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Allocated Sections Window

Introduction

The Allocated Sections window displays a table of all Sections currently allocated to Active Trains. This window serves two purposes. It shows which Allocated Sections are allocated to which Active Trains, and it allows the dispatcher to release an Allocated Section for use by a different Active Train. This table could have been displayed in the Dispatcher window, but instead is displayed separately to allow more flexibility in arranging windows on the computer screen. This window may be minimized or dismissed using the standard items in its title bar. It is listed in the Window menu, which may be used to bring it to the front if it becomes buried.

The Allocated Sections window is requested by clicking the Show Allocations... button in the Dispatcher window. Clicking this button brings up the small window shown below.

The table has four columns as follows:

  • Active Train - Shows the Active Train to which the Section is assigned. Active Train names are displayed in either short form (shown above) or long form depending on the option selected in the Dispatcher's Options window.

  • Allocated Section - Shows the name of the Section allocated to the Active Train on the left.

  • Occupancy - Displays whether the Allocated Section is OCCUPIED by a train, or UNOCCUPIED. The Occupancy column is updated whenever the occupancy of the Allocated Section changes. If the user has not specified that the layout has occupancy detection in the Dispatcher's Options window, Occupancy for all Sections will be displayed as UNKNOWN.

  • The last column displays a Release button for each Allocated Section. If the Release button is clicked, that Section is immediately released. Section status becomes FREE, and the Section is available for allocation to an Active Train.

    Often a Section should not be released if it is still OCCUPIED. When an Active Train is terminated, all of its allocated Sections are automatically released, regardless of occupancy. The automated dispatcher will not release an OCCUPIED Section automatically. Caution: With manual dispatching, the dispatcher is responsible for determining whether it is appropriate to release an OCCUPIED Section.