Link Locomotives and Trains

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  Link Locomotives and Trains
  

The word "train" will probably confuse us in the following description. Therefore the common word "train" and the Rocrail object "Rocrail-train" will be used. The "Rocrail-train" is a sequence of "cars".
Now that there are locomotives and Rocrail-trains they should be coupled to each other:

Operation	Wiki Reference	Description	what it looks like	examples
Consist	Multiple Units	couple a locomotive to a locomotive		a) manual operated b) by action c) XML script
Assign Train	Assign Train	assign a "Rocrail-train" to a locomotive		a) manual operated b) by action c) XML script
Link Train	Link Train	link another train to a train		a) manual operated b) by action c) XML script

The examples will show the general process.
The examples will not show the coppling itself. This is up to the reader and its hardware.
The examples are limited to a maximum of two locomotives and two trains.

The description of the functionality of the examples can be found here.

The Rocrail workspace for the examples can be found here.

The corresponding inverse operations are not (yet) described here:

Some additional information to "link train":

time	loco	blockid	train	length	consist	details
before
before	lc_03	bk51	op_03	200	-
before	lc_04	bk52	op_04	300	-
after	lc_03	bk53	op_03	500	op_04
after

english:
* Operational features of Trains

german only:
* XmlScript Rangierbeispiel
* Erweitertes Rangierbeispiel
* Scriptesammlungen (Script "Lok-Standort-wiederherstellen")
* Zugkopplung

The Rocrail plan does include the XML-coded examples for "consist", "assigntrain" and "linktrain".
The plan file may be used to play with "manual" operation and to play with "action" performed solutions.
The plan file may be used for executing the XML-scripts:
* there is an output button to initialize all predefined locomotives and trains.
* there are output buttons to start the examples for "consist", "assign train" and "linktain".
* there is an output button for generating "go" or "govirtual" commands for the locomotives.

Use the example as is. Use the example of your own risk! Make backups before using the examples. Have fun!

- zip-file of the Rocrail workspace - linklocosandtrains.zip
The zip-file includes:
* the Rocrail plan file "plan.xml"
* all XML script files "ac_llat_*.xml"
* the folder "images" with all loco images ("lc_*.png") and car images ("car*.png")

The plan file was edited using Rocrail version 15542.

- display of the Rocrail plan -

The trains are already predefined. Trains and locomotives have their predefined initial places.

Couple a locomotive to a locomotive.

	plan	manual operation
position locos		drive the two locos to the blocks; one block for each loco; the two blocks are covert by a virtual block for the consist result.
consist		use "locomotive Properties / Multiple Units / Loco ID / Add" for the consist; - locomotive "lc_01" will be the leading locomotive; - locomotive "lc_02" does the consist

Assign a "Rocrail-train" to a locomotive.

	plan	manual operation
goto train		drive the loco into the block where the train is waiting
assign train

Link another train to a train.

	plan	manual operation
position locos with trains		drive the two locos connected to the two trains to the blocks; one block for each loco with train; the two blocks are covert by a virtual block for the linktrain result.
linktrain

Couple a locomotive to a locomotive.

	plan	manual operation
position locos		drive the two locos to the blocks; one block for each loco; the two blocks are covert by a virtual block for the consist result.
consist
consist ready		drag loco "lc_01" into the virtual block "bk23" The two locomotives have to be place into the virtual block manually.

Assign a "Rocrail-train" to a locomotive.

	plan	manual operation
goto train		drive the loco into the block where the train is waiting
assign train		define this action and call it at the IN event of the block the train is waiting in

Link another train to a train.
As an action it is available with Rocrail Version 15542+.

	plan	manual operation
preparation		the two trains have been moved to blocks "bk51" and "bk52" the virtual block "bk53" is required
link train		The first train is identified by the loco. The second train is identified by the Rocrail-train. The action may be called by the IN event of the second train. The trains of the two blocks "bk51" and "bk52" are connected and they are automatically positioned into the virtual block "bk53".

Couple a locomotive to a locomotive.

	plan	XML-Script
position locos		<!-- Initialize --> <!-- place the locos --> <lc id="lc_01" cmd="block" blockid="bk31"/> <model cmd="modify"> <lc id="lc_01" blockenterside="false" /> </model> <lc id="lc_02" cmd="block" blockid="bk32"/> <model cmd="modify"> <lc id="lc_02" blockenterside="false" /> </model> <!-- make sure that there is no consist --> <lc id="lc_01" cmd="consist" consist=""/> <lc id="lc_02" cmd="consist" consist=""/>
start locos		<!-- Start --> <!-- start the locos --> <lc id="lc_01" cmd="gotoblock" blockid="bk21"/> <lc id="lc_01" cmd="go"/> <lc id="lc_02" cmd="gotoblock" blockid="bk22"/> <lc id="lc_02" cmd="go"/>
consist		<!-- Consist --> <!-- loco 1 becomes a consist of loco 2 --> <lc id="lc_01" cmd="consist" consist ="lc_02"/> <lc id="lc_01" cmd="block" blockid="bk23"/> The two locomotives have to be place into the virtual block by the script.

Assign a "Rocrail-train" to a locomotive.

	plan	XML-Script
initialize		<!-- Initialize --> <!-- place the loco --> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="block" blockid="bk46"/> <model cmd="modify"> <lc id="lc_04" blockenterside="false" /> </model> <!-- no train should be assigned to the loco --> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="releasetrain"/> <!-- place the train --> <operator id="op_04" cmd="block" location="bk47"/>
goto train		<!-- let the loco drive to the train --> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="useschedule" scheduleid="sc_llat_l2t_46_47"/> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="go"/>
assign train		<!-- assign the train to the loco --> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="assigntrain" train="op_04"/> <model cmd="modify"> <operator id="op_04" swaplocoimage="false" /> </model>
wait		<!-- drive to the waiting position --> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="swap"/> <lc id="lc_04" cmd="gotoblock" blockid="bk48"/> <lc id="lc_04" cmd=go"/>

Link another train to a train.

	plan	XML-Script
preparation		<!-- Preparation --> <!-- place the two trains into blocks "bk51" and "bk52" --> <!-- the virtual block "bk53" is required -->
link train		<!-- link the train to the train --> <!-- The first train is identified by the loco. --> <!-- The second train is identified by the Rocrail-train. --> <lc id="lc_03" cmd="linktrain" train="op_04"/> The trains of the two blocks "bk51" and "bk52" are connected and they are automatically positioned into the virtual block "bk53".