GE IFD Screens

A

Airchime_30109

New member
Hey guys,

While looking at the screens of the NS C40-9W cab render, I noticed that these were older GEs with the newer style IFD screens. Unlike Amtrak, whose locomotives now seem to have all brand new screens per overhaul procedure, the freight railroads do not seem to change out the IFD screens very often unless they are damaged - So older units still retain their 'as-built' screens. The 8800, 8900, and 9000 series Dash-9s should have the old style screens with the flat keys on a grey background with yellow outlines. The newer style is the style pictured in the render with raised yellow keys with black numbers. Is this a fix that can be done before release?

Also, only some of the early units had both the Graham-White manual horn valve, and the solenoid valve toggle that is found on most of the fleet. I am not sure of GEs reasoning for this, but the manual Graham-White valves were omitted very quickly. I have talked to some NS engineers who say some of them still have both, and they both work, but I have not seen many in service. I know the 9000s don't have the manual valves, however it is pictured in the cab render for NS 9093.


-- Nick O'Dell


JR Cab Render


9000 series unit


NS 9096


NS 8894


Newer Style IFD Screen NS 9451
 
Why delay a release for something like that, Its not a big deal at all. So just deal with it. I doubt anybody else is gonna complain about some little details. They have worked hard on these and are finally getting close to finish, so theres no need to try to fix a little thing.
 
Wow, that was a tad bit harsh? I am a modeler myself, and would notice a small detail like that. Perfection is in the details. Granted, it isn't a HUGE deal, but thought JR might take a peek at it and determine whether-or-not to fix it. Would be a pretty easy fix for something to make the locos more prototypical since, you know, we are paying for them and are "playing with the best". :wave:

Knowing a couple of people on the JR team, I do know that they try to keep it as prototypical as possible. That's the kind of stuff that I found myself on too.

- Nick
 
I agree. It's a custom cab, it looks excellent, I say screw the rivet (and screw?)-counters.
There's worse things that could go wrong with a cab on a payware locomotive. Just take a look at the BNSF SD70M for Railworks.
 
Well this is also an issue for us. One thing is on certain RR's the small differences can be overwhelming. When trying to get everything together and keep within the correct numbers series, etc, it can be difficult to find a solution to get everything perfect for that particular unit. I don't know exactly how this NS Cab is going to be in the several variants we will most likely release. We certainly appreciate the feedback, 99% of the time it's useful, especially when trying to match the prototype. Something like this won't delay the release any further, but I will let Justin chime in when he gets back as I'm sure he will be able to tell you for sure what to expect cab wise on these NS units. He loves that RR, so I assume he's going to get it as close to possible. Nick, that type of input is great. It comes in handy, so thanks!

Mike
 
No problem, Mike! I love stuff like this! I'm definitely not trying to sound like a "rivet counter" but just thought that if this level of detail is going to be done on the locos, the screens might as well match the prototype. I don't know when the screens went to the newer style, but I would think it was around 1998'ish.

- Nick
 
Airchime_30109 said:
Also, only some of the early units had both the Graham-White manual horn valve, and the solenoid valve toggle that is found on most of the fleet. I am not sure of GEs reasoning for this, but the manual Graham-White valves were omitted very quickly.
Click to expand...

Lawyers love the solenoid toggle valves. It's pretty plain and simple if the horn was blowing or not. There is no "quilling" or being conservative with the horns volume because you are sick of listening to it for 11 hours. It's full volume or no volume which will be the deciding factor in any court case against the railroad 8 times out of 10.
 
Got that right! I have heard from a few people that the reason they stick with the solenoid is so the event recorder will record that the horn is blowing due to the pressure switch that's installed in the air line... which is a bit silly when you can get pressure switches that work at any pressure. Look at Amtrak, they still use a two-stage horn setup (one is a restricted solenoid) but don't seem to have a problem in court cases against trespasser and vehicle strikes. Really, I think the graham white valves could prevent a lot of quiet zones by simply just blowing the horn at half volume at, say, 4 AM, unless a collision is eminent. Plus, with the LocoCams now installed, they can hear if the horn is blowing or not simply by downloading the data from the loco since they are equipped with small microphones in the air brake compartment pointed at the outside of the unit strictly for that purpose.

- Nick
 
Very practical and workable ideas, Nick. In fact it doesn't take an idiot to figure out whether or not a horn was blowing. Except lawyers are idiots (and a**holes too).
 
Make the area above the radio like it is on the 9451. I haven't had a Dash 9 with a regular horn handle in over 10 years. They have removed the handles on all the ones that I have had.
 
hi everyone.

i want to start off with something that might be obvious, but this cab is not finished. there is still a bit of texture work to do and coloring and labels and so on before it would even be close. then there is the issue of how close. given that a cab is about 100mb asset i dont really want to make many more than i have to, there is absolutely NO way to make every cab match every engine number that it does in real life. that cab in the image might say 9093, but i didnt choose that number for it, nor does it mean i was modeling the cab off of 9093. in order to maintain ease of use in the sim with respect to resources, small details like what engine number has what buttons or levers where has to be compressed, maybe even combined with others so there is a little bit of everything. this is a compromise of course and the line has to be drawn somewhere. i could point out a few other things that if getting really picky, should be changed (and the soft touch buttons is nearing very close to that), but im not going for a 100% accurate per number cab interior, but something that allows a detailed experience of running one inside the sim. unless i model each locomotive as a specific number and that number only there must be some give in this area. when making the cab for the whole fleet - or in the NS case 8889-9250 it has to be able to be a close approximation for all of them because it cant be for just one.

Nick, your question about the IFD screens is valid, and the answer is it just hasnt made it into the production yet. it is one of the more nitpicky changes, since i originally made the map with the idea i would do no more than two types of IFD screen, the one on there now, and the much newer one with the second row of function buttons - but things change, and i realized i need the older buttons too for NS... that along with some other minor cab interior changes. i dont know what to do on the control stand yet, but it is likely it will not be the tall ended one pictured, simply because i cannot find enough info for what range had them and what some of the switches do.

Mouse84 said:
Make the area above the radio like it is on the 9451. I haven't had a Dash 9 with a regular horn handle in over 10 years. They have removed the handles on all the ones that I have had.
Click to expand...

this is an interesting comment, but i didnt intend to release them with any specific date in mind. what if the trainz date is over 10 years ago?
 
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norfolksouthern37 said:
Nick, your question about the IFD screens is valid, and the answer is it just hasnt made it into the production yet. it is one of the more nitpicky changes, since i originally made the map with the idea i would do no more than two types of IFD screen, the one on there now, and the much newer one with the second row of function buttons -
Click to expand...

We have no Dash 9s with the second row of buttons, those are only used on GEVOs.
 
Mouse84 said:
We have no Dash 9s with the second row of buttons, those are only used on GEVOs.
Click to expand...


no kidding, thats why i said i realized there would need to be the 3rd option.

you could answer a question for me though. where are the switches for the nose area light, the bathroom light, and the overhead dome light on the control stands that are not raised up above the radio? i never paid attention to that when in them and i dont have an image to look at.
 
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so if i lower the ones that are on there it should be good.


here are the softkeys

b04833e774787694719a3939a2beda49.jpg
 
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