Jos,

Your block boundaries are not compatible ?with signal masts and SML. ?You don't have block boundaries at the turnout throats. ?It is possible to simulate virtual blocks for the turnouts but it is not a trivial process.

Dave Sand

Jos,

I agree with trying the "No Signal" option. I used SML successfully previously, but when I expanded my layout, I switched to "No Signals" and it works well.

I do not agree that every turnout needs to be in its own block. I have blocks with many turnouts (yard ladders) and nearly every other block has at least one turnout.?

Running multiple Dispatcher AutoActiveTrains mixed with manual trains.

--SteveT

Also try making a layout panel without any switches as each switch must be in its own block and if you don’t have sensors on those blocks you have to control your transits with logic. ?If your switches are included in regular train size blocks start by making a layout panel without switches and run multiple trains. If that works you can go back to switches in their own blocks on the layout panel. ?They don’t have to be in own physical blocks but if not need logix to tell those panel blocks when they are active and inactive.

On my small layout I have installed virtual Signal Heads to be able to run trains automatically using Dispatcher.

This works ok for one train but as soon as I add a second train to Dispatcher things go wrong. Not always and not immediately but at times and also not always at the same point.

I've read the documentation about Signal Mast and my question is would I be better of using SML with Dispatcher as it would be more reliable?

AND if that is the case what is the easiest way to convert my layout from using Signal Heads with SSL to Signal Masts with SML?

Thanks,
Jos

There should also be and InstallTest.bat in the jmri directory

To get meaning fully error data you _Must_ start JMRI from the command line with

On Wed, Aug 28, 2024 at 12:24 PM, Gord King wrote:

12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path preference: is D:\Users\Gord\Documents\JMRI Data office\SLN_RR__DUNDAS_SUB.jmri\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path profile: is C:\Users\Gord\JMRI\My_JMRI_Railroad\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path settings: is C:\\Users\\Gord\JMRI\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path home: is C:\\Users\\Gord\ [main]

Looks like there's an inconsistency in your path names. How did you change where JMRI finds your user data files?

?

Dan

Gord,

?

So no messages to the system console after you've pressed the "Save" button in the Set Cars window?

?

When you say you can not save changes, you do see the change in the Cars window after pressing "Save".? And only after you restart operations do you find that the data hasn't changed.? Correct?

?

Please find the operations directory in ?D:\Users\Gord\Documents\JMRI Data office\SLN_RR__DUNDAS_SUB.jmri.? Check the last date modified for the cars file and the other 5.? Normally we would see an error or warning message in the system console if JMRI wasn't able to update the files.

?

Dan

?

Since my last email, I have "uninstalled" version 5.6, and "reinstalled" version 5.4 with no changes problem.? I have since reinstalled version 5.6.

I can now 'save' changes in "Preferences, but still cannot save changes in 'car', 'locomotives', 'routes', or 'locations'.

Just a note, my JMRI operating programme is on C drive, and I keep my "data" on D drive, and backup to a stick.

?

I have pasted the SYSTEM CONSOLE below:

12:02:17,189 apps.util.Log4JUtil ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- * JMRI log ** [main]
12:02:17,275 apps.util.Log4JUtil ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- This log is stored in file: C:\\Users\\Gord\JMRI\log\session.log [main]
12:02:17,275 apps.util.Log4JUtil ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- This log is appended to file: C:\\Users\\Gord\JMRI\log\messages.log [main]
12:02:17,385 apps.Apps ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- PanelPro version 5.6+R89a87446cb starts under Java 11.0.20 on Windows 10 amd64 v10.0 at Wed Aug 28 12:02:17 EDT 2024 [main]
12:02:17,579 apps.Apps ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- Starting with profile My_JMRI_Railroad.3f509ab7 [main]
12:02:18,119 jmri.util.node.NodeIdentity ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- Using jmri-ouxVDckNbhNiaaap7_o3He-3f509ab7 as the JMRI storage identity for profile id 3f509ab7 [AWT-EventQueue-0]
12:02:19,284 jmri.jmrit.roster.Roster ? ? ? ? ? ? ?INFO ?- Reading roster file with rootFromName(D:\Users\Gord\Documents\JMRI Data office\SLN_RR__DUNDAS_SUB.jmri\roster.xml) [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path program: is C:\Program Files (x86)\JMRI\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path preference: is D:\Users\Gord\Documents\JMRI Data office\SLN_RR__DUNDAS_SUB.jmri\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path profile: is C:\Users\Gord\JMRI\My_JMRI_Railroad\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path settings: is C:\\Users\\Gord\JMRI\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path home: is C:\\Users\\Gord\ [main]
12:02:19,916 jmri.util.FileUtilSupport ? ? ? ? ? ? INFO ?- File path scripts: is C:\Program Files (x86)\JMRI\jython\operations\ [main]
12:02:23,811 apps.PanelPro.PanelPro ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?INFO ?- Main initialization done [main]

?

Gord

Thanks Pete, I'll give that a try first.

Thanks, Ken! Good points.

?

I've learned more about what my prototype looked like than how it operated so far.

?

Ma & Pa definitely carried a lot of milk into Baltimore on the morning passenger runs -- so that will be easy to build into the passenger schedules.

On Wed, Aug 28, 2024 at 12:33 AM, Pete Johnson wrote:

3) Shop track is in a "Yard" location - track length has to be long enough for either single or consisted locos, "Planned Pickups" set to 100%, services only locos (no car types allowed).
4) CN Hostler train - Route similar to your's, but from Ready to Shop, not directly from the Yard, and under "Train Build Options", requires loco change at the Shop line of the Route, using "Auto HPT".

?

I have #3 correct.? #4 also makes sense.? Will play with this today.? If it works it is a rather creative solution.??

--

Tom

On Wed, Aug 28, 2024 at 12:33 AM, Pete Johnson wrote:

In the end, I find it odd you have only one Ready track. ?Do you not have more than one set of power (single/consist) in town at once? ?I think if you just add more tracks to the Loco Ready location, and then use the "choose track for depart/arrive" option for staging, you could designate which power is sent to the Shop and which should be assigned to a train...

Currently I have one long yard track that is 260ft long, and when the train is built it selects a loco from that yard track.? I have actually made a change just yesterday where I am requiring 0 locomotives for my train, specifically so that I can choose the loco myself.? So my solution I guess in this case would be in JMRI to split up my current long locomotive track into multiple staging ready tracks, each one as long as the locomotive/consist that is stored on it.? I would then be presented with a list of ready tracks to assign a locomotive from, which would be great.? Am I understanding this recommendation correctly??

--

Tom

On Wed, Aug 28, 2024 at 12:33 AM, Pete Johnson wrote:

1) Staging Option = "make departure track available after train is built"

Aha this is why I couldn't get staging working.? I missed this part.??

--

Tom

Same situation here, the old laptop was stuck at 4.xx because Windows would not play with Java. Enough of that... I installed Linux and the computer is running the latest version of JMRI without issue and it's faster.?

--

Kelly R. Regan