15 replies to this topic

[Steve4031]

Wow, I was working the SP route, now UP, south of Portland. Boy is dispatching hard. I had the entire mainline tied up on my first two tries. It will be awhile before I complain about shitty dispatching when I ride Amtrak.

[AlanB]

Wow, I was working the SP route, now UP, south of Portland.  Boy is dispatching hard.  I had the entire mainline tied up on my first two tries.  It will be awhile before I complain about shitty dispatching when I ride Amtrak.

Steve,

Yes it can be frustrating being a dispatcher. It's certainly not an easy thing to do.

I personally don't blame the dispatchers themselves for some of the delays that Amtrak encounters. I blame the freight RR's for that. They are the ones that because of money saving measures have ripped up mainline track thereby creating that single mainline problem.

Also while I realize that it does cost money, had the freight RR's been properly investing in new technology, a dispatcher's job would be easier. In this day and age, we have computers that can quickly recalculate meets between trains in the event that one train gets delayed. These computers can also take into account the size of the trains vs. the size of the passing sidings. Something that you had to keep in your head while you were playing the game. I’m not sure just how many companies have invested in that type of equipment.

Additionally had the freight RR’s gone over to some form of PTC, a dispatcher’s job would be much easier. He would have the ability to know precisely where in the block a train is and how fast it’s moving. You can also have shorter blocks, meaning you can handle more trains. One example of this is currently under construction on the NEC in New Jersey.

A new high density PTC system is being installed between Newark, NJ and New York’s Penn Station. This is a double tracked distance of about 8 miles and currently can handle 18 trains per hour, in the peak direction. Once the new signal system is in place some time this year, they will be able to squeeze 25 trains per hour through that same stretch of track. Over the course of a normal rush hour, this new signal system will allow for almost a 50% increase in the number of trains into and out of Penn.

The real answer to Amtrak’s problems and the dispatcher’s is that this country needs a superfund for trains, just like the highways have. That money could fund double tracking and new signal systems, thereby increasing on time performance and capacity for both Amtrak and the freight RR’s.

As for your problems with TD, you can always adjust the game setting to lower the chance of a hotbox or dragging equipment problem. If you really want to be adventurous, you can go buy Track Builder and add a second mainline track. Of course both of those methods might be construed as cheating a little.

Now if you think that the sim you’ve currently got is frustrating, then go download the SKL Migraine Sub-division or “Sklmigra.exe” from the fictitious railroad section at the bottom of this page. You can also click here for a direct link to the file. This one will drive you nuts.

[Steve4031]

I enjoyed the game a lot. That was only my first try. Also, I suspect that there are theories and plans that dispatchers are taught so that they just dont jump in and guess like I did last night. In anyevent, the game taught me that I have a lot to learn about railroading. This is great, because railroading is why I enjoy life.

Also, I agree with all of your other remarks too about more money.

[AlanB]

I enjoyed the game a lot. That was only my first try.

In that case Steve, I'd wait a few weeks then before you try SKL Migraine.

[tp49]

Is Train Dispatcher freeware or is it something you can get at a game store? I'm interested in checking it out.

[AlanB]

TP,

Train Dispatcher is available two ways. You can download for free the old version, which is TD 2. Just click here to go to the page. There is a library of free sims and a library that requires you to purchase the sim. There are still sims available that run in TD 2, although many of the free sims now require TD 3. The free sims can be found here.

If you like that, then you may wish to purchase the newer TD version 3. It's available on line for sure, and you may be able to find it in a hobby store but I'm not sure. You can also buy trackbuilder 3, which allows you to make your own sims. It's no where near as hard to learn as MS TS.

You can buy TD 3 here.

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

Now just put yourself working a TWC area with no screen to look at the only way you know where the trains are is you ask them over the radio.

[battalion51]

I HATE IT WHEN THE DISPATCHER DOES THAT!!! Just this past Sunday the dispatcher called us and requested engine number and milepost. Well just in case you didn't notice it's all right there in the computer!!!

[amtrakrider]

does anyone know how to get a job doing train dispatching like up here in the boston area let me know?

[jis]

I have just finished building the TD 3 track layout for the new Portal DEIS and new ARC SDEIS with a somewhat fictitious schedule of trains, including a fictitious Newark Airport to New York Shuttle, and of course the Scranton Expresses too just to add more traffic and make it harder. Talk about going nuts Anyway, I am having fun with it so far. It is actually the entire NEC in the state of NJ with the new track layouts as planned in the various DEISs. Amazingly the setup is almost manageable, and is certainly manageable if I remove my additional fictitious trains, specially the EWR shuttles. Of course there are lots of bugs to be debugged still both timetable and track section property bugs.

[NJCoastExp]

If you need additional tester. I am available. Let me know.

[jis]

If you need additional tester. I am available. Let me know.

Maybe in a few weeks.

I just finished adding the new fictitious North Brunswick station and the connection to MOM at Midway including a duck-under, and of course the requisite set of MOM trains.

Haven't done the morning inbound rush hour timetable yet. Just the evening outbound rush hour for now.

I am starting the stress TD3 now and getting close to some of its limits.

[Joel N. Weber II]

does anyone know how to get a job doing train dispatching like up here in the boston area let me know?

Most of the MBTA Commuter Rail system is dispatched by MBCR; http://www.mbcr.net/jobs.html has their list of current job openings, which currently doesn't seem to include dispatching.

Amtrak dispatches all the tracks from South Station to Providence (and beyond that to New Haven); I don't know if the dispatchers for those tracks are even in Massachusetts.

The Framingham to Worcester tracks are dispatched by CSX; I don't think that dispatcher is in Massachusetts.

There are also some small freight railroads who may have dispatchers in Massachusetts.

[jis]

Amtrak dispatches all the tracks from South Station to Providence (and beyond that to New Haven); I don't know if the dispatchers for those tracks are even in Massachusetts.

NEC from Boston to new Haven is dispatched out of CETC located in Boston.

The Framingham to Worcester tracks are dispatched by CSX; I don't think that dispatcher is in Massachusetts.

That is probably dispatched out of CSX galactic headquarters in Jacksonville FL!

[Ispolkom]

I just discovered this game, and find it strangely compelling. Naturally I had to try a section near home, and tried dispatching the Canadian Pacific between Minneapolis and Portage on a Sunday. Like the OP (eight years ago), I now have a much better appreciation for how difficult dispatching is. Try as I might, I still ended up putting the Empire Builder on a siding when it met an intermodal too long for the siding, and it ended up late into La Crosse. The shame!

[Shortline]

I just discovered this game, and find it strangely compelling. Naturally I had to try a section near home, and tried dispatching the Canadian Pacific between Minneapolis and Portage on a Sunday. Like the OP (eight years ago), I now have a much better appreciation for how difficult dispatching is. Try as I might, I still ended up putting the Empire Builder on a siding when it met an intermodal too long for the siding, and it ended up late into La Crosse. The shame!

I would try it, but as an engineer, I already KNOW I'm over qualified to be a dispatcher!