RSC 2-8-0 CONSOLIDATION

[jalsina]

I think the problem you're having is that the fire mass is way, way too high and you're suffocating the fire and blocking the passage of air through the coal bed. The ideal fire mass is when it shows about 60% on the HUD (the ideal fire mass is 650lbs, out of a maximum of 1083lbs). At 90%, it's almost like having no fire at all.

It has to be that. I am going sky high in the firebox to 75-80%, used to other TS2016 locomotives
Anyway. I thought I was doing better with this run but the mass was much above 650lbs and raising. It was over 800lb when I read your repply. It would have finished with the machine broken again.
The situation >800 lb. still putting more coal to a 75% firebox reading:

2015-10-12_00018.jpg

I am lowering the mass, now near 750 lbs:

2015-10-12_00019.jpg

I just ran more comfortable last week in steep grades. But this is flat terrain.

Another lesson form the PHD.
Well done!

[jalsina]

Yes, the damper does matter. Pull it up all the way.

And the blower helps a lot when you are losing speed while getting out of pressure and ideas, going uphill.

[mrennie]

Yeah, so remember my asking if I should expect my train to stall on a 2.5% grade? Using HUD and Auto-Fireman? Um... I've had the damper closed all this time...



Just opened it and ZOOMED up that hill with tons-o-steam to spare... Oh well, good training in conservation I guess...

One of the things I love about modelling steam locomotives is that there's so much to learn from it. It's given me a solid appreciation of, and great respect for, what the crew have to know and do to operate these machines in real life. Some of my own knowledge has come from books but also from talking to very experienced steam locomotive engineers, like Justin Kardas, Robert Conner and John Rimmasch, to name a few. Another thing I like is that by making the Advanced model as authentic as I can, it becomes a great tool for passing on that knowledge to other people, and hopefully their appreciation for the real-life job will grow too. The "standard" locos in TS don't even get close to that.

That said, there's still a whole lot more I could have added to the authentic model if I'd had time, although I suspect that if I had, a lot of players would have given up in frustration (which is in itself one of the risks we modellers take ... the risk of going too far with the authenticity and alienating some of the paying public).

[mrennie]

I just ran more comfortable last week in steep grades. But this is flat terrain.

Another lesson form the PHD.
Well done!

That must be it .. on the steep grades you were probably burning the coal at a much higher rate, maybe not even keeping up with the maximum rate of shovelling, and so you didn't get the chance to overfill the firebox

[tg626]

(which is in itself one of the risks we modellers take ... the risk of going too far with the authenticity and alienating some of the paying public).

I'm glad you're aware of that point. Back in my flight sim days there was a certain "camp" of modelers who would make wonderful models of large complex aircraft and write scripting and code to make ever last button and switch operational. Trouble was (in my eyes at least) that they were then placing a single player in the position of doing the job of 3 to 4 people in real life (late prop and early jets needed more then a pilot and co-pilot to fly).

No thanks, says I.

I absolutely ADORE that you've made this wonderful model, but built it so it can be run within the normal workings of the game (HUD mode) OR full on being the engineer (ADV).

Right now, I'm happy with HUD mode, but when it gets old hat, and it will, I can always step up to the big leagues!

[tg626]

Yes, the damper does matter. Pull it up all the way.

And the blower helps a lot when you are losing speed while getting out of pressure and ideas, going uphill.

With auto-fireman you can't control the blower (at least it doesn't act like it)

[bpetit]

Mike, I just tried the ADV version. I can't get the brakes off because they keep applying even in the release quadrant. I've reinstalled twice and did the usual things.

Never dern mind, had the independent on before the brakes release causing an conflict.

[jalsina]

Yes, the damper does matter. Pull it up all the way.

And the blower helps a lot when you are losing speed while getting out of pressure and ideas, going uphill.

With auto-fireman you can't control the blower (at least it doesn't act like it)

I never use the TS2016 auto-fireman or simple controls in any loco.

[tg626]

I use the expert controls, but the autofireman.

[mrennie]

Mike, I just tried the ADV version. I can't get the brakes off because they keep applying even in the release quadrant. I've reinstalled twice and did the usual things.

Never dern mind, had the independent on before the brakes release causing an conflict.

Ah ok

You also have to be careful not to leave the automatic train brake handle in Release (all the way to the left) for too long, otherwise you end up overcharging the brake pipe (pressure in the brake pipe reaching the same as the main reservoir instead of stopping at the feed valve setting of 90psi). It's best to release the brakes by letting the handle stop in the "Running" detent (which is more or less where the handle points straight back at the rear of the cab), because that does stop at 90psi. It's all explained in the updated manual that i forgot to include in the update package (oops!) but uploaded separately last night (maybe Bob will have time to put it in the File Library at the weekend).

EDIT: I'm pretty sure there'll be a lot of people who'll overcharge the brake pipe and won't even realise it, and then they'll say "that last update broke the engine, <insert expletives here>". So to try to avoid that, I've now added a message that will pop up in the top right hand corner of the screen when the brake pipe is overcharged, and it'll explain (briefly) how to recover from that operational error.

[mrennie]

I use the expert controls, but the autofireman.

OK, but is that with the HUD?

Even the HUD version is much more advanced than TS "standard" steam locos, but the "Advanced" version, firing manually, is the one to aim for

[mrennie]

Yes, the damper does matter. Pull it up all the way.

And the blower helps a lot when you are losing speed while getting out of pressure and ideas, going uphill.

With auto-fireman you can't control the blower (at least it doesn't act like it)

That's right, the game's auto-fireman doesn't let you interfere with the blower.

[buzz456]

Screenshot_RWA Lakeside_46.51942--90.73767_11-32-25.jpg

Screenshot_RWA Lakeside_46.51846--90.73160_11-31-30.jpg

I just have to jump in here and say that I think the blend of black smoke and steam shown here is a very realistic blend of black and gray.

[mrennie]

I just have to jump in here and say that I think the blend of black smoke and steam shown here is a very realistic blend of black and gray.

Thanks Buzz, I'm glad it got the thumbs up. I won't change it all that much in the final version, just to make it lighter (less black) when there's less soot being produced.

EDIT: I've just finished testing the modification. Now it looks like this when there's less soot:

2015-10-12_00001.jpg

If you reduce the airflow by doing something such as closing the firebox doors, or closing the damper, or putting in too much coal, or reducing the exhaust (which also happens when you slow right down and leave the blower off), the thick black smoke, like in Buzz's screenshots, returns. It's nearly always like that when starting off.

[dleeboy]

That last screen shot looks great. I found a video on YouTube on the Real V&T Scenic Railway running an Consolidation. I think your last tweak from the screen shots looks really good. They don't use coal in there Consolidation they use oil I think you have it down good to me. But this is just what I think.

https://youtu.be/CMid7ZyTa7U