Dispatchers working with drivers and vice versa

[AmazeMe]

Great game, and it is a game! The majority of users are helpful and friendly and it's important to realise that some users are more experienced than others. Several times while driving I've experienced dispatchers slowing down trains for no reason, stopping trains for no reason (I follow on the map so nothing ahead!), putting my train into a siding without asking (bad form without asking!) thus restricting it to 40khm for a stretch making 1 hour driving 5 mins ahead then 5 mins behind.

It's very difficult to drive to schedule when, in addition, green VMAX is not issued early especially when driving any train at 140kmh or above. The AI system is now better giving clear exits early but this doesn't happen at all stations. I believe that dispatchers are there to be obeyed 🙂 they do have 'power' which should not be misused. Dispatching isn't easy and judgments have to be made, mistakes happen too, no problem! Some dispatchers don't communicate when contacting them either by text or voice which leaves the driver clueless and frustrated as to what is going on.

It would be good if

dispatchers give early green VMAX for HS Pendo and trains over 140kmh wherever possible.

dispatchers realise the 'rules' and priority difference between 4, 5 and 6 digit train numbers (4 usually has priority over 6)

dispatchers communicate when contacted

dispatchers don't put trains into sidings without notifying the driver (and a reason would be nice). If a driver is early it's not the dispatchers job to slow it down unless there is a good reason to do so or there is another train that has timetable priority).

dispatchers don't 'argue' with drivers over PT (technical optional stops). Obviously if it's helpful to the dispatcher for a PT stop to happen they should say so.

dispatchers don't dispatch from boxes they can't manage effectively (go small, walk before running as it were!)

dispatchers who get themselves into a pickle (and it happens, no prob.) leave the box and let the AI sort it out, no worries doing that!

 

[DazT]

On 5/31/2023 at 6:11 PM, AmazeMe said:

dispatchers realise the 'rules' and priority difference between 4, 5 and 6 digit train numbers (4 usually has priority over 6)

But only when 1 or more trains involved in a particular regulating decision are late, I've seen trains that are booked first (and on time!) being dragged into a siding for Pendolinos that are booked behind said train for the next few stations just because "it's a Pendolino", if they are on time, they go booked order.

My worst experience of this was being held at SG on the old "test timetable" on an ontime Regio for a late Pendo that hadn't even got through DG! I'd calculated that if I'd of just gone right time, I'd of just been arriving at Kw Zawodzie just as the Pendo was arriving at SG, that's including me stopping at Katowice Szopienice Południowe as well.

Between DGZ (even Zw) and Kw you're pretty much wasting your time doing anything for a Pendolino that is late, as because the line speed is 120/110/100 in places, it'll catch up with something anyway for very little benefit, you're prioritising one train at the detriment of a lot of trains, which then interact with other trains, making those trains late just so one Pendolino makes up a few minutes delay. Usually when an overtake move does look possible (and yes, I'm guilty of it, until I stopped bothering!) is noticing the move in good time, but then running the late train via the slowest route!

However, my regulating has improved a hell of lot since the "Last position" (with location, delay, type of report (arr/dep) and time of report) column was made available on virtracks.stelltis.ch (my EDR of choice), and I can pretty much calculate now to the minute what time a late/early train will pass me, rather than guessing like before, and whether an overtake/looping/holding is even worth the effort.

Edited June 2, 2023 by DazT