Operational Error Invalid Consist - anyone else?

[LeadCatcher]

OK - on both of the CSX SD80Mac scenarios on the Norfolk Southern Coal District I have gotten -500 point for the Operational Error Invalid Consist - what the heck - I am just driving the consist as per the instructions and bam - half the score is lost for no reason - Yes I have verified my files several times... Restart or reload and then maybe I can finish - weirdest bug I have seen yet -

Very frustrating day trying to "enjoy" this game - every scenario I tried seemed to have problems - anyway was wondering if anyone else has run into this problem and if so - what is the fix? Thanks in advance

[Rogue]

There are only two reasons that I know of for an Invalid consist. The first is coupling up to the cars in the wrong order. The second is hooking up to an incorrect consist (different couplers)

When making up your train, don't take any shortcuts. Make sure every car is positioned in the consist where it belongs. Eventually when the cars are uncoupled their position becomes obviious. The wrong car for the wrong place lol.

I'm not saying that your not encountering some random bug but it's unlikely.

have fun :)

[skinnyraf]

Unfortunately, Slowmo, it's not that easy. There is a Cajon Pass scenario included with SD70 v2 which gives me Invalid Consist error repeatedly at various stages of the scenario. The scenarios is a simple point-to-point drive, no coupling or marshaling.

[LeadCatcher]

I know about the coupling the consist wrong - These scenarios are straight driving from point A to B - no shunting involved - So the recurring bug is exactly what I am reporting - I do appreciate your response and willingness to help and I know many complain about bugs when it really is operator error - but with over 800 hours in the game - I have squashed many of the operator errors myself - not all mind you but most :-)

[jonnie2bad]

It happened to me a few times too, on the same scenarios as OP. Had to restart several times to complete the task list. Also while driving the 10mph section through the town my train would uncouple at random couplings on the train. All scenarios were completed 1000xp but took several attempts to achieve. I felt the wheelslip issue i had was strange, haven't had problems w/ wheelslip like that in any other scenario. Maybe thats just how it is pulling 100 cars full of coal in the rain, i don't know.

[Rogue]

Your both right of course. A consist error on a point to point run without any shunting shouldn't be possible. So the bug is in the analyzer that scores the run. Unfortunately it's one of those bugs that'll never be adderesed.

My badges in the game tells you I have very few accomplishments I discovered very early on that the Analyzer was buggy. My worse case in point was the wheelslip error. I had my locomotive in a full stop, all brakes applied, throttle at zero and every 10 seconds I received a wheelslip error. There must have been a hell of a wind outside to move my train, lol.

Anyway I decided right then that I wouldn't let a faulty analyzer ruin the fun so I ran only Standard runs until I learned how to build my own routes and senerios. :)

[LeadCatcher]

Bravo - Slow-mo, usually could care less about the career, but since all new items are career only hard to avoid - don't have time to build my own scenarios, but do like to finish runs - standard or career and if they are keeping score - why not go for the top - :-)

Have had that high wind on my steam kettles as well - nothing like starting with a -1000 before ever opening the regulator...

[Captainbob]

Did a Google search on this invalid consist error on the CSX SD80 MAC Scenario #2, Coal Car conveying and found this old thread. Between the crumby brakes on this locomotive that keep going into emergency, and this error which happens near the end of the scenario, I have been at this scenario for hours and hours over a two day span. This error has nothing to do with making up a consist or coupling cars, since the scenario starts with the consist all made up and ready to go. One time I was 0.8 miles from the finish after battling brakes and wheel slip, and then it pops up Operational error while I was rolling at 10 mph and touching nothing. Minus 500 points..... Grrr!!!!!!

By the way, this wheel slip is bogus too, you don't get wheel slip traveling at a steady 40 mph on a section of straight track with a grade of zero in any kind of train I ever heard of.

[rbaker7334]

So there is know real answer for this Invalid Consist??

[jimoates014]

You're not getting a broken knuckle somewhere down the train are you Leadcatcher? Unlikely you would miss it with your hoours in the game but just an idea.

[LeadCatcher]

Wow -- resurrecting a thread from 2014 -- that is impressive -- I last commented in September of 2014 -- I did finish that scenario but it was so long ago I an't recall if it was just a random event or if I did something different ..:-)

[Eldrarak1982]

So I'm totally gonna necro this post yet again, because obviously others have had the same issue (seen other threads mentioning it as well), and I THINK I might have found a fix for at least a few of these "op error: invalid consist" penalties. If you have "Allow All Coupling" turned on in the settings, try turning it off. One of the scenarios shipped with Donner Pass was giving me this error from the get-go. Soon as I turned off that setting, boom, no more error.

[Spikee1975]

This is due to bad coupler parameters. I've provided fixes on DTG forums.

https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/fix-available-for-consist-breaking-issues-updated.50579/

I will upload the fix for the SD80MAC now. Check in 15 minutes.

EDIT: Done. Be sure to download the NorfolkSouthern fix too. The couplers have zero slack which leads to sudden consist splits.

[x1Heavy]

I run into that occasionally when the couplers uncouple and then if you dont move your switcher or engines OUT AND AWAY SMARTLY they will try to re-couple. Boom invalid consist -500.

What I do is save the game prior to any coupling or uncoupling. Set handbrakes on the cars to be dropped (Sometimes the slope rolls them back onto the train causing the penalty) and pull away smartly while uncoupling. Its going to be left behind.

It comes up occasionally but I reload the saved game at that point and work it out on a case by case basis. Ive learned to live with it.

The Roper Yard Scenario under the Rio Grande is a special case however. The coupler on the frist cut or second cut WILL NOT WORK in any way shape or form. What you do is save game prior to dropping them off or trying to couple. Reload the saved game back and then proceed. The coupler will work without making you lose time you do not have banging and slamming.

[Spikee1975]

Originally posted by x1Heavy:

I run into that occasionally when the couplers uncouple and then if you dont move your switcher or engines OUT AND AWAY SMARTLY they will try to re-couple. Boom invalid consist -500.

What I do is save the game prior to any coupling or uncoupling. Set handbrakes on the cars to be dropped (Sometimes the slope rolls them back onto the train causing the penalty) and pull away smartly while uncoupling. Its going to be left behind.

It comes up occasionally but I reload the saved game at that point and work it out on a case by case basis. Ive learned to live with it.

The Roper Yard Scenario under the Rio Grande is a special case however. The coupler on the frist cut or second cut WILL NOT WORK in any way shape or form. What you do is save game prior to dropping them off or trying to couple. Reload the saved game back and then proceed. The coupler will work without making you lose time you do not have banging and slamming.

I found a lot of bad couplers with parameters that the PhysX engine does not like...

Interestingly, Soldier Summit comes with correct coupler parameters.

I will see if I can reproduce the Roper Yard issue.

Edit: Confirmed. The savegame is the right way to solve this. If it was a standard scenario, simply loading it into the editor and moving the cars a little will solve this too.

I think I know the cause for this. Sometimes when you edit a new scenario and place your loco, you can't select it unless you start the scenario and get back into the editor.
If you then don't move it a little things can get weird (I had this on BLE, my SantaFe was heavily tilting on a 15mph curve. Resaving the scenario and the issue was gone.

So by saving the game, the position values are recalculated and saved. So this is most likely a scenario.bin issue and no rolling stock fault. (Although I will look into the hopper's blueprint... something seems off here)

And I go along with your uncoupling procedure - keep the train stretched and uncouple while slowly pulling away. Otherwise the coupler spring coeffs will push the couplers back together.