For the engineers.?

Question

I recently purchased Microsofts Train simulator and I have a question, I have to constantly go from throttle to brake and back to maintain the correct speed.

How close is this simulation to the real thing ?

Are engineers that busy or is it more or less set it and forget it. ?

Answer 1

On the newer locomotives, they have what for all tense and purposes could be called a "cruise control". The set speed is maintained electrically by the loco's computer.

On older trains like from the 60's, a speed adjuster was used. This device would electrically open and close the "Shunt" contactor, by energizing and de-energizing the shunt's coil.

At least, that's my understanding of how it works.

On older trains, like from the 50's, speed is maintained by working the throttle, very rarely are the brakes applied to adjust for speed.

For the most part, on most diesel locomotives, there are 8 steps of throttle, so maintaining speed isn't all that hard, it just requires a little practice....if you are working a steam locomotive, good luck, I have no idea how those throttles work!

Answer 2

the train has a throttle that you set the speed on and it maintains that speed. how ever every 60 seconds (time may vary) the engineer has to press a button to let the computer know that he is still awake or the train will automatically power down and stop until the engineer resets the timer on the throttle

Answer 3

HAW HAW HAW!!!

That cruise control thing (on later GE and EMD locos) only works at 10 MPH or less, and only in a yard or place that the terrain is very level.  It only controls motor output, not braking, so if you start down a big hill, you're f...orgetting something important.

You usually want to go into either a throttle-mode or braking-mode only, so you are adjusting your speed using just the throttle or just the dynamic brake.  For example, I may be hauling my train down a grade, or backing into a hitch and the cut of cars I'm hitching to is down a hill.  I would release all brakes to get the move started, then go into dynamic notch 1 to gather slack into me (or stretch slack if I'm backing up), and then just modulate the brake to adjust my speed.  If I am going uphill, I would gently pull to stretch slack, then pull harder and harder to get up to speed, and then modulate the throttle to control my speed.

If I am going downhill with a HEAVY train, I would set up the automatic brake with a minimum application, then use either the dynamic brake or the throttle to modulate speed (yes, I have had to PULL a train downhill - company hates it, but sometimes, that's the only safe way sometimes).

Transitioning between throttle and brake, as you're cresting a hill or coming out of the bottom of one, is the skill that we get the most money for.  This is the time that the train is vulnerable to derailing or breaking apart.  Do it gently and at the correct speeds, and the conductor won't even wake up.  Get it wrong, and it's time for him/her to take a walk with an 85-pound knuckle to correct the damage...

Speed isn't everything.  In undulating territory, you should pull uphill, but throttle back, so you lose speed up the hill.  Then, on the downhill, keep pulling gently - the slack will stretch, your speed will remain below the maximum, but you will be pulling the whole time, hopefully all the way to the next uphill, where your speed will drop until you reach the top, pull it down the other side, and repeat the process.  Obviously, MSTS won't give you the full effect of this - you need to FEELthe bump in your butt as you're running downhill and the train catches up with your engines and starts pushing you downhill (unless you were slow while climbing, and you can pull downhill, keeping ahead of the slack).  If you keep transitioning from throttle to brake, you are REALLY shaking up your train as the slack stretches and runs into you, and that's the sort of thing that can derail you or break a knuckle/drawbar.

Answer 4

Engineers are busy folks sitting behind the throttle when the train is moving, most times.

The long slow drag up a hill is a good time to catch up on some reading.  Going down the other side, however, requires constant attention to dynamic brake adjustments, air and speed.  When the train is set up properly, with the right amount of brake application, the engineer can compensate for slight changes in grade or speed restrictions by adjusting the dynamic brake.  This is called "balancing the grade."

Your typical drag is a slow, plodding beast.  A piggyback train is not.

Usually much lighter, with higher power to tonnage ratios, they are quick and agile, but require close attention even when on flat land, often authorized to operate at 'track speed."  Things happen very fast.  When air is needed, you usually got to grab a BUNCH of it and right now...   Ditto for passenger trains.

The difference between the two is the same one would expect when flying a 747 verses a fighter aircraft or aerobatic approved jobby.

As far as cruise control, the only such thing is when tonnage is excessive and you have to run wide open all the time just to keep the thing moving.

You just need a little practice, grump.......