Railworks America

So to start off, I have NOT had any of these issues until this weekend. The only recent additions to my game were a few rolling stock items from the RWA library. I have done/used all of the things I'm about to describe before WITHOUT issue until this weekend. I don't know if these issues are connected or not, but here goes nothing...

When resuming a previous free roam scenario that I created for Soldier Summit, I went to use the D&RGW Heritage SD70ACe. Upon entering the cab, with expert controls and F4 HUD up, I noticed that the train and dynamic brake function keys were not working, but the locomotive brake was. All brakes functioned normally when using the HUD controls or cab controls. All other key functions operated as normal.

So with those issues, I decided to edit the scenario and remove that particular unit to see if the issue was just with that locomotive. Upon the scenario editor screen loading, this is what came up. Almost pitch black screen and it was EXTREMELY laggy like it wanted to freeze up. But when leaving the editor back into the actual scenario, the screen returns to normal.


My third issue is with the Sherman Hill SD70M and ES44AC (have not checked the SW10 or SD40-2). These I cant operate the brakes at all via keyboard control. When using the HUD or cab controls, I can operate the brakes. But, the locomotive brake will not go below 20% at all. The train and dynamic brakes will operate, but will not operate with accuracy. If I want to set either to say, 30%, it may either go to 33% or 28%.


I'm EXTREMELY confused as to what is happening and I'm VERY computer ILLITERATE. Any help will be appreciated GREATLY. Please let me know if I can provide any more information that might be useful!!!



PS; I am currently checking if any other routes have the editor issue and if any other locomotives have the brake issues.

Update: Seems the brake issue is something to do with whatever DTG has updated recently. Advanced braking and/or braking multiplier??? This is what I think the message says in the upper right corner when I start a scenario.

The SH diesels, the GTEL and the Soldier Summit SD40T-2 all have advanced brake scripting.

The independent brake simulates bail-off, including the spring-loaded action of the handle's bail-off position. That's why, when you let go of the handle (in the cab) or slider (on the F4 HUD), it springs back to around 20% - that's the "Running" position of the handle. To bail off, you have to continually drag the handle/slider into the Release position (0% on the HUD).

The automatic (train) brake handle also simulates the various detents in the brake quadrant, and when you move the handle/slider, it will stop at the first detent it encounters. To move past that detent, you have to stop moving the handle for at least half a second before trying to move it again. This not only gives a kind of tactile feedback (in the absence of actual force feedback controllers) to sense the detents, but also helps to avoid accidentally sliding the brake handle all the way to the Emergency position when you meant to stop at Full Service application, or going all the way to Release when you mean to stop at Running, for example. Before this advanced braking, the handle/slider had totally free movement across the entire range with nothing at all to help you feel the detents.

As for the other problems, I think the first thing you should do is to verify the game files (via Steam client, selecting the Properties menu for Train Simulator). You've probably got some corrupted files (it happens a lot, to me anyway). Maybe the inputmapper file has got corrupted.

Thanks for the info on the Advanced braking! What does the braking difficulty multiplier do? I notice this on some of the older DTG locomotives as well.

I have done the file verification. It said 42 files had issues and would be reacquired. So maybe I need to shut down and start back up again.

Is there a manual available that goes into further detail about the advanced braking/braking difficulty settings?

The Soldier Summit manual has a fairly comprehensive section in it about Mike's wonderful braking (which I love ). The scenario editor issue is just a thing that the Soldier Summit route does, for whatever reason, so there's nothing necessarily wrong with your version of the route.

Cheers

Bob

hertsbob wrote:The Soldier Summit manual has a fairly comprehensive section in it about Mike's wonderful braking (which I love ). The scenario editor issue is just a thing that the Soldier Summit route does, for whatever reason, so there's nothing necessarily wrong with your version of the route.

Cheers

Bob

The manual for the UP GTEL (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\RailWorks\Manuals\EN\UP GTEL Manual EN.PDF) expands on what was written for Soldier Summit, giving a lot more detail about the advanced brakes and how they relate to the HUD.

Somebody really should update the SH manual to append an explanation of the brakes. It seems to catch out a lot of people.



Mike

NStrains wrote:Thanks for the info on the Advanced braking! What does the braking difficulty multiplier do? I notice this on some of the older DTG locomotives as well.

I have done the file verification. It said 42 files had issues and would be reacquired. So maybe I need to shut down and start back up again.

Is there a manual available that goes into further detail about the advanced braking/braking difficulty settings?

The older DTG diesels, such as in the Canadian Mountain Passes and NS Coal District routes, have a kind of advanced braking that was done before I re-scripted it completely for the Soldier Summit SD40T-2 and later on for the Sherman Hill locos. However, in both implementations, there is the idea of being able to adjust the difficulty level by modifying the delay that you see between moving the brake handle, to do a brake application or release, and the brakes actually responding. One way in which my implementation is more realistic is that it does actually simulate the propagation delay, which depends on the length of the consist, as the pressure wave travels up or down the brake pipe, and the effectiveness of the brakes as they apply or release one car at a time (and with a force that depends on how much the auxiliary reservoirs have depleted) instead of all at the same time. In my script, the difficulty level affects the realism of the propagation delay. On "hard", it's fully realistic. On the "Medium", it's only 2/3rds of the full delay, on "Easy" you get just 1/3rd of the correct delay, and on "Easiest" you get no delay at all. You can change the difficulty level at any time during a scenario. If you can get 1000 points in a downhill career scenario with the brakes on "Hard" all the time, you should reward yourself with an extra choccy biscuit.

Sounds like the advanced braking is just something I'll have to get used to. I hate using simple controls now that I'm used to expert controls.

Sucks about Soldier Summit just being that way.

How nice to hear from the folks who actually read DLC owners' manuals!

OldProf wrote:How nice to hear from the folks who actually read DLC owners' manuals!

Well you know the funny thing, Mr. OldProf, is that up until this past weekend, I never had any issues with the braking. I've owned Soldier Summit since 9/23/15 and have used the SH ES44AC and SD70M both since that date as well. Up until this weekend, for whatever reason, I have never seen any mention about the 'Advanced Braking' feature.

So instead of patronizing me, why don't you be helpful, and maybe lead me to where I can find the actual manual that explains the advanced braking feature?

NStrains wrote:

OldProf wrote:How nice to hear from the folks who actually read DLC owners' manuals!

Well you know the funny thing, Mr. OldProf, is that up until this past weekend, I never had any issues with the braking. I've owned Soldier Summit since 9/23/15 and have used the SH ES44AC and SD70M both since that date as well. Up until this weekend, for whatever reason, I have never seen any mention about the 'Advanced Braking' feature.

So instead of patronizing me, why don't you be helpful, and maybe lead me to where I can find the actual manual that explains the advanced braking feature?

You folks really should take the time to read the posts that offer help instead of getting annoyed. Here is the post from Mike Rennie:The manual for the UP GTEL (C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\RailWorks\Manuals\EN\UP GTEL Manual EN.PDF) expands on what was written for Soldier Summit, giving a lot more detail about the advanced brakes and how they relate to the HUD.

Buzz, I saw that, but I do not own that DLC. So that's why I was asking where else I could find it.

The blackness problem has to do with 2d weather, change it to a 3d type while you edit and then back to 2d if you want it there for the final scenario.