Steamers don't have any power

[jadebullet]

First of all, yes, I am using TRS09, but the steamer that I am using has had its engine spec replaced with the generic TC3+ friendly one. (horray for making things "better.")

Anyway, I have decided to mess around with steam. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be able to take any sort of grade without stalling. I am pretty sure that I am doing everything correct, water between 50% and 70%, blower on at slow speeds, off at higher, and full throttle and regulator going up a grade, but it just keeps stalling once enough cars get on the grade. I even threw two helpers onto the end of the train, and it got about a foot further. The grades are a 1% and a 1.45 percent, depending on which direction you go.

When I threw a single GP7 on, it pulled it just fine. (It is a pretty small hill(1/4 of a mile), which is followed by a down grade.)

 

[rweber95]

What is the kuid number of the steam loco you're talking about and how many tons was the consists?

Bob

 

[philskene]

Been here, done that?:

http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=52722

 

[paulhobbs]

and full throttle and regulator going up a grade, but it just keeps stalling once enough cars get on the grade.

I'd stick to diesels if I were you until you find out how to use the reverser.

Paul

 

[jadebullet]

Well, it would help if there was a good tutorial for running a steam locomotive in mountainous conditions. Phil, your tutorial is good, and it has really helped me out, especially with the blower, but it doesn't really tell how to tackle grades.

Paul, could you please explain what I am doing wrong? Yes, I know that I am a newbie when it comes to steam, but I refuse to just run it on flatland like some sort of midwesterner. (Okay, I have definitely been living in PA too long, lol. I moved here from the mid to west west. (Colorado springs.)) Oh, and I meant no offense to midwesterners.

 

[Davie_UCF]

Suprisingly in Trainz, steam locos actually seem to act a bit like real locomotives..

I've been trying since TC3 came out and slowly i've managed to get better... you deffinately have the regulator/throttle and reverser/cutoff in the wrong places to go up a grade like that..

Sorry I can't be of too much help, hoping someone with a bit more experience and knowledge of how it actually works will come in and tell you whats wrong.

But don't for one second think they are underpowered.. its not as simple as moving a lever to notch 5 and expecting it to go that fast.


This is why I love steam driving on trainz.. its always a challenge.

David

 

[jadebullet]

Well, I figured that putting full steam to the cylinders, as well as allowing steam to flow into the cylinders during the full forward stroke was the way to go.

The train is 2115tons. I like that I have to regulate things for a steamer, but I don't like that nowhere in the entire game does it tell you how.

 

[paulhobbs]

Full regulator and 75% forward gear mean that you will destroy the fire if you are going at any sort of speed. What you are doing is using what steam you have as fast as possible so it's no wonder you run out of it. A TC3 engine spec (at least one of the ones supplied with TC3) is no good anyway if you are trying to pull 2000 tons uphill. British locos just aren't capable of that sort of thing.

Paul

 

[jadebullet]

That explains why the locomotive stalled out when I was working it the proper way. (My friend was showing me how... not that the train listened to it.)


What we need is a good old American locomotive engine spec that works for TC3+, as I agree, this British spec can't pull anything up any sort of grade. (They don't really have mountains in Britain do they? At least not like ours right?)

 

[Davie_UCF]

We have mountains and steep grades, but I think the main thing is over here our trains are nowhere near as long as over there.. Small country n all

 

[rweber95]

From AL Krug's HP vs TE, a 1.45% grade requires 29 lb/ton TE. For a 2115 ton train that's 61335 lb. If the loco has an adhesion of 25% you need a loco weighing 611335/.25=245340 lb or a loco with mass of 111520 kg. Whats is the mass of the loco you're using?

Bob

 

[Paulsw2]

From AL Krug's HP vs TE, a 1.45% grade requires 29 lb/ton TE. For a 2115 ton train that's 61335 lb.

Well that would explain your problem using British loco enginespecs - even the Standard 9F only had a tractive effort of about 40,000 lb.

Paul