Railworks America

So far this is the only information available (provided by Derek) about stopping points:

"Stopping Points
Stopping points allow more precise control over where AI and player trains should stop. This is especially useful on long sidings where previously the trains would stop at the end of the marker.

The stopping point marker is located in the Track Infrastructure filter of the scenario object browser list with the other scenario markers, such as siding and platform markers. It is a track linked item which can be doubled clicked and named in the properties tab. These stopping points show in the simulation as a red arrow on the track profile."

When I edit a scenario and place a stopping point in the area of a destination, the red arrow does not show up on the track profile of the F4 Hud. When using the time table editor, it is possible to select the stopping point as a final destination, however if you do that and start the scenario, you get an error message stating that the service is not able to find the destination.

Could someone who has figured stopping points out, please set forth step by step instructions on the addition of stopping points into a scenario and use of stopping points in the Timetable editor function?

I've being using them in scenarios with no problem. For now I used only in "sidings", it seems they work also in "platforms", but doesn't work in a "normal" track (not siding nor platform).

As Derek said, the main use is for stopping AI trains at an especifc point of a siding, instead at the end of a siding as happened before, in RW2.
Or can be used just as a "reference" marker to Player Train stop at an especific point at the siding.

For instance: instead of stop at "Siding 1", you can add a stopping point called "stop here" in the siding. In timetable you choose as destination: "stop here @ at Siding 1", instead of just "Siding 1". Only then driver will see the red arrow in the siding called "stop here". Although, be aware that this will be just a referencial point where Player Train should stop, but if Player stops anywhere in the siding the instruction is taken as "completed successfully"

Example: A=siding beggining, B=stop point (in the middle of siding), C=siding end.
Doesn't matter whether the Player train stops exactly at B, or not: once it stops anywhere in the siding (from A to C) the instruction is completed. Although, B may be the point you can stop and reverse back into a diverging track, or the exact point you want to drop cars off etc.

Hope this helps.

Edited later: the reason your scenario is failing may be 'cause the game is not finding the path to the destination you assigned, it's not concerning to the use of stopping point. If you place your Player train in "siding 3" as initial destination and your first instruction it to stop at a stopping point in the same "siding 3", you starts the scenario with first instruction as completed, once Player train is already stopped at "siding 3".

Thanks to a user at UKTrainsim, I found out that the reason my scenario wasn't working is that the stopping point is direction dependant. The arrow attached to it must be pointing in the correct direction. Use shift left mouse click to change the direction.

Thanks to both of you for tackling some questions I hadn't quite gotten around to asking yet!

dick8299 wrote:Thanks to a user at UKTrainsim, I found out that the reason my scenario wasn't working is that the stopping point is direction dependant. The arrow attached to it must be pointing in the correct direction. Use shift left mouse click to change the direction.

Oh thanks back for the tip, I didn't know how to change the direction, maybe it makes difference to consider, or not, instruction completed (successfull or failled), I'll test this further. Coincidently the direction I used in all cases were pointing to where train is coming from.

Test report.... let's nominate "stopping point" as SP.

Case (track settings):
Consist has powered engines at both ends.
Train initial movement: --> (i.e., from 1 towards 2)
1=Start destination B=Begging of siding SP=Stopping point E=End of siding 2=A point out of the siding XwwwX=Consist

_XwwwX1_______B==========SP==============E________2_____

Player Train:
Doesn't matter the direction SP is pointing to, once Player (any part of it) stops at any point between B and E, achievement will be successful.
Conclusion: For Player Train, the SP is just a reference marker of a desirable or advisable point to stop.

AI Train:
The direction of SP is the direction AI will be moving before stop at SP.

Exemples with the case above:
1) SP direction: --> (same as initial direction of train): AI enters the siding (B) and stops the "front end engine" at SP.
______1_______B====XwwwXSP==============E________2_____
2) SP direction: <-- (the opposite of initial train direction): AI enters and crosses siding end-to-end (from B to E), goes forward beyond E clearing siding, and only then stop at "point 2" in order to move backwards till stop the "back end engine" at SP.
______1_______B=========SPXwwwX=========E________2_____

Conclusion: The SP was designed to be effectively functional only for AI Trains.

Enjoy.