Dispatch Trips

The Dispatch Trips screen enables you to generate a group of trips automatically for a specific location, date, and shift. To generate trips on an individual basis, use the Data > Operations > Trips screen. You can also use the screen to assign consists to equipment cycles.

General Dispatch Trips Information

Dispatch identifies which consist will run each equipment cycle today and where it will start. The first train on the equipment cycle is called the dispatched train (e.g., it is dispatched from the yard, track, or terminal point).

Once the train schedules and equipment cycles are defined, use the Dispatch Trips screen to assign consists to equipment cycles for the current day. Consists are assigned to the AM or PM dispatch train for each cycle. This is then assigned to each train in the cycle. If the makeup of a consist is changed during the day, all trains operating after the change reflect it. If no trip records were created for the date, users have the option of creating them.

To populate the screen, you must use the filter. Location ID, date, and shift start and end time are all required, and wildcards are not allowed.

The system displays the trips for the specified location that meet all of the following criteria:

Are first-run trips scheduled for the specified date (i.e., do not have a trip record on file for that date)
Are either the first trip in an equipment cycle or are not part of an equipment cycle

Stops display in the order defined by the schedule. You may assign a consist ID (based on currently active consists) and generate trips.

You may dispatch trips up to two days in advance. Enter a date up to two days from the current date in the filter and press the Get Data button . The same business rules for trips on an equipment cycle apply whether dispatching trips for today or dates earlier than today. The screen displays the first schedule in the cycle that falls within the specified time limit that does not yet have a trip created for it.

When you click Save button, records are generated for all the trips listed on the screen, excluding those marked for deletion. If a trip is the first in an equipment cycle, trips are created for the entire cycle. If a consist was entered, the same consist is assigned to all trips in the cycle. When all trains are dispatched, “ghost” records will be visible in the grid, but no records will be listed above the splitter bar of the GUI. If there is a check in the Default trip actuals when dispatching trips field on the Basic Info tab of the Data -> Operations -> Setup -> Options screen, trip actuals (or equipment cycle actuals, if applicable) for the trips record are based on scheduled information.

Detail View Header

The field in the top section of this tab defines the data that displays. Except for the track number and the consist for the day’s lineup, all information comes from the schedule record.

Location ID

Identifier of the rail equipment's location. This field has a list box. If the location already exists, its description displays to the right of the ID. This screen requires a location to be entered and only brings backs schedules for routes at the filtered location.

Date

Date of the trip in MMDDYYYY format.

Run ID

Identifier of the run.

Dispatch time between ____ and ____

Begin and end times of the dispatch schedule in HHMM format.

Detail View

The bottom section of the tab displays the first schedule in the equipment cycle as well as schedules that are not part of an equipment cycle.

Delete

If this field has a check, the entire row is deleted when you click Save. Trips marked for deletion are not dispatched.

Schedule ID

Identifier of the schedule. Schedules are set up on the Data -> Operations -> Schedules screen.

Route ID

Identifier of the route. Routes are set up on the Data -> Operations -> Setup -> Routes screen.

Consist ID

Identifier of the consist. This field has a list box of consist IDs that are active for the specified trip date. If trip has a past date, the choicelist displays consist IDs that were active during the same period as the trip. Required if there is a check in the Require consist ID when dispatching trips field on the Basic Info tab of the Data -> Operations -> Setup -> Options screen.

Although a consist ID may be assigned to more than one schedule, overlapping schedules may not share the same the consist ID unless there is a check in the Allow consist assignment to overlap on trips not signed off yet field on the Basic Info tab of the Data -> Operations -> Setup -> Options screen.
If you click the Zoom button , the Consist Management screen displays information about the consist ID.
Tip: If an operating restriction is in effect on one or more equipment units in the consist, the description displays, "Has operating restriction". Whether an operating restriction is in effect is noted on the Basic Info tab of the Data -> Equipment Management -> Consist Management screen.

Equipment list

Equipment list from the consist.

Departure stop ID

Identifier of the departure stop. Detail information about stops is recorded on the Stops tab of the Data -> Operations -> Schedules screen.

Departure time

Time of the departure in HHMM format. Detail information about stops is recorded on the Stops tab of the Data -> Operations -> Schedules screen.

Required capacity

Consist capacity required for the trip. Defaults to 0.

Actual capacity

Actual capacity of the consist. If the required capacity is greater than the actual capacity and there is a check in the Require actual capacity of consist to be greater than or equal to required capacity for the trip field on the Basic Info tab of the Data -> Operations -> Setup -> Options screen, a warning message appears.

Equipment cycle ID

Identifier of the equipment cycle. Equipment cycles are defined on the Data -> Operations -> Equipment Cycles screen.

Schedule type ID

Identifier of the schedule type.