am finally getting to the question) when MNT-2 brings the empty/return GB back to RVS-Yd, it sits in RVS-Yd at the end of the session with Loc/Next/Destn = RVS-Yd/RVS-Yd/FS07a. Why wasn't that GB get assigned to the FST-3 in the next session rather than assigned to FST-3 in the following session?
Joe
4:59 pm
December 23, 2014
Offline
Joe,
>Why wasn't that GB get assigned to the FST-3 in the next session rather than assigned to FST-3 in the following session?
There are >no< arbitrary "delays" in car-routing of ProTrak.
The items to look at are:
1) was one of the trains in the car's route "full"?
2) was the destination spot full?
3) the relative timing of the trains (as you are considering).
Jim
5:05 pm
December 23, 2014
Offline
Joe,
Another consideration has to do with routing on trains that have completed (while operating in "session" mode). When operating in session mode, trains that have completed are >not< available to routing of cars. Is this your situation?
If so, is this - trains no longer available to routing - something we should be re-re-pondering?
Jim
P.S. in spite of the forecast we did not get any snow over the past two days. Chilly but sunny.
7:14 pm
April 26, 2015
Offline
>2) was the destination spot full? <
YES it is, anybody got a blanket????
The length for FS07a is 50-feet and having one 44-ft GB there already with demurrage free loading time that was not expired ProTrak did the correct thing (as always)
Sorry Jim I totally missed that one
This is that CIT WB thing that we discussed at your 2015 weekend and which you and I exchanged many e-mail about thereafter (w/o coming to blows). And for many, many sessions I have always had one or the other GB at FS07a for 4 sessions, and then the other one comes in for 4 more consecutive sessions etc. But in doing as we did there was always a session or two where the incoming GB sat in RVS-Yd, which since I am having real OP sessions I have found to be tremendously full. i.e RVS-Yd for these GB-s was in essence a storage yard.
So, is there a way that I could send the GB that came in as an empty/return to RVS-Yd immediately over to say the 325-ft adjacent team track, and then when the demurrage free loading time for the GB at FS07a expires have the GB that is being "stored" on the team track moved to FS07a and then begin it's own 72 hour demurrage free loading time? Would that be a 3 WB CIT thing?
Joe
9:45 am
December 23, 2014
Offline
Joe,
>is there a way that I could send the GB that came in as an empty/return to RVS-Yd immediately over to say the 325-ft adjacent team track, and then when the demurrage free loading time for the GB at FS07a expires have the GB that is being "stored" on the team track moved to FS07a and then begin it's own 72 hour demurrage free loading time?
"Conductor's initiative". The conductor has the train place the cars at the team track (ignoring the routing). Then, at the completion of his job, the conductor reports that he has placed those cars at the team track.
Then, when the destination track has room, the subsequent time the "Route cars at ..." routine runs, the cars will be routed to their proper destination.
~~~
It may be necessary to manually "add" the cars to the train, at RVS-Yd to get them from RVS-Yd to the team-track.
OK?
Jim
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