conductorboy
Wannabe engineer
I did!! In fact, most parts of it was filmed in my area - including the last scene. Great movie, although I wouldn't look at Unstoppable and say they were running trains the "safe" way though.
Is Trainz Just Like The Real Thing?
- Thread starter TrainzAreTheBest12
- Start date
I did!! In fact, most parts of it was filmed in my area - including the last scene. Great movie, although I wouldn't look at Unstoppable and say they were running trains the "safe" way though.
Unstoppable was pretty good, as along as you don't look at it as a railroader. A longtime friend, who works for NS worked on the film as an engineer/double for DW. I was working a local out of Lock Haven PA while they were filming it up on the WNY&P and down on the NBER. Our dispatchers were in charge of the WNY&P trackage on the Buffalo Line at that time. They kept kicking the film crew off of the railroad for unsafe acts. I sat on our train, waiting to head north, one evening, as Randy and the crew from NBER brought the movie train out onto the NS to spin it.
It's not just the mechanics of driving, it's learning the rules and regulations and how to deal with emergency situations. Other than a 7 inch miniature railway loco I've never driven a full size engine but I have been privileged enough on a few occasions to have (authorised and legitimate) cab rides and I would have to say no way a few hours in Trainz or any other sim is going to prepare you for the real thing. Another part of the train driver's job is observation, particularly looking out for PW or S&T staff working on or near the line. Even with full orange PPE it is surprisingly difficult to spot them when approaching at 90 MPH. Another big difference being in the cab on a real train is that you are sat quite far back from the windscreen, particularly on modern Sprinter type units. When shunting, there's no exterior or God view to assist, you are entirely reliant on what you can see out the front or side of the cab. Finally, the physics performance of much of the motive power or DMU's etc. in train sims bears only a passing resemblance to the real thing. In particular, Trainz still offers only old fashioned set and lap freight (no partial release) braking, whereas many traction units have stepped or self lapping brakes these days.
TrainzAreTheBest12
SD40-2 Lover
This ones for Mouse84. To control my speed on Trainz, I get to 10 miles below the speed I want and then start to put the train brake about halfway. It normally holds me at the speed I want. When it starts going a little bit over I gently apply the brake more. Is this how you really do it? I have always wondered the perfect combination for holding a constant speed. Also, is NS still running any SD40 or GP30 style locomotives?
captainkman
You are reading this.
Here's a new question:
If I can drive a steam loco in Trainz, with the most realistic specs, could I drive and fire the real-life counterpart too?
e.g. If PB15 #738 is repaired and running again, would I be able to drive it in real life after driving it in Trainz?
If I can drive a steam loco in Trainz, with the most realistic specs, could I drive and fire the real-life counterpart too?
e.g. If PB15 #738 is repaired and running again, would I be able to drive it in real life after driving it in Trainz?
TrainzAreTheBest12
SD40-2 Lover
Driving a steam locomotive is very different from driving an diesel locomotive. It is difficult to answer your question because the locomotive isn't running anymore. If no one knows what it feels like to drive the locomotive, then how did they make the engine specifications? It could handle completely different from how it does on Trainz. If you think the train handles like it actually would, then you might be able to. Maybe one day they will restore the UP Big Boy into running condition.
jjanmarine3
Active member
I also had opportunity to drive steam locomotives in the depot when no one was around on night shifts in the 70's. Steam locos are not all the same, they seem to have their own characters.To drive them is easy , but the trick is to control them.
I think anyone who has driven electric, diesel and steam locos on trainz could drive them in real life, they all basically operate as in the trainz game, the game is quite realistic in my opinion.
To fire up a steam loco and throw coal is an art .
There is so much to learn and do though when it comes to controlling them , for example getting to know when to apply brakes and how much to stop at a certain place without stopping short or over running the mark.Sitting in the cab playing with the reversor and regulator is easy, but when real job pressure is on it is a different kettle of fish. For one - if one does not open the cylinder cocks on a steam loco the front cylinder cover might be blown out by water from condensation .
On the diesels and electrics engineers have independant and automatic brake handles and a reversor key which are personal issues and signed for. To forget your reversor key in the mechanism is a big no-no.
On steam locos with boiler pressure up anybody could get in and nothing stops one powering them up if you knew how. On the diesels and electric units there are numerous phneumatic pressure and safety control switches that are set to certain values before one could operate and the brake systems must be set up too.Vigilance safety control will nullify all operations if not set up and maintained too, plus stacks of other stuff to know and do that will take half a day to type here.. and off course the engineers bulky RR rules and regulations books go with their kit....
I think anyone who has driven electric, diesel and steam locos on trainz could drive them in real life, they all basically operate as in the trainz game, the game is quite realistic in my opinion.
To fire up a steam loco and throw coal is an art .
There is so much to learn and do though when it comes to controlling them , for example getting to know when to apply brakes and how much to stop at a certain place without stopping short or over running the mark.Sitting in the cab playing with the reversor and regulator is easy, but when real job pressure is on it is a different kettle of fish. For one - if one does not open the cylinder cocks on a steam loco the front cylinder cover might be blown out by water from condensation .
On the diesels and electrics engineers have independant and automatic brake handles and a reversor key which are personal issues and signed for. To forget your reversor key in the mechanism is a big no-no.
On steam locos with boiler pressure up anybody could get in and nothing stops one powering them up if you knew how. On the diesels and electric units there are numerous phneumatic pressure and safety control switches that are set to certain values before one could operate and the brake systems must be set up too.Vigilance safety control will nullify all operations if not set up and maintained too, plus stacks of other stuff to know and do that will take half a day to type here.. and off course the engineers bulky RR rules and regulations books go with their kit....
64Warhorse
New member
Erm ... that sounds like the sort of trick that works fine in the game, but if you did it in Real Life (tm) would leave you with burnt-out brakes at the top of a Large Hill ...
conductorboy
Wannabe engineer
I'm building a route to represent the NBER.... It's the local railroad I plan to work for. Have you ever taken one of the NS unit coal trains over the NBER?
Thanks,
Conductorboy
No, as your getting close to the desired speed, depending on the terrain, we back off the throttle and adjust our speed with the throttle and dynamic brakes. Holding a constant speed is easier with a longer train than with a short one, because your tonnage is draped over more than one grade. With a short train, you'll have all of your train on one side or the other and you end up chasing it, that's why we plan ahead as much as possible. A lot of time we use the grades to our advantage, using a slight grade drop your speed coming into a lower speed zone.
We do run a lot of SD40s on locals and in yards, but I think all of them are SD40-2s. We do have a bunch of SD40Es that were rebuilt from the SD50s. Looking at our roster, we have no SD40s. We still do have a bunch of those high hood junkers, but they're being rebuilt with the new low hoods and cabs and set to run shf.
No, I've never run a train over the NBER, not even when I worked for Robie. Word that we're hearing is that we're taking back the line from Lock Haven to Tyrone when Robie sells out, but if the Ridge converts to natural gas, I don't see that happening either.
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TrainzAreTheBest12
SD40-2 Lover
SD40-2 is my favorite locomotive. Sounds like a job on NS would be nice. You ever heard any talk of the railyard in Chocowinity, NC?
captainkman
You are reading this.
Well the engine ran in the 90's and early 2000's, while Trainz was being developed. I used #738 as an example as I live on the other side of Brisbane from it, and can go to where it is on the weekends.
trainz89 is qualified to drive steam locos, so maybe he can shed some light on driving the QR C17 on the DLS compared to driving the QR C17 in real life.
LittleBondi
QR Trainzer
Thanks for that info. I want to get a job with Queensland Rail when I leave school, so I might contact him and ask him about it.
I forgot to add that I am not quit sure if kent drives trainz but he may do and I would also like to get a job with QR but it is a very dangerous job in a way. look at all the level crossing accidents that happen. Also a good way to learn is drive in the real life not DC mode when you drive a train. I did this and I figured out how to drive a PB15.
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LittleBondi
QR Trainzer
WHO IS TALKING ABOUT QR C17'S. THEY ARE MY FAVOURITE STEAM LOCO AND WISH TO DRIVE ONE. If you want to find out how they drive it is a good idea when you go for a steam train ride with a C17 to ask the driver how it works and drives and then compare it to trainz. I asked a driver once about C17 967 and he said once you know the control's it is as easy as picking up a phone. Captainkman were is C17 738 is it in a park some were in Brisbane. And to let you folks now, When Beaudesert Rail was still in opperation, The driver allowed me to abourd C17 967 and have a go at the whistle so I did and I blew the whistle. I can still remember how hard it was as I was only about 5 years old then. Also I thought the C17's were long gone by the 90's. I thought they were all in presevation groups.
-Cheers and any quistions about C17's just private message me guys I would love to help yous out.
-Cheers and any quistions about C17's just private message me guys I would love to help yous out.
captainkman
You are reading this.
The #738 is a PB15, the one that has been built into Trainz from every version from 2004 to TS2010 excepting Trainz Classics. It is at the Rosewood Railwy Museum, and has been there for a while. It is currently having a boiler overhaul. C17 720 is running in its place. PB15 #738 was running there in the 90's I believe. I don't mean in service with QR, they haven't run steam in regular service since the 70's.
Yes, the C17s are at preservation groups, and I have had many cab rides in them.
I was allowed aboard 967 at the Mary Valley Heritage Railway. I got a ride all the way from Imbil back to Gympie, and I got to blow the whistle when we left the station.
But I haven't moved the controls yet.And I am very good at Cab mode driving with steam! My problem is trying to stop the safety valves from blowing.
TrainzAreTheBest12
SD40-2 Lover
Lets pray it won't shoot of and hit you in the face. Isn't that what happens if it BLOWS? Do you mean the safety valves go off or blow up?
captainkman
You are reading this.
I mean the safeties in Trainz won't stop hissing when I fire and drive.
I leave the Cutoff at +75%, water at around 50% and try and burn coal down to around 50%. Even then, with some locos, the safety will keep sounding off. Ear plugs are another solution.
