Change of platform penalty

Arising from a thread on the 'Carlisle' sim...

Maybe a more realistic (if perhaps rather difficult to implement) way of imposing a 'change of platform' penalty would be that an altered train would have extra time put into its stop, without any other penalty. Of course, to make it realistic it would have to be something more sophisticated than just slapping a couple of extra minutes into the stop. And it would be something extra to code into each sim.

I'm pretty sure it would need some core code changes. As I imagine it, there would be a 'change platform ahead' option on right-clicking a description, and it would only apply to the station the train was approaching (or, better still, the next station where there was an option to change platforms). Input could be by typing (just a number), drop-down box or both. No need to go through the process of editing the timetable (quite time consuming when the job's around your neck!) Timetable editing really isn't the signalman's job anyway.

The amount of time added would depend whether it was an 'opposite side' change or not (as for the points at present), and would be rather less for a crew change than for a traffic stop. For traffic, there might even be a different scale of minutes depending on the class of train; I suspect Postal would want to see a pretty hefty penalty if you make his old mates cart their traffic across the station for a class 3! Meanwhile, a crew change would attract a lesser penalty even if it was non-opposite; traincrew might well be expected to have ways of getting about the station that aren't available to passengers (of which I will speak no more, just in case there's management around).

What would make it particularly realistic is that the penalty would reduce in proportion to how early the decision input was made. If a replatforming is, say, 10 or 15 minutes before the train arrives, there's no reason at all for a penalty - everyone has plenty of time to get to the right platform. (Again, that's something that could be altered by the sim developer - some stations are more complicated to get across than others.) If it's a last-minute decision as the train arrives at the inlet signal and something's blocking the booked platform, there's a full penalty (and it isn't even worth inputting the change, because you get the delay in any case). But because the penalty's in minutes, you aren't bothering about points (and you may be planning quick moves later to recover the time). The essential thing here is that there's no point pausing the sim while you edit the timetable for the train you cleared the wrong route for and that's already entering the platform (which would currently get you off any penalty).

If you wanted to enhance it a bit further, you might even add a random element - sometimes the penalty delay will be a bit shorter (never much, but it would make a difference) and sometimes it might be a minute or two longer (frustrating when you see the possibility of that quick move evaporating while tardy pax drag themselves aboard).

Any thoughts?

I'm pretty sure it would need some core code changes. As I imagine it, there would be a 'change platform ahead' option on right-clicking a description, and it would only apply to the station the train was approaching (or, better still, the next station where there was an option to change platforms). Input could be by typing (just a number), drop-down box or both. No need to go through the process of editing the timetable (quite time consuming when the job's around your neck!) Timetable editing really isn't the signalman's job anyway.

Well as a controller if you called me you would be told to call the person who needed to know and if it was before the time that calls were recorded that would also include being told to go and produce numerous off spring (not quite in those words). To add to that when you call the station are you talking to the LTSC, CP, RO2, CO2?

Paul

kbarber in post 118808 said:

I'm pretty sure it would need some core code changes. As I imagine it, there would be a 'change platform ahead' option on right-clicking a description, and it would only apply to the station the train was approaching (or, better still, the next station where there was an option to change platforms). Input could be by typing (just a number), drop-down box or both. No need to go through the process of editing the timetable (quite time consuming when the job's around your neck!) Timetable editing really isn't the signalman's job anyway.

My only comment would be suggesting a phone call to either the Station or to Control. I would suspect this would be a more realistic method of preparing for platform alterations than just clicking about on the headcode.

pedroathome in post 118830 said:

kbarber in post 118808 said:

I'm pretty sure it would need some core code changes. As I imagine it, there would be a 'change platform ahead' option on right-clicking a description, and it would only apply to the station the train was approaching (or, better still, the next station where there was an option to change platforms). Input could be by typing (just a number), drop-down box or both. No need to go through the process of editing the timetable (quite time consuming when the job's around your neck!) Timetable editing really isn't the signalman's job anyway.

My only comment would be suggesting a phone call to either the Station or to Control. I would suspect this would be a more realistic method of preparing for platform alterations than just clicking about on the headcode.

Sure, though as Paul says the Brains wouldn't have been very interested in my day. But also there's most likely to have been a direct line to the station (Marylebone was an interesting exception, but had a private dial phone system completely separate from the main railway system, with 2-figure numbers!) and usually a long enough cord that you could clamp the phone to your ear, press the ring key, then carry on workng the panel (or even the frame in some cases) while waiting/talking. So although it's the 'wrong' action, a very quick/easy way of selecting a new platform would be appropriate from the workload angle.

Of course, we could make it even more 'interesting' by having the station occasionally request a platform change. That might need rather a lot of per-sim coding so you didn't get impossible requests (a through train in a bay, for instance, but I suspect it culd be done). The experienced person who can run the timetable through without having to think too much then has something to have to remember. And where there's ARS, that has to be worked around as well.

But maybe that's just plain evil...

I've often wondered why the penalty is applied for wrong platforms at main termini such as Kings Cross etc. At stations such as this, the train is held while being serviced / cleaned / staff break etc until about 15 mins before departure time when it then appears on the departure board. Surely there should not be a penalty in these cases if it uses the wrong platform as there won't be any passengers waiting for it...…?

Well as a controller if you called me you would be told to call the person who needed to know and if it was before the time that calls were recorded that would also include being told to go and produce numerous off spring (not quite in those words). To add to that when you call the station are you talking to the LTSC, CP, RO2, CO2?

Paul