SLGI Trains

A flying convertable train

A non-convertable tolley

SLGI Trains are automated convertable vehicles. They move like trains on the railway and like plains when the line ends. They are part of a project recently developed by Second Life Geography team, to connect remote places and to offer touristic guides to visitors. They all depart at Achemon Railway, House Of Freedom^🖈 and move to a specific location. Unlike other automated vehicles the SLGI trains are rare (one at each 6 hours for each destination) and they follow a schedule. There are currently 12 destinations, each one with its own train. For a part of the distance, SLGI trains follow a common way, so they can be found more often near Achemon (at maximum one train every hour).

Reason

Some residents wanted that scheduled trains to exist and move after a program, like trains on real railways. Also, some residents wanted connections to exist somehow between main railway network in Heterocera and remote rails in Sansara. On the other hand, we all know the problems made by a high number of roaming vehicles on roads and railways. Creating a timetable for scheduled vehicles is a real hard job, to find the perfect solution between those who want more trains and those who want less vehicles (or want the railways only for themselves). There are endless discussions on the forums about this subject. These vehicles are moving on Protected Land or on private-owned land (with permission). Our little team is opened for suggestions and wish the best for everybody. Roads, railways and other protected ways don't belong to a single person or a single transport company, but to all residents. Like in real world, vehicles must exist and protected ways (roads, railways, waterways and airlines) are made for transportation, however abusing of protected routes is not a good thing and must be avoided.

Important: These vehicles are NOT created for the pleasure of creating, but for the desire to make our world a better place. If you want to add, remove or modify these trains or even all trains, contact Ana Imfinity.

Technical data

For the moment, the vehicles in use are modified opensource trains. The trains use different types of scripts: for train movement and for flying. They have replaced the coal steam generator with a nuclear reactor ;) and so, they use an unconventional source of locomotion.

For this, all convertable trains have a train engine (a script responsable for train movement), a plane engine (a script responsable for flying), one or more dictator scripts (they tell the enines what to do and where) and a deleter script (in case something goes wrong, to avoid entering unwanted parcels and remove runaway trains). To reduce lag, trains have no listener. communication between scripts is done with llMessageLinked function. Measurements show that these trains use sim resources not much above the level of a classic opensource train.

The original opensource trolley had sit scripts in almost all prims. We kept these low-lag scripts, to help passengers sit in a confortable way.

Unlike other tour vehicles, SLGI trains don't use a notecard to store data about their route. All information is stored inside the scripts. This is not a problem for short distance trains, but for long-distance vehicles, a special technology needed to be developed to accomodate with this problem. So, long-distance trains make stops along the route in rezz zones, where they rezz a prim with scripts. Old, used scripts are deleted and replaced with new ones. In many cases, passengers won't even notice this, except for a longer time spent in a station (10 seconds instead of 2).

Train movement

As a train, they move slow (about 55% the speed of an opensource train), but in some parts of the rial they can move much faster (even faster then an opensource train). Speed is reduced in places with high lag or with multiple sim crossings, to make sure that passengers survive, but it is allowed a higher speed in sims with more abandoned land. Main difference to other trains is a slow transition between speeds. Train engine shows speed in a floating text, so passengers can see know fast they are going. Some residents required speed increase, so now they have it, but with strong restrictions in dangerous places. Sometimes, restrictions are on bridges, to make a journey more realistic.

They are more vulnerable as trains. Tests showed that 70% of problems are on the railway then in the air. They are affected by lag levels, passengers with bad connections, fast changing switches or small auto-return times. Also, trains tend to move with 5% faster without a passenger.

The engine used a simplified opensource script (reduced to 60% to reduce lag). Unlike other trains, the SLGI trains decrease and increase speed more visible while they enter a station. A second script changes switches on the rail, so the train can move smoothly and follow the guide. At important switches, to avoid any problems on the railway, the flying engine is engaged for low distances. This means that the wings will be visible in such places. Trains are physical while moving on the rail and non-physical when they stop or flip.

Plane movement

As a plane, they use a Fission Engine that creates a multitude of explosions, so the passengers feel endless small shocks (don't worry, avatars don't die). The trains fly at high altitude in populated areas. They have the power to become invisible if needed, to avoid making any stress to any resident. As plains, they move at a higher speed and follow a non-flexible path. They have no stop while flying.

Many thanks to Aziv - Aslan who suggested this kind of locomotion and helped to create it.

Flying altitude is set to 130 meters except for the trains to Campion (after they depart Pavonia station). In some populated areas, they become invisible to avoid any stress to nearby residents. While flying, trains are affected only by rare sim crashes. The most frequent problem is that sims enter from time to time on restart process and this blocks all trains entering that area.

The flying script, made by Aziv Aslan and Ana Imfinity, is simple, low-lag, but does not use a notecard or an external storage place for information. For low-distance trains that is not a problem, but for high-distance ones, data is stored on multiple scripts, each one for a part of the journey. An alternative is that rains might stop in a rezz zone and rezz a prim with the next script, while the old script is being removed. Unfortunately, this is a bit risky solution because many rezz zones have very small auto-return timers.

Sometimes, the plane engine is used to pass important or tricky switches. Also, the train is not physical while flying.

Percent of errors

Warning: THE MAIN CAUSE (80%) OF ERRORS ARE THE SIM LOGOUT PROCESSES. IF YOU LOST THE TRAIN BECAUSE OF THIS, IT IS NOT OUR FAULT! Trains that get stocked will self-destruct to avoid any problems.

Measurements showed that about 90 to 98% of trains return home, depending on what route. Also, trains keep following their schedules with an error of 5%. They are more stable as plains then as trains. The reason for this is that the atomic fission engine is working much better on air then it powers the wheels on rail. Failures and delays are caused by sims that enter a restart process, high lag and time dillation, passengers with bad connections (this can block a sim crossing), interfernce with the rail (switches and other vehicles) and also by changes of switches and moving bridges. The most frequent problem the 'region logout process' that deletes all trains existing an passing through a sim. In past, these trains could be hyjacked for fun, but since griefer attacks are far too often in the last time, this will no longer be possible.

To avoid problems, trains have a deleter. If a train remains blocked more then 10 minutes somewhere or of a train does not return home in time (with an error of 30%), it is deleted.

Between March 10 and 20th, 2014, we witneded massive lag, frequent restart processes between sims and sim crossing failures. The reasons for this are unknown (Linden officials are working on the servers, more griefer attacks then before or most probably both). As a result, trains have been modified to reduce lag and avoid unwanted errors. Before this, trains were made with a possibility to be hijacked, to give some entertainment for travelers. Now, all listeners have been removed, reducing the possibility of these objects being diverted.

Design

At this moment, we have one train model working on all lines: a modified version of the GSLR trolley (available anywhere as an opensource model). It has been modified by a good friend of us, who reduced prim count and painted it green. To make flying more realistic, wings have been added. We had also a modified version of the VRC opensource train, but we no longer use it. Initial trains had an extreme glowing effect and not a nice design. The trolley is more simple, low prim, low lag and complains well with space and prim restrictions found in some places.

Second Life Geography team wanted to make a contest for train boulders, for train models. For financial reasons, this is not possible (except as an act of charity with symbolic prizes). If you wish your train to be used, this is possible with the following conditions:

1. Trains must not have more then 28 prims (to avoid problems and lag).
   1. Trains for GSLR and ONSR must not have more then 20 prims (both lines have limited prim count).
2. All trains must have wings (the wings are visible only while flying). These trains also fly over important switches to avoid blocking traffic, not only to reach railway terminals.
3. Convertable trains must not be longer then an opensource (they must squeeze through small parcels of protected land)
4. Classic trains must not be longer then a trolley (to avoid any problems)
5. All models must be copy-modify (so that the scripts can be inserted and part of the trains can become invisible)
6. Unconventional models are appreciated
7. Trains must not make noises, to avoid any problems with land owners
8. Trains must work well with the opensource train script (this affects the angles).

IMPORTANT: All trains must be green. Models with other color will not be accepted by default. It is, however, not required to be glowing or to have a specific type of green (or to be completely green).

Policy

On private-owned land, trains are moving with permission. However, since majority of private railways are group owned, it is impossible to talk with everybody. A notecard was released for the VRC group. If you are a member of a group that owns land on a railway and don't want trains to move on your land, please contact us.

It is possible that, caused of an error, these trains lose their way and enter nearby parcels. This happens at one train in 600, in 80% of cases when a sim is behaving not normally (a bug, high lag, griefer attacks or sim logout process). More often, this is happening to experimental trains or new trains released into schedule. More often, it is possible that a SLGI train, while flying, enters with a part of its body (the edge of its wings) on private land. If you see any of these happening, please tell us, to correct the route. If a train gets stocked and stays in the same sim for more then 10 minutes, it will self-destruct. The same, if a train does not return home within estimated time (average time + 30%), it will also go self-destruct.

On protected land, vehicles are allowed to move. Still, the point of view of nearby residents is important. It is important both the point of view of residents nearby the protected land and the residents moving on protected land, by foot or with other vehicles. So, if required, trains can become invisible in a specified area or they can fly at a higher altitude.

If residents from nearby parcels wish, trains might become partially invisible while passing nearby or can fly on other altitudes. And also, if you own a station or a parcel near the railway and wish to, these trains can stop at your station or enter your parcel. If you wish, a complete time schedule for a specified station can be sent to you on a notecard. And also, if a group of residents wish, these trains will be removed from a schedule.

Since the beginning of the project, our team received many messages, 90% of them were appreciations for the project and 10% were against it.

It is almost impossible to always keep an eye on all vehicles. That would require someone to be always online and to track all vehicles with high-lag scripts. Trains have a timer, so if they get stocked in a sim for more then 10 minutes or they don't reach back home with a delay of 30%, they self-destruct and send a message back home. If you see a train behaving badly or not following its route, please contact us, to solve the problem.

Schedule

Note: To avoid making problems on the railway, there will be only 4 trains a day on each direction, at every 6 hours. Around Achemon, there can be seen more trains, but not more then a train at each hour.

To get a complete schedule for every station and all available data (12 pages of word table), click on this Complete Schedule. The information is stored on MEGA, the succesor of Megaupload. You will need google chrome to download.

Unscheduled trains

For research reasons (to improve service quality), there might be released in traffic unscheduled trains. It is not a good idea to climb aboard, they might behave strange. Unscheduled trains are marked EXPERIMENTAL TRAIN! with red floating text on all prims.

Departures and arrivals House Of Freedom - Achemon

The departure/arrival position is House Of Freedom^🖈. NOTE: DEPARTURES ARE THOSE LISTED BELOW, ARRIVAL HOURS HAVE CHANGED. NEW DATA WILL BE UPLOADED SOON.

Tr      Route                   Depart  Arriv
101	ACHEMON – BAY CITY	0.00	1.25
301	ACHEMON – BHAGA	        0.00	2.04
188	ROSS – ACHEMON	        23.22	0.37
328	YUCCA – ACHEMON	        21.02	0.47
368	SATURNIA – ACHEMON	22.54	0.54
121	ACHEMON – ONSR	        1.00	3.02
321	ACHEMON – YUCCA	        1.00	3.53
408	SPANGLE – ACHEMON	0.26	1.48
141	ACHEMON – GSLR	        2.00	2.48
341	ACHEMON – CAMPION	2.00	2.36
102	BAY CITY – ACHEMON	1.25	2.47
388	VICINA – ACHEMON	0.27	2.56
161	ACHEMON – TULIPTREE	3.00	3.33
361	ACHEMON – SATURNIA	3.00	4.54
342	CAMPION - ACHEMON	2.36	3.02
142	GSLR - ACHEMON	        2.48	3.37
181	ACHEMON – ROSS	        4.00	5.22
381	ACHEMON – VICINA	4.00	6.27
162	TULIPTREE – ACHEMON	3.33	4.07
302	BHAGA – ACHEMON	        2.04	4.07
122	ONSR – ACHEMON	        3.02	4.59
201	ACHEMON – BURNS	        5.00	5.16
401	ACHEMON – SPANGLE	5.00	6.26
202	BURNS – ACHEMON	        5.16	5.31
103	ACHEMON – BAY CITY	6.00	7.25
303	ACHEMON – BHAGA	        6.00	8.04
182	ROSS – ACHEMON	        5.22	6.37
322	YUCCA – ACHEMON	        7.02	6.47
362	SATURNIA – ACHEMON	1.54	6.54
123	ACHEMON – ONSR	        7.00	9.02
323	ACHEMON – YUCCA	        7.00	9.53
402	SPANGLE – ACHEMON	6.26	7.48
143	ACHEMON – GSLR	        8.00	8.48
343	ACHEMON – CAMPION	8.00	8.36
104	BAY CITY – ACHEMON	7.25	8.47
382	VICINA – ACHEMON	6.27	8.56
163	ACHEMON – TULIPTREE	9.00	9.33
363	ACHEMON – SATURNIA	9.00	10.54
344	CAMPION - ACHEMON	8.36	9.02
144	GSLR - ACHEMON	        8.48	9.37
183	ACHEMON – ROSS	        10.00	11.22
383	ACHEMON – VICINA	10.00	12.27
164	TULIPTREE – ACHEMON	9.33	10.07
304	BHAGA – ACHEMON	        8.04	10.07
124	ONSR – ACHEMON	        9.02	10.59
203	ACHEMON – BURNS	        11.00	11.16
403	ACHEMON – SPANGLE	11.00	12.26
204	BURNS – ACHEMON	        11.16	11.31
105	ACHEMON – BAY CITY	12.00	13.25
305	ACHEMON – BHAGA	        12.00	14.04
184	ROSS – ACHEMON	        11.22	12.37
324	YUCCA – ACHEMON	        9.02	12.47
364	SATURNIA – ACHEMON	10.54	12.54
125	ACHEMON – ONSR	        13.00	15.02
325	ACHEMON – YUCCA	        13.00	15.53
404	SPANGLE – ACHEMON	12.26	13.48
145	ACHEMON – GSLR	        14.00	14.48
345	ACHEMON – CAMPION	14.00	14.36
106	BAY CITY – ACHEMON	13.25	14.47
384	VICINA – ACHEMON	12.27	14.56
165	ACHEMON – TULIPTREE	15.00	15.33
365	ACHEMON – SATURNIA	15.00	16.54
346	CAMPION - ACHEMON	14.36	15.02
146	GSLR - ACHEMON	        14.48	15.37
185	ACHEMON – ROSS	        16.00	17.22
385	ACHEMON – VICINA	16.00	18.27
166	TULIPTREE – ACHEMON	15.33	16.07
306	BHAGA – ACHEMON	        14.04	16.07
126	ONSR – ACHEMON	        15.02	16.59
205	ACHEMON – BURNS	        17.00	17.16
405	ACHEMON – SPANGLE	17.00	18.26
206	BURNS – ACHEMON	        17.16	17.31
107	ACHEMON – BAY CITY	18.00	19.25
307	ACHEMON – BHAGA	        18.00	20.04
186	ROSS – ACHEMON	        27.22	18.37
326	YUCCA – ACHEMON	        15.02	18.47
366	SATURNIA – ACHEMON	16.54	18.54
127	ACHEMON – ONSR	        19.00	21.02
327	ACHEMON – YUCCA	        19.00	21.53
406	SPANGLE – ACHEMON	18.26	19.48
147	ACHEMON – GSLR	        20.00	20.48
347	ACHEMON – CAMPION	20.00	20.36
108	BAY CITY – ACHEMON	19.25	20.47
386	VICINA – ACHEMON	18.27	20.56
167	ACHEMON – TULIPTREE	21.00	21.33
367	ACHEMON – SATURNIA	21.00	22.54
348	CAMPION - ACHEMON	20.36	21.02
148	GSLR - ACHEMON	        20.48	21.37
187	ACHEMON – ROSS	        22.00	23.22
387	ACHEMON – VICINA	22.00	0.27
168	TULIPTREE – ACHEMON	21.33	20.07
308	BHAGA – ACHEMON	        20.04	20.07
128	ONSR – ACHEMON	        21.02	20.59
207	ACHEMON – BURNS	        23.00	23.16
407	ACHEMON – SPANGLE	23.00	0.26
208	BURNS – ACHEMON	        23.16	23.31

South Trains

South trains

NOTE: TIMETABLES HAVE CHANGED. NEW TABLES WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER WE FINISH TESTS

• SLGI Train Bay was the first convertable train built. It moves as a train from Achemon to Tuliptree, then it starts flying all the way to Bay City. It lands in Manyiminya and moves along the railway to its end, in Daley Bay. It is released at 0.02, 6.02, 12.02 and 18.02. The entire distance is 22.57 km and the train needs 3 hours and 6 minutes to complete it.
• SLGI Train ONSR is a convertable train that travels a long distance. The lack of rezz zones along the way pushed the scripts up to the limit. It moves along the railway from Achemon to Tuliptree. Then, it starts a long flying route, crossing Color sims and West Volcano Islands. Then, after passing the tundra and sharp canyons in Snowlands, it reaches Wengen rail terminal of the ONSR, where it starts moving on the rails again. In SmithersBluff, it sometimes uses the wings to pass over switches. This train is released at 1.02, 7.02, 13.02 and 19.02.
• SLGI Train GSLR is also a convertable train. It has a special path. From Achemon, It moves to Calleta, then it follows the GSLR way. As a a plane, it flies over the ANWR channel, but not only. There are many places where the wings are required: South Calleta, Periwinkle bridge or Periwinkle station, to accomodate to GSLR technical specifications. This train is released at 2.02, 8.02, 14.02 and 20.02. Total length is 9.41 km, the train needs 1 hour and 24 minutes to complete it.
• SLGI Train Tuliptree travels 4.609 km in 50 minutes. It was the first SLGI scheduled train. It moves as a train on almost all distance. Flying engine is turned on to pass over switches in Tiger Deopt, Achemon and Calleta. Departures: 3.02, 9.02, 15.02 and 21.02 (SL time).
• SLGI Train YS + Dams is rebuilt after the scheduled train SLGI Train Ross, initially built to reach SJRR. Construction of this train was a big challenge. It moves to South, to reach Ganymede dam and Yava Script Pods base in Durango, West Snowlands. From there, ice canyons and any possible way to West. It visits Sugarolaf Dam, then goes Schell South end. Then, it visits Sutherland Abyss in the way a submarine would do. Flying at high altitude above Sutherland, it reaches Sea Of Fables, then its journey is continued to East River, to Waterhead infohub and Coniston North End. Trains are released at 4.02, 10.02, 16.02 and 22.02. A complete trip takes 8 hours and 14 minutes, the distance is 62.94 km.
• SLGI Train Burns is built in remember of the old WARR. It travels from Achemon to Neumoegen, then to Burns station. Trains are released at 5.02, 11.02, 17.02 and 23.02. Complete journey takes 29 minutes and total length is 2.40 km.

North Trains

North trains

NOTE: TIMETABLES HAVE CHANGED. NEW TABLES WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER WE FINISH TESTS

• SLGI Train Bhaga moves along the main line, from Achemon to Bhaga. The flying engine is used to fly over a few switches that might make problems: Achemon, Crenulate and Crumbi. This was the second SLGI train and for a long time it was an experimental train. The data collected at was very important to see how roaming trains behave on the railway and how switches are affected by train movement. It is deployed at 0.00, 6.00, 12.00 and 18.00.
• SLGI Train Yucca follows the following route: Achemon - Crenulate - Tenera - Anilis - Poecila - Spangle Connection - Yucca. This is the longest route on the railway. Flying engine is required to pass over some busy or tricky switches, like Crenulate, Tenera, Philudoria and Plusia-spangle. It is deployed at 1.00, 7.00, 13.00 and 19.00.
• SLGI Train Mountain is moving as a train only between Ahemon and Tiger Depot. It flies a very lond distance, over the delta. It reaches again the railway in Crenulate and Pavonia, then it starts flying again through the mountains, reaching Great Wall. Total distance is 17.92 km. Time needed to complete the journey: 1 hour and 21 minutes. Departure hours: 2.00, 8.00, 14.00, 20.00.
• SLGI Train Saturnia is made for Bembecia-Hooktip railway maze, the largest of all rail mazes on the grid. The train moves on the following path: Achemon - Crenulate - Pavonia - Hooktip. Inside Hooktip railway maze, it returns on a different way. The final station is in Saturnia sim. This train is released at 3.00, 9.00, 15.00 and 21.00.
• SLGI Train Maritime reaches the East coast of Heterocera. This train moves on the following path: Achemon - Crenulate - Pavonia - Pawpaw - Anilis - Vicina, so it combines Mountain Railway with Maritime Railway. Flying engine is required to pass over some busy switches. Trains are released at 4.00, 10.00, 16.00 and 22.00.
• SLGI Train Spangle is a convertable train. From Tiger Depot, to avoid a too high number of trains, it moves by flying to Bhaga. And from there, it moves on the following route: Bhaga - Crumbi - Pawpaw - Tussock - Spangle. It is released at 5.00, 11.00, 17.00 and 23.00, SL time.

Internal Trains

A train is released at every 15 minutes on the Achemon Railway.

Other schedules

The train to Ross was initially made to reach SJRR, but was limited to Ross because the owners of SJRR requested this. Now, its route has been changed, offering a complex tour over Sansara.

It is not recommended to increase the number of trains. This will create lag and blockings on the rail. It is unlikely that new trains will be created or added, but if some residents wish, existing trains can be extended or modified.

Everybody is welcomed to suggest modifications (new schedules, more or less trains, remove old schedules, new stops or remove existent stops).

Contact

If you want to modify existing trains or schedules or if you want to add or remove a train, please contact Ana Imfinity. Also, if you find any problems, tell us to resolve them.

See Also

Second Life Geography

• Automated Transportation
• Roaming Continental Vehicles
• Second Life Transport Authority
• Yava Script Pods