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John Allen's Timesaver

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  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
John Allen's Timesaver
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Monday, June 4, 2012 4:51 AM

Hi,

a couple of months ago I promised you a virtual Timesaver.

As usual it took much more time as expected but here's a link

http://roodvmax.home.xs4all.nl/

Please take a look and let me know what you think... Smile

Regards,

Max.

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Central Vermont
  • 4,565 posts
Posted by cowman on Monday, June 4, 2012 8:18 PM

Interesting!  I can see how it could be a good way to operate your rr if you don't have space or traveling.  However, I still prefer my hands on layout.

Have fun,

Richard

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  • From: Kansas City Area
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Posted by gmcrail on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 12:14 AM

Max,

Very well done!  A nice bit of programming there, and I'll have fun with it.  I'll even try it out on my XP machine, to see if it'll work there.  I normally use it only to drive my Alps printer, but I'll make an exception for this.

It'll also go on my laptop, so I can play it while flying... Smile, Wink & Grin

Thanks!

---

Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com

===================================

"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins

===================================

http://fhn.site90.net

  • Member since
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  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
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Posted by DSchmitt on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 1:14 AM

Yes Goog thing I'm retired. Now I'll spend even more time on my computer.Bow

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 12:49 PM

Thanks,

glad you like it... Big Smile

Cheers,

Max.

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
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  • From: Back in the PNW
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Posted by alco_fan on Tuesday, June 5, 2012 12:58 PM
JLK
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  • From: Lancaster County PA
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Posted by JLK on Friday, June 8, 2012 6:35 AM

It works fine on an XP computer. It doesn't  work on a 98 computer which is not a problem as I am probably about the only one who has and uses a 98 computer.

Justin

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Friday, June 8, 2012 8:44 AM

JLK

It works fine on an XP computer. It doesn't  work on a 98 computer which is not a problem as I am probably about the only one who has and uses a 98 computer.

Dear Justin,

thanks for testing - it's appreciated very much. Bow

Cheers,

Max

 

 

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
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Posted by rrebell on Friday, June 8, 2012 11:06 AM

Works great. You should allow uncoupling at any time, it will not allow at extreme ends.  Now if you could make a very simple track designing software, all out there want to be too exact and are hard to design when sometimes you just want to try out various track configurations.

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Posted by cuyama on Friday, June 8, 2012 12:57 PM

rrebell
Now if you could make a very simple track designing software, all out there want to be too exact and are hard to design when sometimes you just want to try out various track configurations.

The TrackLayer module of TrainPlayer does not create to-scale renderings, but works well to create "schematic" track plans that you may operate with TrainPlayer. Much simpler than CAD, but of course it's not to scale.

  • Member since
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  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Friday, June 8, 2012 1:12 PM

rrebell

Works great. You should allow uncoupling at any time, it will not allow at extreme ends. 

Thanks - it won't uncouple because it has run out of track (derailed).  You need to re-rail the car first by moving in the opposite direction.

Now if you could make a very simple track designing software, all out there want to be too exact and are hard to design when sometimes you just want to try out various track configurations.

Good idea - might be my next project.

Cheers,

Max.

 

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
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  • From: west coast
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Posted by rrebell on Friday, June 8, 2012 3:14 PM

That would be great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I was a kitchen design pro at one time and it was easy to design a space and grab and drop components, never understood why others such as Atlas never simplified theirs. PM me if you start it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Posted by Acela026 on Friday, June 8, 2012 9:41 PM

Works as advertised on my XP.  Great job!  

If anyone wanted to get real adventurous it would be fun to have a version for smartphones/tablets.  But I guess I will have to be satisfied with lugging around my old laptop on planes. Big Smile

Thanks again!

Acela 

 The timbers beneath the rails are not the only ties that bind on the railroad.
           -
-Robert S. McGonigal

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Posted by rrebell on Saturday, June 9, 2012 12:25 PM

How do you get to the other puzzles, got rather good at the first?

  • Member since
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  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
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Posted by Max Roodveldt on Saturday, June 9, 2012 4:08 PM

rrebell

How do you get to the other puzzles, got rather good at the first?

Once you have finished a puzzle, push reset and use the buttons in the Task window to select another one.

Good luck,

Max.

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Saturday, June 9, 2012 4:12 PM

Acela026

Works as advertised on my XP.  Great job!  

Thanks.

If anyone wanted to get real adventurous it would be fun to have a version for smartphones/tablets.  But I guess I will have to be satisfied with lugging around my old laptop on planes. Big Smile

It might depend on how good Win 8 is on tablets... Wink

Cheers,

Max

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
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  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
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Posted by DSchmitt on Saturday, June 9, 2012 9:57 PM

It is not necessary to use the "uncouple" button. 

 Click on the coupler instead.

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
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  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
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Posted by "JaBear" on Saturday, June 9, 2012 10:02 PM

Gidday Max, while there may be similar offerings out there, I'd just like to thank you for sharing your project. Hope you had Fun.

Cheers, the Bear.

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
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  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
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Posted by DSchmitt on Sunday, June 10, 2012 2:50 AM

you can also use the arrow keys to control the locomotive -  left for west, right for east, down for stop

  For me:  using the mouse on the switch controls and on the couplers (per my previous post)  and using the arrow keys to control the loco is easier and faster than using the mouse and buttons. 

 The number keys can be used to control the switches, but I see no advantage to using them instead of using the mouse on the switch controls

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Santa Barbara, Ca
  • 195 posts
Posted by SBCA on Monday, June 11, 2012 4:21 PM

Awesome Max!!!

I'm tempted to build a real timesaver thanks to this simulator :)

One suggestion: If you move one direction, say, East, then stop, then realize you didn't move far enough, then nudge the loco East again to make it couple to a car, it would seem like that should not count as an extra move.

Very cool Max.  Thank you for sharing?

Make it an iphone app, and I'm buying!

www.pmdsb.com
  • Member since
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  • From: Santa Barbara, Ca
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Posted by SBCA on Monday, June 11, 2012 4:40 PM

Awesome Max!!!

I'm tempted to build a real timesaver thanks to this simulator :)

One suggestion: If you move one direction, say, East, then stop, then realize you didn't move far enough, then nudge the loco East again to make it couple to a car, it would seem like that should not count as an extra move.

Very cool Max.  Thank you for sharing?

Make it an iphone app, and I'm buying!

www.pmdsb.com
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Halifax, NS
  • 405 posts
Posted by THayman on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 1:46 PM

Great job Max! Thanks for letting us try it out.

I tested it on a Mac (OSX10.6.8) using WINE, and it worked very nicely.

I just have two comments/observations:

1) I found with the way the cars "stretched" going through the curved part of the turnouts (as opposed to actually turning with the track...maybe this was only a problem with the way I was running it), it made it difficult to tell whether there was clearance to pass until I got the "Collision!" message. This was mainly a problem on the middle track (immediately below the top track).

2) The slightly bigger problem: If I clicked to change direction after hitting stop but before the locomotive had come to a complete stop, it stopped and counted it as a move, but did not go anywhere. I then had to click "stop" again, and the next time I hit the direction buttons it did not move, but counted it as a move. I then clicked "stop" again, and this time was able to move afterwards. As a result, I ended up with a move count that was quite a bit higher than what I was actually able to move.

The only other comment is that the momentum of the locomotive was a little tricky to get a handle on, as it often meant stopping short of switches or derailing cars. But perhaps that was meant to be part of the challenge!

 

All in all, a very nice job.

-Tim

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Posted by jacon12 on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 2:39 PM

Thanks!  Works like a charm on my Vista desktop and old XP laptop.

Jarrell

 HO Scale DCC Modeler of 1950, give or take 30 years.
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Posted by Boise Nampa & Owyhee on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 5:24 PM

Max...

This is great  ! ! ! !

I've given away a whole afternoon.  When you get up to eight and nine cars there is a AWFUL lot of stuff going on.

I'll pass it along to some of my operations fanatic friends.

Thanx

Bob

  • Member since
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  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:29 AM

SBCA

One suggestion: If you move one direction, say, East, then stop, then realize you didn't move far enough, then nudge the loco East again to make it couple to a car, it would seem like that should not count as an extra move.

Perhaps - but than how much is a nudge - just a couple of inches or even half a car length ? I'm sure with a little practice you can stop the locomotive exactly where you want it stop... Big Smile

Cheers,

Max.

 

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:39 AM

THayman

I just have two comments/observations:

1) I found with the way the cars "stretched" going through the curved part of the turnouts (as opposed to actually turning with the track...maybe this was only a problem with the way I was running it), it made it difficult to tell whether there was clearance to pass until I got the "Collision!" message. This was mainly a problem on the middle track (immediately below the top track).

2) The slightly bigger problem: If I clicked to change direction after hitting stop but before the locomotive had come to a complete stop, it stopped and counted it as a move, but did not go anywhere. I then had to click "stop" again, and the next time I hit the direction buttons it did not move, but counted it as a move. I then clicked "stop" again, and this time was able to move afterwards. As a result, I ended up with a move count that was quite a bit higher than what I was actually able to move.

The only other comment is that the momentum of the locomotive was a little tricky to get a handle on, as it often meant stopping short of switches or derailing cars. But perhaps that was meant to be part of the challenge!

 

Tim, thanks for testing on a Mac - I never thought that was possible.

Regarding the 'streching' - would it be possible to mail me a screenshot ?

You're right about the run-stop-run sequence - sometimes it happens - I'll look into it.

Thanks again,

Max.

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
    October 2011
  • From: Huizen, Netherlands
  • 20 posts
Posted by Max Roodveldt on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 8:42 AM

@Jarrell and @Bob

Glad you like it - thanks.

Cheers,

Max.

"Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when you’re tryin' to be so quiet?"

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Kansas City Area
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Posted by gmcrail on Thursday, June 14, 2012 10:23 PM

Max, that's a great program, but I'm curious:  Were you aware that the original Timesaver had a turnout just West of #4 with another siding angling back East?  (At least I thought it did - I've seen a couple of others  that had it...  Not that I'm complaining, mind you - this version can make you crazy enough without the extra siding to make it crazier...Smile

---

Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com

===================================

"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins

===================================

http://fhn.site90.net

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: California - moved to North Carolina 2018
  • 4,422 posts
Posted by DSchmitt on Thursday, June 14, 2012 10:43 PM

gmcrail

Max, that's a great program, but I'm curious:  Were you aware that the original Timesaver had a turnout just West of #4 with another siding angling back East?  (At least I thought it did - I've seen a couple of others  that had it...  Not that I'm complaining, mind you - this version can make you crazy enough without the extra siding to make it crazier...Smile

This game is based on the original.  The additional siding ia a latter variation.

 

I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.

I don't have a leg to stand on.

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Kansas City Area
  • 1,161 posts
Posted by gmcrail on Thursday, June 14, 2012 11:13 PM

DSchmitt

 

 gmcrail:

 

Max, that's a great program, but I'm curious:  Were you aware that the original Timesaver had a turnout just West of #4 with another siding angling back East?  (At least I thought it did - I've seen a couple of others  that had it...  Not that I'm complaining, mind you - this version can make you crazy enough without the extra siding to make it crazier...Smile

 

 

This game is based on the original.  The additional siding ia a latter variation.

 

 

OK, my bad.Embarrassed   It's a great game as is...

---

Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com

===================================

"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins

===================================

http://fhn.site90.net

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