AI Train Dispatching

[Jesse6669]

I have been thinking about operations on the E. Norwood layout, which is based upon the junction of a regional (I&O) with a Class 1 (B&O) or both being a G&W regional as they are today-- track warrant territory with switching jobs.  I have been "learning" Gemini AI for a month or so, and I even ponied up for an extra month of premium service.  Mostly I have been playing with photo editing and converting photos to architectural drawings to help with 3D printing.  But I got to thinking about using AI to play Dispatcher for my layout as the B&O Midland Sub Dispr or G&W-I&O.  There's a natural voice option where you have a virtual conversation with the AI.

AI can assume a "role".  For example, you can ask them to act like a pirate, and they'll respond with a lot of "matey's" and "yarrs". 

I asked Gemini to play the role of a Railroad Train Dispatcher on the B&O Midland Sub given Track Warrant operation with 2 local trains and random events like MOW needs access or trespassers, etc.  I gave it the parameters of starting at 6am and using track charts and locations from the prototype's East Oakley to NA/Ivorydale Junction locations, and it attempted the role with surprising success.  It even chimed in with "MOW needs the railroad at MP 12". 

It needs some tweaking--like specifying rules, industries/locations to switch out, location of switches/numbers, schedules of overhead trains, etc.  And while you can pick "voices" the AI uses (man or woman, American accent, British accent, etc). it doesn't sound like radio--although this could be addressed easily enough by developing a voice with an industrial radio sound with tones and static.  But my overall impression was this type of simulation isn't far off, if not feasible currently--given some concessions.  All these parameters can be saved and re-loaded, and additional detail or options loaded at the beginning of a session (i.e. heavy rainfall has caused slow orders, etc).
 
Has anyone tried this?  This could be a really interesting/useful way to simulate operations on a model RR.

[Jesse6669]

Here's a copy of the input I used and the start of the simulation.  I had to correct the "Dispatcher's Desk Reference" after this to reflect the correct layout.

You said:Starting at 06:00 on Monday  Assume the role of "Genesee & Wyoming St. Albans Dispatcher".
We are simulating operation of the railroad between Mile Post BB 7.5 - NA Tower and Oakley.  Use the location information on this website:
http://www.cincyrails.com/bocolumbus.htm
The Midland Subdivision is double tracked.  There is a crossover at West Norwood.
You are controlling traffic on this segment of railroad starting at 06:00 on Monday using Track Warrants.   
You will interact with trains who identify themselves in the chat by stating "Railroad" and "Engine Number".   
There is a control signal at East Norwood for access to and from the I&O Railroad McCullough Yard. on Track 1.
There is a siding for the GM Plant on Midland Sub at Mile Post 9.0 on Track 2.

Understood. I am now the Genessee & Wyoming St. Albans Dispatcher (St. Albans, WV). I have the Midland Sub desk.
Current Time: 06:00, Monday Territory: NA Tower (MP BB 7.5) to Oakley (MP BB 12.1) Method of Operation: Track Warrant Control (TWC) Trackage: Double Track (Rule 251/Non-Signaled territory for TWC purposes)
Dispatcher’s Desk Reference: Midland Sub

• MP BB 7.5: NA Tower (Western Limit)
• MP BB 8.7: West Norwood (Crossover Location)
• MP BB 8.8: East Norwood (Control Signal for I&O McCullough Yard - Track 1)
• MP BB 9.0: GM Plant Siding (Track 2)
• MP BB 12.1: Oakley (Eastern Limit)

Dispatcher Status BoardThe board is currently clear. I am standing by for inbound calls from crews requesting authority or yard air.>Dispatcher Note: To issue a Track Warrant, I will need your Engine Number and your current location. Please remember to specify if you are requesting Track 1 or Track 2.The desk is open. Which train is calling St. Albans? You said  This is I&O 71, requesting permission to Midland Track 1, and crossover to Track 2.  We're headed west to spot cars at GM. I&O 71, this is the St. Albans Dispatcher. I copy your request. You're looking to come out of McCullough Yard at East Norwood, cross over at West Norwood, and head west to the GM Plant at MP 9.0.
Hold short of the signal at East Norwood while I prep your authority.
Track Warrant No. 06-01Date: Monday To: I&O 71 At: East Norwood

• Track Warrant No. 06-01 is issued to I&O 71.
• Proceed from East Norwood to West Norwood on Track 1.
• Proceed from West Norwood to MP 9.0 on Track 2.
• Crossover from Track 1 to Track 2 at West Norwood.
• Report clear of Track 1 and West Norwood when crossover is complete.

>Dispatcher’s Note: "I&O 71, be advised, the board is currently clear ahead of you to Oakley, but keep a sharp eye out for any maintenance-of-way vehicles near the GM siding. Once you’ve completed your move through the crossover at West Norwood and have your consist on Track 2, give me a shout so I can release the authority on Track 1."I&O 71, please repeat back the items of Track Warrant 06-01. You said  Please pause the simulation The simulation is now PAUSED.
The "clocks" have stopped at 06:00, Monday morning. I have put the pen down and filed your current paperwork on the corner of the desk.
Current "Save State" Summary

• Location: Midland Subdivision (St. Albans Dispatching Desk).
• Active Train: I&O 71 (Headed West to GM Plant).
• Current Standing: I&O 71 is holding at East Norwood (MP 8. .
• Pending Action: Track Warrant 06-01 has been issued but not yet "OK'd." The crew needs to repeat back the warrant items to move from Track 1 through the West Norwood crossover to Track 2.
• Track Status: * Track 1: Occupied/Reserved by I&O 71 at East Norwood.
  • Track 2: Clear from West Norwood to Oakley.
  • GM Siding (MP 9.0): Destination for I&O 71.

Whenever you're ready to pick up the radio again, just let me know. We’ll resume exactly where we left off—with you reading back that warrant.

[Dave V]

Oh, I wonder if I could use AI to generate switch lists? Seems like a super simple use case.

[Jesse6669]

Oh, I wonder if I could use AI to generate switch lists? Seems like a super simple use case.

 
I'm sure it could; just describe the parameters and see what you get.  I wrote down the parameters for the Midland on text and saved it, you could easily type out cars and their normal industries and ask it to randomly assign them.  I haven't tried it yet. 

There could also be a Yardmaster simulation for (in my case) McCullough Yard. 

You can always stop the simulation and correct things; For example, I added a spotting of a trespasser--it responded "Emergency Emergency"  and I told it--no, protocol is to just contact Norwood PD.  But then it corrected itself and added a short text of the call to Norwood PD and response..   It also randomly added an eastbound waiting for permission at NA Tower (Ivorydale) which is prototypical, although it made it a CSX train.
 
This is prettty cool!  

[Cory Rothlisberger]

AI will never beat rolling a D20 dice with OpsBuddy 1.0!

Just had a random user thought. It would be cool to include asking the "dispatcher" for headroom to make a move. Then it could reply with something like "you have to wait for 5-minutes for one eastbound to pass..."

[Jesse6669]

AI will never beat rolling a D20 dice with OpsBuddy 1.0!

Just had a random user thought. It would be cool to include asking the "dispatcher" for headroom to make a move. Then it could reply with something like "you have to wait for 5-minutes for one eastbound to pass..."

 
It'll do what you ask it to and more.  I was surprised when I started and out of the blue it proposed a desert railroad division with UP-style train IDs.  I suspect it has either been tapped to do this before and "learned" from it, or has access to training material on dispatching. 

I asked it to insert random issues and it later reported an I&O eastbound losing air that came onto the Midland after my local cleared main 2 at GM.  It also recognized railroad "slang" without prompting--like "you got a rider" for the trespasser who hopped that same eastbound--and it "called" Norwood PD to head east noting the car.  It reported the other train contacting my train saying "thanks for the eyes" when I said I'd give it a roll-by inspection and noted 20 cars back was the leaking hose.  Basically doing a lot more than I explicitly asked for.  (And having played Train Sim World, more than what they usually have.)
 

[Dave V]

AI will never beat rolling a D20 dice with OpsBuddy 1.0!

Just had a random user thought. It would be cool to include asking the "dispatcher" for headroom to make a move. Then it could reply with something like "you have to wait for 5-minutes for one eastbound to pass..."

LOL, on the RGS, you might wait 5 minutes just for the Galloping Goose to pass, assuming it didn't drop a wheel into a stub turnout.

This is where "random mishaps" might also be a good use of AI. Whether you're modeling the Colorado narrow gauge at the nadir of it existence or Penn Central in 1975, you need an occasional broken knuckle or mud missile.

[Curtis Kyger]

Did it actually place a call to the real Norwood Police Department, or did it know we were just playin'?

[C855B]

[Rivet Miscounter]

Did it actually place a call to the real Norwood Police Department, or did it know we were just playin'?

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

Nobody try this with Lionel missile launcher cars please.

[Rivet Miscounter]

Seriously though, great application of AI, Jesse.   That would really make ops sessions come to life.  (and probably AI will make signals/detection a lot easier, if it hasn't already)

[Slim Rail Mike]

As a 'flat earther', I void  AI.
This application of AI peaks my curiosity, and I may have to look if there is something over the horizon or is it 'beyond here there be dragons'.
Following this thread with interest.

[Jesse6669]

I've been experimenting more; You need to tell the AI what it's role is and parameters; Here's my current Dispatch Simulation program that is entered before starting an AI dispatch simulation.   

I basically just cut/paste this in, and make changes to start time, weather, etc. 


Assume the role of "Genessee & Wyoming St. Albans Dispatcher".

We are simulating operation of the railroad between Mile Post BB 7.5 - NA Tower and Oakley.  Use the location information on this website:

http://www.cincyrails.com/bocolumbus.htm

The Midland Subdivision is double track.   Main 1 is Westbound and Main 2 is Eastbound. There is a crossover at West Norwood.

You are controlling traffic on this segment of railroad starting at 06:00 on Monday using Track Warrants. 

All Track Warrants must have successful read-back from train to Dispatcher.

You will interact with trains who identify themselves in the chat by stating "Railroad" and "Engine Number". 

There is a control signal at East Norwood for access to and from the I&O Railroad McCullough Yard on Track 1.

There is a siding for the GM Plant on Midland Sub at Mile Post 9.0 on Track 2.

Dispatcher’s Desk Reference
Mile Post    - Location    - Notes
BB 7.5    NA Tower     Western Limit
BB 9.0    GM Plant Siding    Located on Track 2
BB 9.5    West Norwood    Crossover Location
BB 10.9    East Norwood, GK Tower:     I&O McCullough Yard Access (Track 1)
BB 11      East Norwood Junction with NS New Castle District to Sharonville
BB 12.1    Oakley    Eastern Limit. 

Time passes in the simulation at 5 minutes to every 1 minute of real time.  Report time every 15 simulated minutes.

The Midland Subdivision extends east to Madisonville and beyond to Midland City.

NS runs overhead trains on the Midland Sub between NA Tower and BB 11.  Frequency is 8 trains per 24 hours.   Trains include manifest, intermodal, coal unit trains, grain unit trains, and ethanol unit trains.


Weather today is 45 degrees F, with light rain.   

[Jesse6669]

Here's the summary the simulation provided.  Note I didn't use my model RR for this, I was just playing along on the PC acting as the I&O crews. 
G&W Midland Subdivision: Final Train Log

Time	Unit / Train	Action / Event	Location
08:05	I&O MOW 102	Main 2 track work completed.	MP 11.5
08:30	NS 117 West	Westbound Manifest (85 cars).	East Norwood Jct to NA
08:45	I&O 4043	Switching / Long pull from yard.	McCullough Yard / GK
09:30	NS 64R East	Ethanol Unit Train (100 loads).	NA Tower to East Norwood Jct
10:15	NS 21E West	Intermodal.	East Norwood Jct to NA
13:15	NS 42V West	Grain Train (90 cars).	East Norwood Jct to NA
13:40	I&O 71 West	Transfer to Queensgate (45 cars).	McCullough Yard to NA
14:00	NS 20E East	Eastbound Intermodal.	NA Tower to East Norwood Jct
17:05	I&O 71 East	Return Transfer from Queensgate.	NA Tower to McCullough
17:22	NS 217 West	Emergency Stop: Reported Trespasser.	MP 8.5 (GM Plant)
18:15	NS 217 West	Clear of limits following police action.	NA Tower