How do you drive a diesel using the advanced controls?

[KotangaGirl]

I never thought I'd find myself in the embarrassing situation of having to ask this, but no matter what I did I couldn't get it to move an inch. I'd downloaded Sharadise's seriously nice 1950's era 'Haddencott Tramway' and sessions into TRS22, but I did not expect to be faced with a scruffy old Maunsell diesel shunter and be expected to drive it. Steam locomotives on the 'advanced' controls, - not a problem for me at all, - but a diesel..... The best I could do was make the engine growl loudly at me, but get it to move anywhere, - no.

 

[Forester1]

Hi Ann. I am wondering if this is the issue where you have to hold or keep hitting the D key to drain the brake pressure? I thought it was limited to one specific loco in the Advanced Controls tutorial of T:ANE, and I thought it was fixed in T:ANE SP4, but I have recently noticed several complaints on the forum of the issue still existing on different locomotives.

 

[davidbird]

Not familiar with this one in particular but try these (apologies if I'm stating the bl****ing obvious). These are all I use when driving in cab mode. H for horn too.
1. Train brakes off.
2. Independant/Loco brakes off.
3. F/R for forward or reverse.
4. W/S for throttle up or down. Don't go full throttle straigt way, notch up gradually.

 

[1611mac]

Hello,
Like Forester1, I also suspect the brake cylinder pressure. The BC pressure (next to the controls) should be zero (brake cylinder) for you to move. Repeated hit the "D" key. Once moving BC may go up again so keep watching it and "D" as much as needed. Some loco's that work fine (normal) in Tane need the heavy handed "D" treatment in '19 and '22. I have no idea why.

 

[KotangaGirl]

Thanks very much for your useful advice gentlemen. After giving things another try the brake cylinder pressure doesn't seem to be an issue, but the other controls seem to be a bit sticky and variable in their application. With some parts of the session needing me to precisely stop on a mark in order to trigger the next part of the session it got a bit silly with shuffling back and forward until I could get the old Maunsell diesel to behave itself and stop where I wanted it to.

 

[1611mac]

Better get that 'ol mechanic with his oil can to work on them rusty levers and valves and whatcha-ma-call-its.

 

[KotangaGirl]

Better get that 'ol mechanic with his oil can to work on them rusty levers and valves and whatcha-ma-call-its.

Ha ha yes indeed Mac.

It's certainly different to driving a 19th century steam engine where I can shut off steam and coast the last few yards to a halt using the residual steam pressure in the steam chest while winding on the handbrake. It's all about conservation of momentum and using an engine's natural rolling resistance, but with the Maunsell's controls being so uncooperative it's not so easy to do that.

 

[tdstead]

Hi Annie enjoying a good laugh as I play the inspection tour


Tom

 

[JimDep]

It's probably getting ready to blow a cylinder head off. Be prepared to jump.

 

[KotangaGirl]

Hi Annie enjoying a good laugh as I play the inspection tour


Tom

I ended up not having a great deal of success with completing that Tom.

 

[tdstead]

Hi took Steve flanders GWR steam railmotor #38 and trailer #49 for a tour last night then for a run on the Loo line, thinking I might go for a run on Cornish Riveria today.

Tom

 

[KotangaGirl]

Hi took Steve flanders GWR steam railmotor #38 and trailer #49 for a tour last night then for a run on the Loo line, thinking I might go for a run on Cornish Riveria today.

Tom

I definitely had much more success with driving Steve's GWR steam railmotor using the steam controls Tom. Never did get that old Maunsell diesel to behave itself.

 

[Ghost42]

just to keep myself busy and to feel I am driving 'properly' I go by a square of the mph.
4mph, 2nd gear - 9mph, 3rd gear - etc. Ok, so I'm nuts! but driving a diesel can be boring.

 

[soap__]

I have the opposite experience - diesel controls are easy for me but I'm no great shakes with the steam locomotive ones. I know the very basics - how to start, stop, go at different speeds, where the coal and water should be - but any more advanced or difficult driving eludes me. I've no idea how to approach it.