Problems with Push-Pull Trains

[KonstantinMMRR]

I am having problems with push-pull trains.

I created an Amtrak train with five coaches, and an Amtrak RS-1 at each end. It works fine. It will go in whatever direction it needs to to get to the next station. A set of four RDCs also works fine this way.

When I try the exact same instructions with a push-pull train, it does not work. I created a five coach train (with a cab car at the end), with a P-42 locomotive at one end. It follows the instructions perfectly, while in pull mode. When it has to run "backwards" it has lots of trouble, sometimes going back and forth, not knowing what to do.

Is there something I can do about this? I would like to run push-pull trains, not trains with a locomotive at each end.

Thank you
Dean

 

[colourlight]

I too have had problems with a train with a loco at each end. You should only have one driver. When you want to reverse the train did you use the "change direction" command? Probably a better idea would be to add the command "move to x" X being the loco or cab car at the other end of train then you would not be reversing.

 

[Euphod]

I too have had problems with a train with a loco at each end. You should only have one driver. When you want to reverse the train did you use the "change direction" command? Probably a better idea would be to add the command "move to x" X being the loco or cab car at the other end of train then you would not be reversing.

Exactly correct, the "change direction" command is essential.

 

[JCitron]

I am having problems with push-pull trains.

I created an Amtrak train with five coaches, and an Amtrak RS-1 at each end. It works fine. It will go in whatever direction it needs to to get to the next station. A set of four RDCs also works fine this way.

When I try the exact same instructions with a push-pull train, it does not work. I created a five coach train (with a cab car at the end), with a P-42 locomotive at one end. It follows the instructions perfectly, while in pull mode. When it has to run "backwards" it has lots of trouble, sometimes going back and forth, not knowing what to do.

Is there something I can do about this? I would like to run push-pull trains, not trains with a locomotive at each end.

Thank you
Dean

Dean,

I've had the same problem and solved it by putting a locomotive on the end too. There are some cab-cars that are really locomotives such as the old Pullman Ms used on the Metro North route. This came with TC1&2, and seem to be in TS2009 and up. I can't verify this.

Anyway if you put one of these on the end, you get the correct results. What makes these different from another cab-car beats me. When viewing the config files, I could not see any difference.

In the 1980s the MBTA up here out of Boston, ran F-units on one end and 6-car sets of depowered RDCs as well as the recently retiring F40Phs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaYg_byrpEs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji-GIATytfc&feature=related

If you look carefully at the end of the last video, you'll see an old NYC RDC. It still had the orange and red stripes on the end; unpainted over like the rest were with the purple and yellow stripes of the commuter rail.

John

 

[malikrthr]

Dean,

I've had the same problem and solved it by putting a locomotive on the end too. There are some cab-cars that are really locomotives such as the old Pullman Ms used on the Metro North route. This came with TC1&2, and seem to be in TS2009 and up. I can't verify this.

Anyway if you put one of these on the end, you get the correct results. What makes these different from another cab-car beats me. When viewing the config files, I could not see any difference.

In the 1980s the MBTA up here out of Boston, ran F-units on one end and 6-car sets of depowered RDCs as well as the recently retiring F40Phs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaYg_byrpEs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji-GIATytfc&feature=related

If you look carefully at the end of the last video, you'll see an old NYC RDC. It still had the orange and red stripes on the end; unpainted over like the rest were with the purple and yellow stripes of the commuter rail.

John

I wouldn't call the old pullman M's cab cars or locomotives. They are air conditioned multiple units (ACMU). They are capable of running in both electrified and diesel territory.

 

[KonstantinMMRR]

The Metro North Cars in TS2012 are the ones that are giving me trouble. I have not used the change direction command. I can try that. I have noticed that inside the cab of the cab car does not look like it should, based on the outside (Just like the Brady Bunch House).

As far as the trains with a locomotive at each end, they have been working fine. I only assign one driver to the train, not to a specific locomotive. I have not been using the change direction command, but they have been working perfectly.

Thank you
Dean

 

[JCitron]

The Metro North Cars in TS2012 are the ones that are giving me trouble. I have not used the change direction command. I can try that. I have noticed that inside the cab of the cab car does not look like it should, based on the outside (Just like the Brady Bunch House).

As far as the trains with a locomotive at each end, they have been working fine. I only assign one driver to the train, not to a specific locomotive. I have not been using the change direction command, but they have been working perfectly.

Thank you
Dean

Hi Dean,

I tried the change direction command and it did not work. If you get it to work let us know. It's weird how the cab cars don't work like locomotives with the drivers. I wonder if an engine spec would make the difference. I have no idea how to do this, just thinking out loud.

The cab cars, like many locomotives use generic interiors so the cabs don't always match what they look like on the outside.

John
John

 

[sniper297]

When I first started playing with AI traffic, I set up a train with the Navigate to trackmark yard 1 then Uncouplez From 01 then navigate to whatever. AI train followed the instructions to the letter, the cars still moving at 20mph piled up around the loco. :hehe: I've learned since then to add a Wait 10 seconds (or 20, whatever) between any "glitchy" command and the previous/next command.

So I set up my bilevel scoots in the Chicago Metro to navigate to trackmark, wait 10 seconds, change direction, wait 10 seconds, navigate to whatever the next trackmark is. Works perfectly in TS2010 and TS12, possibly the difference is that the scoot train is set up with the e8 on one end and the cab car, which is classed as a locomotive, reversed at the back end. I have had freight trains running backwards and forwards without the change direction command, just using navigate via trackmark, possibly the difference there is the way I set up the trackmarks - rather than doing navigate to trackmark 1, navigate to trackmark 2, navigate to trackmark 1 again and relying on the AI to not get confused over navigate to trackmark 1 twice, I add a trackmark 3 close to trackmark 1 and do the 1 2 3 sequence. Might not be necessary, but it makes programming all the instructions less confusing to me.

 

[KonstantinMMRR]

I have been experimenting with "Change Direction" and other suggestions posted here. I can not get the push-pull trains to work correctly. For now, I will just use trains with a locomotive at each end.

The RDC cars also work very well, and I like using them, I only wish they were quieter. That was the real reason I began using push-pull trains, so the cab car was far away from the sounds of the engine, and it drove along quietly.

Dean

 

[fran1]

Where you have a loco at one end and the driving coach at the other try the run round ex command. This will move the driver to the opposite cab.