Island Sugar Company IV

[RayofSunshine]

Okay Gwizz,

Took some time to get to the Cove Labor Camp for the sugar. Just dumb, as there was a sugar field right next door to the Main Pier.

But that wasn't/isn't the problem. I hooked a ride on the train, to watch what was happening to the coal supply for the Electric Plant. The coal was being hauled to the Plant, but was being picked up by the delivering train. SO, I customize a train just to haul coal, and made it a 'negative' return to the Main Pier. WRONG, as another train would pick the coal up. After 3 days I was still getting the "decrease of 10%" message.

Oh, and even though I was customizing a train with 2 coal and the balance of any cargo, it would not pick up the available coal. It filled out the whole train with other cargoes. That was the reason I made a special run of a special coal cargo.

And the same situation occurred from the Village Port. Although a customize consist indicated coal, the consist was filled out with other cargoes.

This leads me to the idea which you suggested for another scenario. To just run the coal to a depot nearby. Maybe it won't work, as the delievery of coal could be incorporated into the original Electric Plant depot.

And remember, just press the key "C" to get the Cash,Revenue, and Profits figures.

Ray of Sunshine

[Gwizz]

I wonder if the 106 patch is causing this coal delivery problem.
I know if I drop ship cargo at another station a 2nd train can pick up and complete the delivery to the demand station.

But when a station stores cargo waiting for a demand to open up at that station,
It must be possible for another train to pick up this stored cargo and delivery it somewhere else.
I'll look at the territories. If all port stations will count the coal then it will not be a problem

You seem to be saying that custom consists don't work correctly. When programing two coal cars to be picked up it passes the coal and other cars are picked up replacing the coal cars. I wonder if others have had this problem with the 106 patch. Try programing only a coal train and see if that works. I didn't think hauling at a loss was working in the last game.

I have not started IV yet. Had a doctor appointment this morning and when I returned I worked out side to soak up some sunshine. Went to dig up the last of my beets and the ground is frozen solid. As I looked around there was snow on 3 sides, on the coast range, the volcano, and on cascade range. With the sky so clear I could see for 100 miles. We took the cat for a walk outside and she is old with failing eye sight and she about fell in the pond except for the ice she would have been soaked. Now it is time to start Island Sugar Company IV.

Since the map is harder, I'm thinking I may not be able to run all trains on auto this time.

[RayofSunshine]

Well the default consists of engine #1, running between the Main Pier, Electric Plant, Island Sugar Co, and the Produce Pier, don't seem to have any problem Gwizz.

And yes, that is what I did is run a special train with 2 coal as a custom cargo. That solved that problem. But I was still getting the notice of the 10% penalty, and found that the coal was being picked up and hauled to a different destination from the Electric Plant.

Hence I thought that maybe I could place a depot within the Electric Plant area, haul the coal to it, and not have it picked up by other trains. I was busy today with a lot of other projects, so I didn't get a chance to try it. However, there might be the chance that the original Depot may obsorb that coal, and still get picked up and hauled away. This again would then default to another 10% penalty.

Hope that your doctor appointment resulted in a good diagnosis. I just had an appointment with my PMP the other day. Now, because there have been new reports from the AMA on my medications, I have to get an appointment with my Cardiologist to see how he wants to handle my physical condition. Always something.

Ray of Sunshine

[RayofSunshine]

And after a little experimenting Gwizz,

Constructing a independent depot on the left side of the Electric Plant, and finding that the coal hauled to the new Elec.Plant Coal Depot, that the coal icon in the main Electric Plant did not increase. That solves that problem.

I found that it did not make any difference in revenue directing the coal to either the Main Electric Plant or the new Elec.Plant Coal Depot, so now my coal consists are directed completely to the new Depot.

A connection was made to the Bauxite/Coal Pier. That AI is a losing situation, but now that I am connected, it might start hauling commodities over my track. Hopefully it will not be coal. I do not have controlling stock to purchase yet, but will try anyway, as that RR is losing revenue and profits for a number of days.

Things seem to be going "okay" up to this point. Will have to review the condition to connect to the fertilizer plant, as well as the Sea Bird.

Our families lived in the Duluth/Superior area for a considerable amount of time. We miss the summers with the capability of growing vegetables and having flower gardens. Of course everything had to be completed before the cold winters. Problem was with the numerous different bugs for each month. But the cold is what caused us to move to the warmer temps.

Ray of Sunshine

[Gwizz]

Ray, is the 2nd station at the electric plant within the towns boundary so the coal can be counted?

But inside the city the houses use coal. I think I will just over supply the Electric plant.

It is going to be colder tonight so I used a pick to get under my beet plants. I picked them all.
I'm going to have some for dinner. That was the last of my garden so when it warms up I plan to bring in some top soil. Already bought 10 bags of fertilizer at half price.

The S word is on the news for Saturday. So I brought some fire wood up close to the house. I know what you mean about a place being too cold. But it will give me more time for gaming.

[RayofSunshine]

Good question Gwizz,

Although the depot is within the territory boundary, I placed it so that there are not any houses within the depot limits. That way the only commodity which shows up is coal.

That was my consensous. Over supply the depot. What I don't know at this time is the coal supply at the Electric Plant 'city' Depot. It comes from somewhere, and sometime is larger that that of the Coal Depot. To 'beat the game', I make a special trip and help myself to 8 loads for the Coal Depot.

Now a question. Seeing that it was a few days getting the notice of the 10% penalty, does those % get reenstated automatically, as I have not seen any notice for an increase in product.

Well, with the price of vegetables, especially tomatoes, we might try to grow some plants next year. The temps here get so hot at times, that it takes a lot of time, energy, and patience, with constant survilence to watch their survival.

Ray of Sunshine

[Gwizz]

Ray, I know your area having visited Joshua Tree's 15" gauge Steam railroad club It was a nice place to visit in the winter time. Never been there in the Summer. But I bet it can get hot. Can't you grow plants in the winter there.

[RayofSunshine]

Not in the winter Gwizz,

As I live in the 'high desert', at 3G above sea level. Can freeze,and have heavy frosts. Even the hearty decorative shrubs can get damaged.

In the lower levels and flats like that of Palm Springs, there can be agriculture areas. They don't have the problems with keeping flowers all winter.

As for the IV scenario, I managed to merge with the Bauxite Pier, but waited too long for that of the Fertilizer Plant RR. It had loans of a dozen $500@ 17% by the time I connected to it. I don't need that "burden".

Anyway, now that RR might be able to get some revenue, as it went from 2 Shays to at least a half dozen, and hauling to my area sugar fields, and Nesting Labor Camp. At least this way I can pick up the fertilizer from those depots.

Now I did notice that I get more revenue when I haul sugar from sugar fields in approx area of Native Village to the Piers, than when I pick up the sugar from Native Village itself. I sort of used a couple of short hauls of sugar to the Native Village, and use that as a 'pick-up' point. Sort of cut that system back, once I found it to be a lesser profit.

Ray of Sunshine

[RayofSunshine]

Now a couple of comments.

As to the coal supply for the Electric Plant, although I am basically hauling the coal to the Coal Depot, the main Electric Plant Depot always seems to have an amouont of coal on hand. Unless it is obsorbing the supply from the Coal Depot, I have no idea of its source of supply.

I have noticed this quirk in other scenarios, that engines, even though there supply of either water or oil is critical with the icon indicator, an engine will just pass by these supply points. Which lead me to experiment.

First, I have seen the engine, goes by the supply points, unloads/loads, and then if the routing is back through to another/return destination, that it may or may not stop at both of the supply points. Usually the maintainence shop will be by passed. These are supply points near the depot.

Secondly, I have seen that an engine will by pass by a maintaince shop, but stop at the water/sand facility. Then, after it has unloaded/loaded, and if it returns thru those facilities, it will stop at the maintainence shop. But then, I have also seen them not stop, which requires a player to route[stop] an engine.

Periodically I check the complete operating engines, and when I see any water/sand/oil icons, I check to see what its last depot, and check for these facilites. Then I will act accordingly. Either to establish a selected adequate facility location, or will change the routing with a route[stop], if that engine has failed to stop going thru that point.

And I have found both cases in III and IV. Makes for a more interesting play, as a player has to be somewhat cautous. Otherwise there is a noticeable decrease in speed.

Now for the engines. Play started with both the Shay and the DST 125. On Jan 11th, the Shay disappeared. Hence I switched some of the Shays operating on the level to the DST 125, so that I have the Shay for the mountainous routes.

Ray of Sunshine

[Gwizz]

I suspect the coal is coming from the Main Port.

I don't believe an engine will stop until levels are down to below 1/2 full.

[RayofSunshine]

That is what I thought also Gwizz,

But these engines are getting their bushings worn out, as there isn't any oil in the gauge, and even show the oil icon for the shortages. An occassional situation, but something a player has to watch.

Now you have the established 'bridgeways'. The one to the Sea Bird is adequately placed but I found that the one to the Sea Horse, although 'nicely' placed, consumes a lot of distance to Piers. And all depends on the player, their revenue, and their strategy.

I had made all the connections to Sea Bird, Bauxite Pier, and the Island Fertilizer. By that time I had an adequate amount of revenue/cash to build a suspension bridge from the Produce Pier to Sea Horse. The chose is up to a player. $1+M for track via the bridge connection to Sea Horse and 6 times the distance to the main Piers, OR, $5+M for the suspension bridge, just across the waterway.

My 1st attempt from the Produce Pier track ended up with a giant "V" in the approach, as it was too close to the water. A 2nd attempt was more realistic, but I had to start laying track between the Island Sugar City and the Labor Depot.

Now I didn't get finished (Extra Gold)as soon as Gwizz by the 9-11th, and not until the 16th. However, I was working on an experiment of trying to get an adequate amoount of coal to the Electric Plant for 3-4 days, without being penalized 10% penalty. That solution was to build an independent Coal Depot along side the 'electric plant' itself.

SO Gwizz, when can we look for another of your created imaginative scenarios?

Ray of Sunshine

[Gwizz]

I have no problem with trains running out of oil as long as I didn't forget to build service for them.

I have not finish IV yet. I've had too many empty trains running, more than upon III. So money is a bit tight

I think I still have some unfinished RRT3 maps; but I have been thinking about working on a Trainz map first.

Time will tell where I go. Too cold to work outside and those projects are calling me.