Peter,

a) When your preview the train-consist (on-screen switchlist), what do you see?

                Jim

>seems to be adding the pickups to the total train length so that only 1 or 2 spaces are available for empties when the train leaves my main yard.

Peter,

Is it far from being that simple.  

You did not say if you were looking at the "Preview Switchlist" or just the list of cars in the righthand pane of the "Report Train" window.   The latter shows all cars assigned to the train (at this moment), initially in the order assigned (with pickups/extras after the cars-in-train).   When you display the "Preview Switchlist" that routine re-blocks (following a dozen or more criteria) the train such that e.g. only pickups are printed (displayed *) for the next segment of the train's journey.   In addition, cars-in-train (your empties) are prioritized over later pickups.

A recent Update changed the Preview Switchlist display of pickups/extras such that all pickups, regardless of location, are displayed.  Blocking is by location.  This change allows you, if necessary to manually prioritize pickups by moving them in the train-consist list.   Recall, that you also can remove cars from the train by double-clicking on the (car) line.  i.e. you have complete control on what the train looks like on leaving a yard. 

In addition, reporting the train at its origin yard will cause any empties in that yard to be added to the train, and prioritized as being in the train.

~~~

Please note also that ProTrak looks at which cars are to be picked-up from a customer in determining how much track is (will be) available for cars to be setoff.   I do not know the unloading time you have assigned for waybills to/from your paper mill and what the "time" is presently for cars there.  You can see that at "Exceptions/Show cars at zone", which also displays the "hours" remaining. ProTrak will only count as available track cars whose hours have expired.  i.e. = 0.

The clock only "counts down" the cars' unloading/loading hours if the clock is always left on.  i.e. Every fast-minute ProTrak goes through all the cars at customers and decrements the remaining loading/unloading tiome by one fast-minute.

Manually incrementing the clock does not cause this routine to run, and the cars' remaining loading/unloading time will not decrement.  

~~~

With more information it would be easier to help you.

                      Jim

Peter,

Oh... now it is clear what is going on.  "Multiple trains to the same location..."

>the following turn 266/267 which does the same work. .... 216/217 is listed as the primary switching train for these 3 spots. I have 2 duplicates turns that run later in the day.

This, multiple trains to the same location, takes some management, as there is indeed an interaction with "maximum train length". 

What is happening is this: 

• The classification routines find the first (next earliest train after the current time) train.  The train length is checked; if the train is over-length, the classification looks for a second (later) train.  
• If the second train is underlength, the cars are assigned.  If the second train is overlength the classification routines continue to look for a later train.
• If all later trains are overlength, the cars are assigned to the first (earliest) train.

At a minimum to get cars assigned to the "earliest" train, the clocktime has to be before the calltime of that train.  Otherwise, one of the later trains is the "earliest train".

Possible solutions

1.  If the trains are all do the same work, I would suggest using one job and as necessary to run a later train/job call it "Job Extra".

2.  If the trains are all do the same work, and you want different train numbers/symbols, use one job and use "Alternate train symbols".  This situation is exactly why this option exists.

3.  If you want separate jobs (multiple jobs doing same work), and no Alternative train symbols, and you want the first train fully or overloaded:

        - make the first train maximum length longer, and if/when it becomes too long, delete any extra cars using the Preview Switchlist

        - manually delete cars and then manually re-assign cars to the first train, and re-block as necessary.

OK?

           Jim

More an issue with local-service (switching) trains....whether a turn or not.

I have posted an Update, which is described in the Updates portion of this forum.

Basically, a change has been made to how the check is made for pickups.  The program now distinguishes between "pickups at the train's present location" and "all other (later) pickups". Pickups at the train's present location are prioritized.

OK?

                 Jim

> I notice on the Program options page that the Time in morning..

>is set for 3:00 AM and there does not seem to be any way to change this.

This time option is related to only the "Continuous Operations" option.  This is the time, for "Continuous Operations" (only) when the car-unloading/car-loading (car distribution, or Daily Summary) runs.

To change this time, you have to be in "Continuous Operations".

>When I Reported Trains I noticed that trains that do not run were still listed in the window

Did you form a "new lineup"?

The testing I did in the hotel room this morning was based on my mis-reading your email.  Now that I am back in terra-firma-Baden I can read properly.   I will have a look at this issue - double-reporting at the turning-point with alternative symbols.

             Jim