Hello folks
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I've been using JMRI for Operations for about 12 years, with good success, thanks in no small part to this forum.? I operate a windows 10 system computer with JMRI 5.10 with Java 17.? I use a 12 track staging yard which serves a large switching layout representing the Birmingham Industrial District (AL) in the steam era and very early diesel era.? The staging tracks hold about 12 to 15 or a few more cars.? There are two other smaller C/I yards and 7 interchange tracks,? plus individual industries and a steel mill.? We have monthly operating sessions.? The different trains and staging tracks represent the 9 trunk railroads that served Birmingham in the steam era.
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Staged trains occupy a designated staging track - they always use the same one and return to the same one.? Staging tracks are numbered "-1 or -2", and trains are set for "trains may return to staging".? So, a train may leave staging 1-1 and then return to staging 1-2.? This has worked fine for years and still does, but with a difference.? ? (The overall goal of the RR's operation is to serve the on-layout steel mill, with multiple trains assembling required materials to deliver to the blast furnaces - not a part of this question.? Some trains originate at the two smaller C/I yards, rather than staging.)
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Since upgrading to version 5.10 a month or two ago, I notice that some trains now show part of a (longer) train with cars going out to the layout and part of that same train being moved from the departure track to the future arrival track in staging.? In the past, prior to 5.10, I believe all the cars would leave staging, including those with no destination on the layout, and return to staging.? Basically these cars "took a ride" and then returned home.? The cars "taking a ride" would be included in the departing train's car count as well as the returning train's car count.? I liked having the "extra" cars taking a ride and increasing the interest of the various switching operations, and then returning to staging.
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As an example, the NB L&N Local Freight, is assigned to staging 1-1, and has 18 cars in staging.? The build is successful and shows 9 cars departing for the layout, and 9 cars "moving" from track 1-1 to 1-2.? Upon inspection of the build report, I find that these 9 "stay at home"? cars have no destination on the layout -- either no room or no allowable location.? The 9 cars that do have an available destination go away, get set out and 9 new cars return from the layout.? The car count leaving and returning is 9 cars.? (It would previously have been 18 out and 18 back)
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Now, I realize that I could instruct my operators to ignore the "move" instruction for cars remaining/returning to staging, but they get confused about the car count along the train's route.? I also realize I can just let the cars sit in staging rather than "go for a ride", but what's the fun in that?
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There are also situations where the train may rightly move a car from an interchange track to a local industry.? This is OK and the car count for the train's advance is "correct".? So a "blanket" instruction to operators about ignoring "move" instructions wouldn't work either.
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So, my question is, "cars returning to staging used to go out on the layout, and take a ride back to staging -- can this be made to happen as it used to?"? That is, the "move" instruction would have been a "P/U" instruction for leaving staging, and a "S/O" instruction upon return instead of what I'll call a "move to remain" instruction.
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Thanks for the help.
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John Stewart
Birmingham, AL?
John Stewart