RAILDRIVER STEAM REVERSER IN TRAINZ 2012: A SOLUTION?

RHKluckhohn

Active member
The RailDriver reverser handle does not work on Trainz 12 steam engines. It's really not that bad to use the mouse to control the Johnson bar with the mouse hand while working the throttle with the other, but you can also program two of the front panel buttons to work the reverser.

Program one button "Reverser Up" and the other "Reverser Down" using the RDCabMaker.exe . Operation is about as smooth as the "P" coal shovel, you have to be delicate and you might want to use the mouse for final trim, but it does work, at least on the N&W Y6b mallet.

I applied those to the Waybill and Commodities buttons, which do not function under 2012.

You probably know that the file to modify is %Trainz%\controllers\steam.rdf (or modern.rdf for diesel/electric) -- it took me days to figure out why my mods were not being recognized. I was putting them in the ..\CabMakerFiles folder instead. Duh.

Another very useful command to buttonify is Brake Lap. Yes! Only a few Trainz locos I've run have a proper lap position, so a Brake Lap button is a must. Works well.

In my overhauled button panel, the buttons are in a vertical orientation, so Switch Ahead is above Switch Behind and Reverser Up above Reverser Down. Help is now labelled Junction Arrows. Display Clock and Load, which have not worked since 2004, are gone.

Oh, and put Close Firebox Door on the Dual Cabs button in steam.rdf . Again it bounces a lot but it's better than taking your eyes off the road.

Working in Windows 7 (and probably Vista [upgrade to 7, for goodness' sake!]), if your Trainz folder is located in C:\Programs(x86)\ your modified files will disappear when saved in the original folder. They must be viewed with the "Compatability" button in the Windows folder menu bar. Save them to the Desktop instead, then move them into the appropriate program folder.

:B~)
Bob Kluckhohn
 
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