Is Trainz Just Like The Real Thing?

[LittleBondi]

I thought last night after I sent my last message here, 738 is probably the loco at Rosewood railway museum. It's gld to know that I know my trainz. There is ne thing I want to ask you guys. What does it mean when you say overhaul. I never found the definition for it. I beleive it is when it is used so much that it needs to be replaced or serviced. It is also a shame when you think about it that the electrics came along. They may b more comfy but since the electrics, all the old steamies have been either scrapped, abandoned or put in preservation groups. C17 9.. I can't remember the rest was scrapped with many others. Look at the C17's and DD17's that have been abandoned at Kunkala and 974 and all those others arent used much and more. it's a shame and I have never really liked electris for it. And also, why did they just stop putting PB15 738 into trainz all the sudden, I would have loved to have 738 in trainz 12. It's a bit sad as in trainz 12 it is only deisels with 2 loco's wich I hate. But I am about to download C17 956 from DLS so I will use her instead

-Cheers

 

[Konni]

Hi,

I am working on simulations of rail traffic during the steam era, particularly during the 19th century. The focus of my work is creation of the content needed. In this context some I made some observations:

1. Real life traffic depends upon the interaction of numerous different people. Think of station masters, telegraphists, operators of turnout and signal levers, train masters, line keepers, quite apart from driver and fireman. Most Trainz operations pretty much ignore the extensive safety procedures evolving during the 19th century.

2. Train physics are very difficult to simulate. Even with an automobile, you are noticing the difference in accelating and braking between an empty small car and a heavily loaded van with attached trailer. With real trains the difference is much larger.
A couple of years ago I built an electric opencast mining locomotive with its cab, which was tested by erosch, who, in his days as a professional locomotive driver had driven this particular locomotive type. He was therefore able to give directions as to the physical behaviour of the locomotive, particularly when the engine file was developed. The assets were heavily scripted, but we succeded in developing it to the point, that it can be driven with HUD displays turned off.
With steam engines this is much more difficult, as the inbuilt scripts are inadequate for steam operation.

3. With some modern locomotive types there may be enough technical data published to write a realistic engine file, even if you have no professional locomotive driver to consult you, with steam engines this is simply not the case. With the current steam engine file the best you can hope for is to get the locomotive moving at all.


The multi user funcionality certainly provided a major step toward a more realistic simulation, but more emphasis needs to be placed on the other functionaries like dispatchers, signalmen etc.
Renovating the steam scripts with an eye to functions like hand operated brakes, vacuum braking, and the associated instrumentation is badly needed. Utilities to help building steam engine files utilizing available performance data of historical locomotives would be most helpful.

Cheers,

Konni

 

[conductorboy]

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.

I heard Robie just recently sold the company to some of his staff...... Sorry to everyone about getting off topic.

 

[ZecMurphy]

Hi Konni
In theory, you could probably create a brake system for 'unbraked' (well, non air or vacuum braked) trains, where only the handbrake was (maybe) available... This could be achieved by using the 'independant' brake on the locomotive and tender (tender with a dummy enginespec), and possibly the brake van (or similar). This isn't a steam physics thing, but a brakes physics thing since the rolling stock needs it developed into it as well. A lot of narrow gauge, or light, railways ran unbraked stock quite late. The South Maitland coal railways in Australia were running unbraked (handbrake only) coal trains up till the 1970s...

One thing to remember is that a lot of rolling stock available uses default physics. As such, the rolling stock itself may not be handling prototypically. I know a few groups have recently been developing this side further, with all of my recent releases using the new physics developed by Azervich for Victorian Railways prototypes.

As to steam locomotives, the current physics provide most of the necessary functions. The main function that's missing is that of the damper, unfortunately. Having driven a steam loco myself (albeit a small one, running light engine), I do think the steam physics in TC3+ are quite good, so long as the enginespec is setup correctly. This is where a lot of work is necessary really, as you will need to tweak the values till it handles appropriately.

It should be noted that Trainz lacks quite a few controls that would be necessary to get a real train to move. Often these are omitted to make using Trainz more enjoyable for a wider range of users. For example, the injectors on steam locos are operated from only one control. You could, of course, script it to require you to open the water first then the steam, but this makes it difficult to operate...

Zec