Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

What is your latest project?
User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by Andrew » Sat Jan 15, 2022 5:37 pm

Phil.P wrote: Thu Jan 13, 2022 7:09 pm Of course, you realise you will have to make (and wear) the robot outfit, when you come to make the instructional video?

Will it be available on Philips, as well as that new-fangled VHS?

:thumbleft:
The local Odeon will be showing it as a Newsreel, narrated by a plummy-voiced chap hailing "a breakthrough in Great British innovation and efficiency"...

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by Andrew » Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:34 pm

On Friday lunchtime, the 2022 edition of Shunt-o-matic System 3000 made its long-awaited debut - sort of. The trains were imaginary, but it was still quite exciting as I shuffled the newly cut out "load cards" and rolled the (virtual, online) dice...

It seems that there was considerable pent-up demand for the railway's services, because on the very first go I rolled a six...

Duly picking six cards at random from the pack, the required loads were revealed as two wagon-loads of coal, some flour, and some general goods for Penlan, a wagon to carry timber away again, plus a consignment of gunpowder for Clarach.

Turning to which wagons to pick, I opted for a bogie open to carry both loads of coal, a bogie flat for the timber, both of my available vans for the flour and general goods, and (naturally...) the gunpowder van for that load. The two bogie vehicles make it the longest permissible train length, and the variety of vehicles (an assortments of colours, shapes and sizes) makes for a fun first train. Welsh Highland brake van number 2 brings up the rear.

The presence of the GPV means that the train will have to shunt at Penlan on the Down run rather than the Up, because otherwise it would end up sandwiched between the loco and the guards van, so there's a bit of added operational interest there too - we're off to a good start!

This being the first run, there aren't any wagons to return to Trefechan, so the engine will trundle back down the line "horse and cart" (ie with just the brake, but I do like that phrase...) ready for the following day's trains...

For this trial run, I'm recording how it goes in a simple table - for this first run there's nothing to record other than the number rolled ("demand"), the loads drawn and their destination (or station at which they're required, in the case of empties), and the wagons chosen for the job.

Day One.jpg
Day One.jpg (101.53 KiB) Viewed 4689 times

Day Two begins with those wagons still sitting in the sidings - they'll stay there all day, because I've decreed that most loads take a day to load or unload, which is recorded in the table. There are no loads "pending", because on the first day we were able to fulfil all traffic requirements.

There's a little less demand today - Flour, meat and an empty granite wagon for Penlan, and coal for Clarach. Alas, we're out of vans for flour, so that will have to wait for another day, but the rest are fairly simple - the meat van, small dropside open number 17, and coal wagon number 3, along with guards van 2 again. It's another pleasingly varied train - the off-white meat van will stand out nicely against the maroon of the other three vehicles.

Again, there are no vehicles ready to return, so the engine and guards van will return alone. Incidentally, the first two virtual runs have necessitated the use of the two wagons I've not built yet, the bogie flat (which will be a conversion from an old carriage) and the meat van (another carriage conversion, but a 4 wheel quarrymen's one) - I'd better crack on with those!

Day Two.jpg
Day Two.jpg (102.61 KiB) Viewed 4689 times

The start of Day Three sees an interesting selection of wagons waiting in the sidings, with some now ready to return. These include the meat van, which I assume would have been unloaded pretty quickly, given its load. There's still no van available for the load of flour waiting to go to Penlan, so that remains "pending".

It's another high-rolling day, with the dice throwing up a 5. Today's requirements are empties for granite and timber from Penlan, plus manure for there and coal and brine for Clarach, the latter a 1/27 long shot or thereabouts - the odds change slightly as the cards are drawn.

The bogie open that took coal to Penlan is now empty and still sitting in the siding there, so that will do for the granite, even if it's only half filled - that simply moves from the "ready" list back to the "loading" one. There's only one option for the brine, and for the timber too - that will have to be the Ffestiniog bolsters, because the bogie flat's already in use. The manure will go in small open 70, and the coal in large coal wagon 12 - I'm tempted to use the other small open, which would make for a very picturesque train of only smaller vehicles, but it's more versatile than number 12, and I might need it later. All those smaller wagons are probably better virtually than in the real world, because they're not as keen on being pushed into sidings as the larger ones - I'll have to make sure my track's in good order and wheel back-to-backs are accurate!

There are five wagons for the return train, including the GPV, which will need to go back into the middle of the train, just to complicate the shunting a little.

Day Three.jpg
Day Three.jpg (118.72 KiB) Viewed 4689 times

So... Day Four awaits. I think I'll reserve final judgement on how it's going until I've run 10 or so virtual trains, but so far, so good, I think. I've got some niggling concerns about whether things would be lacking variety if those initial rolls of the dice had come out lower, and also whether some of the FR stock will ever get a run. We shall see - more trains tomorrow!

Hope this is vaguely interesting?!

Andrew.

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by ge_rik » Sun Jan 16, 2022 5:46 pm

More than vaguely, it's fascinating!

Rik
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

User avatar
BertieB
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:13 am
Location: London
Contact:

Re: Shunt-O-Matic System 3000/1 - 2022 edition

Post by BertieB » Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:39 pm

Not too much scope in my back garden to use System 3000 sadly (limited rolling stock and no actual destinations served) but perhaps the developers might deliver a simplified add-on — System 3000/1, Determining the most appropriate serviceable locomotive.

I’ll be wanting to link it to my website, so I can have fun with the branding and contrive an excuse to introduce pleasing robot images (I’m focusing on what’s important here).

User avatar
philipy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5033
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:00 pm
Location: South Northants

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by philipy » Sun Jan 16, 2022 9:14 pm

Andrew wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:34 pm the first two virtual runs have necessitated the use of the two wagons I've not built yet,....- I'd better crack on with those!
No time for wagon building... too busy playing virtual trains! :lol: :lol:
Philip

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by Andrew » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:28 am

philipy wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 9:14 pm
Andrew wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 1:34 pm the first two virtual runs have necessitated the use of the two wagons I've not built yet,....- I'd better crack on with those!
No time for wagon building... too busy playing virtual trains! :lol: :lol:
There may be some truth in that - although, I did buy myself a beautiful new jigsaw at the weekend, so I'm all ready to cut out the parts for the meat van that I drew onto ply a couple of months ago. It's progress, of a sort...

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shunt-O-Matic System 3000/1 - 2022 edition

Post by Andrew » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:56 am

BertieB wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:39 pm Not too much scope in my back garden to use System 3000 sadly (limited rolling stock and no actual destinations served) but perhaps the developers might deliver a simplified add-on — System 3000/1, Determining the most appropriate serviceable locomotive.

I’ll be wanting to link it to my website, so I can have fun with the branding and contrive an excuse to introduce pleasing robot images (I’m focusing on what’s important here).
That's outside of Shunt-o-Matic's remit, I fear - that avoids attempting to choose suitable locos altogether, largely because I haven't really go any. I might just manage it with the Slomo-fitted Russell, but I think it's really a job for battery powered locos, and neither of the current ones are at all realistic for the WHR - it's something I really must get round to...

I think what you need for your task is Shed-a-Tron, the robot Shed Master that was actually the only original proposal of the 1954 BR Modernisation Plan. That plan had to be doctored significantly in a cover-up operation when the prototype Shed-a-Tron went rogue, accidentally scrapping 18,000 steam locos with the death ray designed to deter schoolboy trainspotters, and necessitating the hasty purchase of often unsuitable diesel and electric locos in their place.

Alas, the next version was even worse... In recognition of the PR disaster that Shed-a-Tron had been, the powers that be decided to give the next version the least offensive name imaginable, and to dress it up in the guise of human - they opted for the avuncular "Richard", and managed to provide the new robot with a vaguely passable likeness of a rather supercilious bank manager. As history records, this one was only finally stopped when it had ripped up a third of the rail network, in the process having become the inspiration for a whole genre of dystopian "the machines have taken over" films, such as Terminator and The Matrix, and given rise to the conspiracy theory that, in fact, humanity is now reduced to nothing more than an organic steam heating boiler round the back of Willesden engine shed, while our robot overlords spend their time merrily recreating their favourite scenes from Thomas the Tank Engine amid the smouldering remnants of civilisation.

I hope that helps?

Andrew.

User avatar
Lonsdaler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1226
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:50 am
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Shunt-O-Matic System 3000/1 - 2022 edition

Post by Lonsdaler » Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:45 am

Andrew wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:56 am
BertieB wrote: Sun Jan 16, 2022 8:39 pm Not too much scope in my back garden to use System 3000 sadly (limited rolling stock and no actual destinations served) but perhaps the developers might deliver a simplified add-on — System 3000/1, Determining the most appropriate serviceable locomotive.

I’ll be wanting to link it to my website, so I can have fun with the branding and contrive an excuse to introduce pleasing robot images (I’m focusing on what’s important here).
That's outside of Shunt-o-Matic's remit, I fear - that avoids attempting to choose suitable locos altogether, largely because I haven't really go any. I might just manage it with the Slomo-fitted Russell, but I think it's really a job for battery powered locos, and neither of the current ones are at all realistic for the WHR - it's something I really must get round to...

I think what you need for your task is Shed-a-Tron, the robot Shed Master that was actually the only original proposal of the 1954 BR Modernisation Plan. That plan had to be doctored significantly in a cover-up operation when the prototype Shed-a-Tron went rogue, accidentally scrapping 18,000 steam locos with the death ray designed to deter schoolboy trainspotters, and necessitating the hasty purchase of often unsuitable diesel and electric locos in their place.

Alas, the next version was even worse... In recognition of the PR disaster that Shed-a-Tron had been, the powers that be decided to give the next version the least offensive name imaginable, and to dress it up in the guise of human - they opted for the avuncular "Richard", and managed to provide the new robot with a vaguely passable likeness of a rather supercilious bank manager. As history records, this one was only finally stopped when it had ripped up a third of the rail network, in the process having become the inspiration for a whole genre of dystopian "the machines have taken over" films, such as Terminator and The Matrix, and given rise to the conspiracy theory that, in fact, humanity is now reduced to nothing more than an organic steam heating boiler round the back of Willesden engine shed, while our robot overlords spend their time merrily recreating their favourite scenes from Thomas the Tank Engine amid the smouldering remnants of civilisation.

I hope that helps?

Andrew.
Are you okay Andrew? Have a lie down in a darkened room and sip some camomile tea...😂
Phil

Sporadic Garden Railer who's inconsistencies know no bounds

My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

User avatar
BertieB
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:13 am
Location: London
Contact:

Re: Shed-a-Tron

Post by BertieB » Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:23 pm

Andrew wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:56 am "...humanity now reduced to nothing more than an organic steam heating boiler round the back of Willesden shed... amid the smouldering remnants of civilisation..."
Oh, Wow. This is the sort of stuff I want to hear about! Thorough and detailed — you need to update Wikipedia.

But I must have already signed up. Shed-a-Tron / Supercilious Richard* will have been behind the recent ruthless clear out here at semi-scale BR, coincidently transforming, perhaps, what survives into a future heritage attraction (and offering the scope, for example, to run inappropriate locomotives like Caledonian Sleeper 73s).

(*I’ve seen the videos)

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shunt-O-Matic System 3000/1 - 2022 edition

Post by Andrew » Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:30 pm

Lonsdaler wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 11:45 am Have a lie down in a darkened room and sip some camomile tea...😂
It's too much time in darkened rooms that's the problem, I need to get outside!

That not being an option, this lunchtime I ran some more virtual trains instead...

Day Four turned out to be rather quieter than previous ones. The FR closed van was back, ready for that pending load of flour, and on top of that I rolled a two, and drew load cards requiring more meat and manure for Penlan - nothing for Clarach today. It's going to be a quirky train, three vans (including brake van 4 for the first time) and small open number 56, all in different colours - one each in red, maroon, grey and off-white. The brake and meat vans will be an interesting comparison, because both are conversions of FR quarrymen's carriages.

The return load is a light one - a coal wagon from Clarach, and the dropside of granite from Penlan, which makes for a jolly little train with the bright red brake van on the rear.

Day Four.jpg
Day Four.jpg (47.91 KiB) Viewed 4756 times

Things get busier again on Day Five when I roll a six. I was a little concerned that my paper load cards were sticking together and perhaps skewing the result (they need to be laminated, or on card), so I allocated each a number and used an online random number generator instead - which is when things got really weird - three loads of coal for Clarach... In addition to the bogie open and coal wagon for that, our train will consist of a bogie flat for timber from Penlan - the other two cards had to go into the pending pile because they require the brine tank and meat van, AGAIN, and those are both still sitting in sidings. They come back on today's return working, which is of the longest permitted length, also featuring the timber bolsters plus two four wheel and one bogie open wagon. We're back to garden shed lookalike WHR brake van 2 today, incidentally...

Day Five.jpg
Day Five.jpg (49.22 KiB) Viewed 4756 times

More fun and games tomorrow, maybe... Will the Ffestiniog coal wagon finally get an outing? Will the hotel at Clarach need yet more brine? Can the internet bear the suspense??!

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shed-a-Tron

Post by Andrew » Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:10 pm

BertieB wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:23 pm
Andrew wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:56 am "...humanity now reduced to nothing more than an organic steam heating boiler round the back of Willesden shed... amid the smouldering remnants of civilisation..."
Oh, Wow. This is the sort of stuff I want to hear about! Thorough and detailed — you need to update Wikipedia.

But I must have already signed up. Shed-a-Tron / Supercilious Richard* will have been behind the recent ruthless clear out here at semi-scale BR, coincidently transforming, perhaps, what survives into a future heritage attraction (and offering the scope, for example, to run inappropriate locomotives like Caledonian Sleeper 73s).

(*I’ve seen the videos)
Like you say, focusing on what's important...

I hope the death ray hasn't been wielded too liberally, I really enjoy your collection of locos and stock - I want to see more of it, not less!

Phil.P
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 430
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:28 pm
Location: Staffs. UK

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by Phil.P » Mon Jan 17, 2022 5:12 pm

I'm stuck in "Nid"..
When will there be a local passenger service?

Preferably, with a connection for Mornington Crescent..


Though this idea for generating traffic movements, is proving fascinating..
:thumbleft:

Phil.P

User avatar
BertieB
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 363
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:13 am
Location: London
Contact:

Re: Shed-a-Tron

Post by BertieB » Tue Jan 18, 2022 10:01 am

Andrew wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:10 pm “I hope the death ray hasn't been wielded too liberally,…”
Thank you. If I want to make new stuff (and I am) it’s prudent not to leave earlier examples provocatively scattered about all over the house, I find. The front room “is not a workshop”.

A lot has gone — but the new stuff will, of course, be much better.

User avatar
Lonsdaler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1226
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:50 am
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: Shed-a-Tron

Post by Lonsdaler » Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:19 pm

BertieB wrote: Tue Jan 18, 2022 10:01 am
Andrew wrote: Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:10 pm “I hope the death ray hasn't been wielded too liberally,…”
Thank you. If I want to make new stuff (and I am) it’s prudent not to leave earlier examples provocatively scattered about all over the house, I find. The front room “is not a workshop”.

A lot has gone — but the new stuff will, of course, be much better.
I hope you haven't discarded any favourites😱
Phil

Sporadic Garden Railer who's inconsistencies know no bounds

My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

User avatar
Andrew
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3247
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 1:33 pm
Location: Bristol, UK
Contact:

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by Andrew » Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:26 pm

Another day, another lunchtime, and another chance to run some pretend trains.

Much like the others, Day Six dawned bright and clear, next door's yappy and train-hating dog was nowhere in sight, and the track was in tip-top condition, so zero chance of a derailment...

The dice decreed four wagonloads would be required, to cater for coal, flour and timber at Penlan and, alas, the body of a poor deceased miner from Clarach slate quarry. In addition, there were pending loads of meat and brine, so it was a full train that headed up the line, and one with a strong complement of Ffestiniog wagons - the timber bolsters, brine wagon and hearse, plus Ffestiniog brake van number 5, which was used in the early days of the real Welsh Highland.

Luckily, the rules dictate that the hearse must return by the same train, otherwise we'd have been out of room in the short siding at Clarach, now occupied by a big bogie open and four-wheel coal wagon, both being unloaded, and the newly-arrived brine wagon. The return train is rather shorter, just the hearse, FR van 101 and one of the small WHR opens.

Day Six.jpg
Day Six.jpg (114.69 KiB) Viewed 4686 times

Demand is low-ish again on Day Seven: three wagon-loads of coal, all for Penlan. I'm sorely-tempted to come up with a pretext for employing as-yet un-used FR coal wagon 18, but I stick to my own rules for now (tweaks can come later) and WHR open number 70 joins a bogie open in the train. The FR brake brings up the rear again - there must be something up with the WHR's own ones!

The other bogie open forms part of a charmingly mixed return train, which also features a flat wagon with a timber load, an empty coal truck and meat van Number 1 - that's seeing an awful lot of use for a vehicle never photographed in use on the real Welsh Highland (as far as I know...), the good folk of Penlan clearly aren't participating in Veganuary...

Day Seven.jpg
Day Seven.jpg (99.15 KiB) Viewed 4686 times

More tomorrow, maybe...

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: Shuntomatic System 3000 - 2022 edition

Post by ge_rik » Fri Feb 25, 2022 7:44 pm

Fascinating stuff ........ 👍

Rik
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests