Timetable editor quick start

A short guide for creating your first timetable and submitting it to the Workshop

Starting the editor

To create a new timetable click on one of the routes in the main menu and select "Create new timetable". To edit an existing timetable, select the "Timetables" tab in the main menu, click on one of the timetables and select "Open in timetable editor". See image below:


Once you're in the editor, press [CTRL+S] to save your work, [CTRL+Z] to undo your last change and [CTRL+Y] to redo your last undone change. These are the default keys, but they can be changed from the controls.

How to use trains downloaded from the workshop in a timetable

In order to run a new train it must first be assigned to a timetable. The easiest way to do this is to copy an existing timetable and change some of the services to use the new train:

1. Make an editable copy of one of the existing timetables in the main menu, unless you already have one.
   
2. Open the timetable in the timetable editor.
   
3. Click the "Formations" button at the top of the side panel.
   
4. Choose a formation to change and click to expand its child items.
   
5. Expand the "ServiceVehicles" item under the formation.
   
6. You should now see a list of the vehicles in that formation. Click one of them and its properties will appear at the bottom of the panel.
   
7. Change the vehicle, train set or livery from the drop-down menu. Note that if you replace a single vehicle with a train set, the train becomes longer and might no longer fit station stops, leading to a "path not found" error when you try to run it.
   
8. Press Esc (you may need to press twice) and exit (click "Yes" when it asks if you want to save changes).
   
9. Use the "Unit" filter in the service selection screen to find the services that have the new train.

It may be difficult to see which services are affected when changing the formations alone. Alternatively, you can access the formation via a template (which defines the path and stopping places) by clicking one of the green arrows on the map.

Creating a new timetable from scratch

1. Open the timetable editor for a new timetable.
   
2. Click on the "Timetable properties" button at the top of the side panel to give the timetable a name and set the date.
   
3. Right-click on a station (a yellow circle is highlighted) somewhere on the map and add a template. Define the stopping places (orders) by clicking on stations on the map. Right-click to confirm the path.
   
4. Notice the template properties at the bottom of the side panel. Change the properties to your liking.
   
5. Add some services to the template by right-clicking on the "Services" item at the top of the side panel. An easier way to add a large number of services is to use the "Create batch" or "Create advanced pattern" options which are accessed by right-clicking on the template row at the top of the side panel.
   
6. Click the "Formations" button at the top of the side panel and select the one that has been automatically created for the template. Add at least one vehicle to the formation by right-clicking the "ServiceVehicles" row under the formation. Select the type of the vehicle from the bottom of the side panel. Use one of the train sets instead of single cars if you're not sure which one to use.
   
7. Right-click on an empty map spot and test run one of the services to see if the signaller can find a path for it. If the path can't be found, make sure you've added an order for each of the stations along the way (you can make them non-stop): trying to skip them doesn't always work.
   
8. If the path involves reversing direction, specifically instruct the signaller to do this by changing the appropriate setting in the properties of the last order before the reverse (left click on one of the dashed lines in the map or the order row at the top of the side panel). If the signaller can't find a path for the train, try permitting reversing for two last orders before the reverse.
   
9. When the test run has finished, right-click on an empty map spot and use the "Reset running times" option to make sure the trains have sensible passing times at each station.
   
10. Save the timetable and try running it in the simulator.

In order to get the trains stop at stations, you'll also need to adjust stopping times for the template orders, but it's not necessary in order to get the first services running.

Most of the fields that can be edited at the bottom of the side panel have a tooltip that describes the field in more detail. Hold your mouse pointer still over the field name to see the tooltip.

Remember to make backups of your timetable file if you're going to spend a long time working on it!

Path not found?

Sometimes you might run into "path not found" error messages while trying to test run or start one of your services. For test runs, the error message contains the number and name of the order that couldn't be reached. The problem might be with the reported order or the previous one.

To solve the issue please try the following:

• Check that the train is not too long for the station stops. An easy way to check this is to temporarily create a service that has only one short vehicle, like the Class 03, and seeing if it works.
  
• Make the order non-stop, or if it is already, make it a normal stop instead (tick or untick the "stop" box in the order properties). Sometimes portal orders don't work if the stop box is ticked.
  
• Enable reversing for the previous order, or if it's already enabled, try disabling it. Enabling reversing allows the signaller to use more flexible pathing.
  
• Fiddle with the pathfinding options for the previous order. Enabling or disabling them will change the behaviour of the pathfinding algorithm and might help in finding a valid path.
  
• Using the route editor, add new signals in both directions around the stopping area. Sometimes a path can't be found because there aren't suitable signals leading to the stop.
  
• Using the route editor, check that the tracks are cleared for running in the right direction: see that the small triangles at the "low" end of a track section are green.
  
• Check that there aren't any station stops in the route between the two problematic orders. The pathfinder is often unable to hop over stopping areas in the track that do not have corresponding non-stop orders.
  
• Make sure stopping area names are consistent in casing (upper and lower case letters need to match, e.g. "station" is different than "Station")

Join orders

A join order instructs the train to couple onto another one in the same way as in rescue scenarios. Both trains must stop at exact the same station and track, and the joining train needs to arrive later. The joining train also must couple to the rear, meaning that the other train must be static or continue in the same direction where the joining one is moving when it couples.

When trains join, the one that isn't going to move anymore gets "eaten" by the other one, regardless of which train has the join order. A train "isn't going to move" if it's on its last order or if it has failed. If both trains are to continue after joining, the one that has the joining order gets eaten.

Issues with joining: the pathfinder can't cope with changing train lengths, so after joining the (longer) train might not fit the path reserved for it, leading to a deadlock until the train self-destructs. Usually this is only a problem if the path requires reversing and the train lengths pre/post joining are very different (e.g. a single loco coupling to a long rake of wagons).

Static trains

Static trains can be used, for example, to fill sidings with wagons. A static train can also be used as a joining target.

The template for a static train only needs to have one order with a stopping time and a service. The train will spawn at the service departure time minus the stopping time. The signaller is allowed to remove the train after the departure time to make room for other trains if needed. The train will not spawn if the simulation starts after the set departure time.

Wagons without a handbrake should only be used as static train on level track or they may start rolling on their own. A brake van can be included in the train formation to provide brakes.

Steam workshop

If you use Steam you can submit the timetable to the Steam Workshop from the main menu under the "Timetables" tab. The submitted timetable won't be visible to other users until you publish it from the Workshop website.

Ideas

If you need some inspiration, consider these ideas:

• Irregular train formations: railcars were not the most reliable trains around and maintenance staff was sometimes struggling to bring them into working order for the next day's running. Cars were be assembled into irregular sets with trailers missing or with power/trailer cars loaned from other classes, whichever happened to be available.
  
• Temporary line closures: sometimes lines are closed for track maintenance. In North Landen one or two tracks in the 4-track line could be closed, slow and fast trains being forced to use the same pair of tracks for a short section of the line. In Westfords a section of the fast line could be closed completely, causing Inter-City trains to be diverted via the slow line and stopping services being split into two separate workings on each side of the closed section.
  
• Permanent line closures: many branch lines and other low-traffic lines were closed in the 1960s. A line might not be closed for the full length but only for a less-used section from the tail end, or from the middle in the case of a loop line which is connected to the network from both ends.
  
• Station closures: even if a line isn't fully closed because of low passenger numbers, individual small stations might be, to speed up train services and reduce costs.
  
• Shiftwork: instead of creating separate services running a line in one direction you can try creating one service which starts at the depot and runs the line back and forth a couple of times before returning to the depot. See one of the Mountain Pass timetables for an example.

[Lapioware]

Guide updated to match the changes done in Scenery patch 5

[Lapioware]

Updated "how to use..." and "creating a new..." sections

[Lapioware]

Updated "path not found" section of the guide

[Kevinho006]

Ah - thanks! I should have thought of the turnout, but it was connected up as far as I could see. I'll just change it so that I have two simple turnouts.

This also explains to me why the three-way turnout on the Bishop Auckland-Consett underpass doesn't seem to allow routing, but that isn't a big priority for me at the moment! Thank you so much for looking at it.

[Lapioware]

Kevin, it's the three-way-turnout that's causing it. There's a bug in the code which is why the trains can't find a route. I'll publish a fix soon but in the mean time you can replace the troublesome turnout with two simple ones if you like

[Kevinho006]

Hi Lapioware. I added a bay platform in my route but cannot get a train to spawn there. I've worked through the steps suggested, and tried all sorts of signalling tricks, but can't get it to run! It still runs fine from the mainline platform.

Is there any chance you could please download the last version of my route and have a look? The service I can't get to work is the 0740 Durham Bay - Waterhouses. The 0830 return can't find the platform either! Many thanks.

[Kevinho006]

Thanks! I managed to solve the problem using directional running and putting more signals in.

[Lapioware]

There might be multiple causes for the "no path found" message which are listed in the "Path not found?" section in this guide. If you've gone through the list in that section and still can't figure it out please upload the timetable (and the route if needed) to the workshop (keeping them hidden) and I'll have a look

[Kevinho006]

Sorry to ask loads of questions that might be dealt with elsewhere. Is there a common cause of the 'max steps exceeded' no path found message?

[Lapioware]

Clarified section on static trains