CAB Mode Driving Tip - Diesel Locomotives

shadowarrior

N3V Games
CAB Mode Driving Tip - Diesel Locomotives
by Zec Murphy

Most diesel electric locomotives in Trainz include a functioning interior view, which includes many controls and dials necessary to correctly drive a diesel locomotive. One of these is the ‘Ammeter’ dial. Using the ammeter, you can achieve maximum power correctly. The following is based off the method outlined in a Victorian Railways ‘Operating Instructions’ manual to achieve maximum power as soon as possible. This is achieved by “notching Up’ on the throttle lever, with the ammeter being used as a guide.


When notching up, the needle/display will move around as the locomotive applies more power. When operating a goods/freight train, the throttle must immediately be advanced another notch when the ammeter needle has steadied. This is repeated until the throttle is in No. 8 position (when the locomotive uses 8 ‘power’ notches), this giving maximum power from the locomotive. To achieve best results, you must not pause unnecessarily long between notches.

Maximum power will only be achieved in notch 8, and this should be your objective whenever starting away from a station or approaching a grade.

When notching up with a train traveling at speed, after slack is taken up, or when operating a passenger train, you may notch up with only a slight pause between each notch, and without reference to the ammeter.

This method, of course, should be varied depending on the track speed limit. If you train is already at the track speed limit, then you should not move the throttle any further, unless required to climb a grade.
 
hey do you know how to do the free cam mode thing on trainz 2012 ?? its like a command line you type in then you can just walk about the cab ??
 
You have to create your own Trainzoptions file, and type the lines in ... Someone else knows better than I do, on how, and where to place, a trainzopions file in TS12
 
In your Trainz install directory look in the UserData folder.
Trainzoptions.txt is placed there. If missing add it with your favourite text editor.
Add the following to Trainzoptions.txt:

-freeintcam
 
LOADS IN TS12

I have absoulutely no clue what I did but I cant get ANY loads to work on my rollingstock for TS12. does anyone know what to do?:confused:
 
CAB Mode Driving Tip - Diesel Locomotives
by Zec Murphy

Most diesel electric locomotives in Trainz include a functioning interior view, which includes many controls and dials necessary to correctly drive a diesel locomotive. One of these is the ‘Ammeter’ dial. Using the ammeter, you can achieve maximum power correctly. The following is based off the method outlined in a Victorian Railways ‘Operating Instructions’ manual to achieve maximum power as soon as possible. This is achieved by “notching Up’ on the throttle lever, with the ammeter being used as a guide.


When notching up, the needle/display will move around as the locomotive applies more power. When operating a goods/freight train, the throttle must immediately be advanced another notch when the ammeter needle has steadied. This is repeated until the throttle is in No. 8 position (when the locomotive uses 8 ‘power’ notches), this giving maximum power from the locomotive. To achieve best results, you must not pause unnecessarily long between notches.

Maximum power will only be achieved in notch 8, and this should be your objective whenever starting away from a station or approaching a grade.

When notching up with a train traveling at speed, after slack is taken up, or when operating a passenger train, you may notch up with only a slight pause between each notch, and without reference to the ammeter.

This method, of course, should be varied depending on the track speed limit. If you train is already at the track speed limit, then you should not move the throttle any further, unless required to climb a grade.

This makes sense because the ammeter is placed in series between the generator and the traction motors. If one were to draw too much power too soon or at once, while coming from a stop or going into a steep grade, this could blow something and damage the motors. By watching the current draw on the power system, then it's easier to tell if too much load is being put on the engine and power system.

John
 
saw this and had to ask. As I recall, the Ammeter is also used as a guide to avoiding what I'll call for the time being, unnecessary or dangerous power usage? IE, if you're pushing you're locomotive too hard in some manner particularly going up grades or starting, you're likely to end up with any number of unwanted scenarios, from wheel slippage, to broken couplers, to blow turbos/cooked circuits (Not that these can't happen anyway, but probably not because you're pushing your engine too hard).... The ammeter is as close as you get in a diesel to a real time "Status Report" on the your Power's progress in pulling or starting whatever load you're hauling, and would replace what steam engineers basically had to do by sound and touch (Hearing how hard the cylinders are working, or feeling them vibrate through the frame).

Of course, thats just my understanding, hence the question, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...
Falcus
 
Think you're right. Some of Jointedrail's locomotives are also scripted to fail when pushed too hard for too long.
 
This is what one of my books says about how to read the ampere meter

Code:
Load Current Indicating Meter:

The Locomotive pulling force is indicated by the load current
indicating meter. This meter is graduated to read amperes of
electrical current, with 1500 being the maximum reading on the
scale. The meter is connected so as to indicate the current flowing
through the No.2 Motor (under the cab). Since the amparage is the same
in all motors, each motor will carry the same amount shown on the 
meter. Since the motors receive the power from the
main generator, the meter readings may be multiplied to determine
the approximate generator current output. The multiplying
factor will depend, however, on the particular transition
circuit in effect at the time the reading is taken. For example,
when operating in a series-parallel circuit, the multiplying factor
is 3, in parallel it is 6.

Thus a meter reading of 200 amperes would indicate a generator
output of 600 amperes when operating in series-parallel or
alternatively 1200 amperes in parallel.

Also, as a note the ampere meter is also effected by frame rates since SP1.

Cheers.
 
I'm a marine engineer, certainly not railroad qualified by any stretch if the imagination............but, after reading the above statement,.............. however!
It seems to me that allowing series operation of traction motors is an invitation to catastrophe. Please correct me if I'm wrong..........but I would think some serious current limiting circuits would be installed 'tween generator and motors!
Simple Ohm's Law calculations state in a series circuit all current demanded by the load passes equally through each load, the voltage is divided proportionately amongst the various loads. In a parallel circuit, the voltage is equal across each load, and the current divided proportionately through each load. In a properly designed circuit the generator(s) would be designed to provide maximum draw current at a specified voltage. To my simple knowledge; all power circuits are wired in parallel. General power calculations are simple enough.........volts x amps x power factor = watts...........746 watts = 1 horsepower.
There is a big difference in reading current depending on how the motors are wired to the current source. With two (or more) motors wired in series, no matter what, the ammeter will always read the full current draw on the load, i.e. all motors. An ammeter wired in series to a motor which in turn is wired parallel to the source generator, will read the current drawn by that motor alone. All things being equal, multiplying the number of motors so connected will give an indication of full load current; i.e. horsepower. An ammeter wired in series with any distribution leg of the parallel circuit will indicate the full load draw for that circuit. Of course it all gets a little more complicated with A.C. and more so with 3-phase circuits, but the fundamental elements remain intact.
I hope this cleared it all-up! :confused:
 
Just for interest - The ampmeters have colour bands with time limits on the scales in real life , green yellow and red if I remember correctly, that the drivers adhere to. Stalling occurs when t/motor armatures stand still for too long under load and armatures get cooked any many other bad conditions occur. There are many built-in mechanical and electrical devices to protect the locomotives under normal operating conditions but abuse , negligence and ignorance still causes much damage.
Should one 'wipe' the throttle from 1-8 the governor mechanically controls the revs and power pickup is smooth , some diesel engines bog down though but this is not good and normal practice anyway as someone has already stated.
Certain locos are natural GT's and can pull away faster than some cars :D
 
That control system is sooooooo old..........Yikes!
The series coils are meant to retard the current build up to the motor fields, wired 3 x 2 parallel circuits initially, and 2 x 3 parallel circuits once the engine is moving. The parallel shunt resistor/coil circuit is meant to limit current as the loco comes up to speed. The shunt/coil combination will vary as the loco gains speed. Ideally the shunt resistors will drop out completely at design speed and the only impedance/resistance in the circuit will be that of the motor coils themselves. The schematic, scanty as it is, smells of a D.C. controller. A.C. controllers were not efficiently perfected until the digital age; due to their complexity and footprint. A.C. controllers regulate motor synchronous frequency, i.e speed. D.C. motors, although less efficient, are controlled by field excitation: read brute magnetic force; and are ideal for the variable speed conditions which a loco must work through.
 
I know! You're gonna spout about Pennsylvania and New Haven electrics.
Unless you know what comes out of your wall socket.........please don't!
 
saw this and had to ask. As I recall, the Ammeter is also used as a guide to avoiding what I'll call for the time being, unnecessary or dangerous power usage? IE, if you're pushing you're locomotive too hard in some manner particularly going up grades or starting, you're likely to end up with any number of unwanted scenarios, from wheel slippage, to broken couplers, to blow turbos/cooked circuits (Not that these can't happen anyway, but probably not because you're pushing your engine too hard).... The ammeter is as close as you get in a diesel to a real time "Status Report" on the your Power's progress in pulling or starting whatever load you're hauling, and would replace what steam engineers basically had to do by sound and touch (Hearing how hard the cylinders are working, or feeling them vibrate through the frame).

Of course, thats just my understanding, hence the question, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...
Falcus

This makes sense as the ammeter measures current draw on the motors.

Here's the complete Ohm's Law, which I haven't dealt with in close to 35 years as a technician, and mostly while taking circuit analysis classes in college! :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm's_law

Current, as measured in amperes using an ammeter, is directly proportional to the amount of voltage and resistance in a circuit. So if the voltage goes up, in relation to the resistance which stays the same, then the current will increase. Increasing the resistance, also in relation to the same voltage level, will lower the current, however, decreasing it will increase the amount of current.

John
 
saw this and had to ask. As I recall, the Ammeter is also used as a guide to avoiding what I'll call for the time being, unnecessary or dangerous power usage? IE, if you're pushing you're locomotive too hard in some manner particularly going up grades or starting, you're likely to end up with any number of unwanted scenarios, from wheel slippage, to broken couplers, to blow turbos/cooked circuits (Not that these can't happen anyway, but probably not because you're pushing your engine too hard).... The ammeter is as close as you get in a diesel to a real time "Status Report" on the your Power's progress in pulling or starting whatever load you're hauling, and would replace what steam engineers basically had to do by sound and touch (Hearing how hard the cylinders are working, or feeling them vibrate through the frame).

Of course, thats just my understanding, hence the question, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...
Falcus
IIRC, you are dealing with a system which maintains a level voltage, so AMPS becomes directly proportional to power, especially given a constant impedance (windings + Resistance). Since frequency is controlled by the MG (Motor-Generator) RPMs, the 8 throttle notches of the Deisel Electric have--for each throttle setting-- an equation which is constant to the changed impedance from the previous frequency. In essence, the Amps indicate efficiency at that throttle setting, and are indicative, meaning directly proportional to the power being used.

Consider a triain going over a hump. When all is on one side rolling resistance and gravity oppose the motion, so both are deceleration forces. The power draw will grow as the train struggles up the grade. When half the train is descending whilst the tail is climbing, the Amperage/Power should begin dropping for gravity is now opposing and aiding acceleration forces from the Loco. When the caboose reaches the summit, the power needs go to a minimum as gravity is fully in charge.

What is actually probably being measured is not the output current, but the field current, which responds to the reverse EMF of the load reflected back through the stator winding... which is feeding the output. If the motor requires more current to maintain a constant speed (the governor of that throttle notch) the Ammeter indicates the draw. The feedback is electro-magnetic, the reverse EMF, a frictionlike effect opposing change in speed. Dynamic brakes use the THAT to slow the train, when coupled the other way about. // F


This makes sense as the ammeter measures current draw on the motors.

Here's the complete Ohm's Law, which I haven't dealt with in close to 35 years as a technician, and mostly while taking circuit analysis classes in college! :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm's_law

Current, as measured in amperes using an ammeter, is directly proportional to the amount of voltage and resistance in a circuit. So if the voltage goes up, in relation to the resistance which stays the same, then the current will increase. Increasing the resistance, also in relation to the same voltage level, will lower the current, however, decreasing it will increase the amount of current.

John
Extra points John, if you can show the derivation from E=IR to P=I^2 /R! // Frank
 
What is actually probably being measured is not the output current, but the field current, which responds to the reverse EMF of the load reflected back through the stator winding... which is feeding the output. If the motor requires more current to maintain a constant speed (the governor of that throttle notch) the Ammeter indicates the draw. The feedback is electro-magnetic, the reverse EMF, a frictionlike effect opposing change in speed. Dynamic brakes use the THAT to slow the train, when coupled the other way about.

Typically the load current indicator is connected to indicate the field current through one of the traction motors. To calculate the output current you would have to multiply depending on what transition circuit the locomotive is in.

dont forget - results may vary, every loco is different :p
 
Typically the load current indicator is connected to indicate the field current through one of the traction motors. To calculate the output current you would have to multiply depending on what transition circuit the locomotive is in.

dont forget - results may vary, every loco is different :p

AFAIK, that's three times in two days you've agreed with me... lighting's gonna strike one of us! Not sure why anyone would want to bother when driving in assessing the actual load current, but agree about the calculations needed. Perhaps they have to log it from time to time like a military (sailor's standing watch do a lot of that!) watchstander--I always thought the whole purpose was to make sure you were making your rounds. Recording the potable water levels in the tanks when tied up to the pier hooked up to shore services was a bit pointless... yet a part of two years of my life! Go Figure! // Frank
 
P = I * E
E = I * R
Substitute I * R for E gives the equation...........P = I * I * R....
P = I>2 R
Too bad Frank's not around any more,.........................I'd just love getting goody points from him!

Apologize for waking up this old thread, but I was feeling mathematical this eve...................
 
Back
Top