How to drive.....

[ThaJuggla]

OK, Ive been playing now for a bit, and I have started the steam powered trains sections on the career mode, and its way more complicated than the diesel/electric trains. I need help on figuring out how to keep pressure so when i hit a hill, it doesnt just die and start going down backwards on the darn hill. I have tried tinkering with everything, also not knowing what they do or are for. I have tried looking up things on google with no luck with clarity as to the purpose or what all the gauges mean. Please help with me some idiot-proof tips, for atm i do feel like a complete one for not knowing how to do this stuff.

Thanks in advanced!

-Tha Juggla

[arizonachris]

Ahhhh, the most difficult locomotive to drive is steam. You will just have to practice, using the reverser is totally different than diesel or electric, as well as the regulator. As you start off, zero brakes, full reverser and regulator. You will see your speed flatten off. Now, start backing down both regulator and reverser. Watch the speed increase. You can get all the way down to 32% reverser and 30 to 50% regulator. Like I said, it's gonna take practice! And on top of that, each steam loco is different in how to drive it. But they are my favorite. Get the Duchess or Scotsman up to 100MPH and it's really a blast.

[NDORFN]

I learned to drive steam by using the F5 display and figuring out what numbers need to go up and down and when. It's a balance, and it's about planning ahead and being patient.

[Griphos]

I'm at work or I'd post some links to some good steam tutorials. I believe there might be one or two in the file library here. You could google Railworks Steam tutorial and see what you get.

I'm no expert! But, in general, you want to lower the reverser (like shifting to a higher gear) once you're going. Start with it at full, and move the regulator to full pretty soon after you get going. Drop the reverser down to 60 or so once you're above 10mph, and keep dropping it until you're down around 15-20 at speed. Then adjust your speed further with the regulator. I think you'll find that once you are at speed, you will lose mph by keeping the reverser high, just as you would if you kept the car in a lower gear. So I don't ever have it over 30 or so when I'm at speed.

Second, put a little brake on. Putting the train brake into "running" will help you build more pressure than you are using.

Finally, open your cocks when you are starting, and then close them again when you are beginning to move out.

Others know a lot more than I do, and will probably chime in and point you in useful directions. When I get home, I'll respond with some links to some of the tutorials I've found.

[Kali]

Generally real steam engines are driven with the reverser - I try and do the same for RW but sometimes they're set up a bit funny and you need to back the regulator off slightly. The idea is to get into full regulator as soon as you can do it without either throwing the fire up the chimney/stack - which isn't a RW problem - or without running out of steam because the fire isn't burning well enough - which is a RW issue.

Start off about 60%=70% reverser so you don't slip, and add a bit more if you can't move. Get into full regulator as soon as you can, and just back the reverser off when your steam pressure starts falling. If you're making too much steam and you're breaking the speed limit, shut the dampers to slow steam production down, and only as a last resort close the regulator a bit.

[Griphos]

Good tip on the dampers. Thanks, Kali.

[steve_the_slim]

How does one go about shutting the dampers? And (I've been wondering this for a while but kept forgetting to ask) what does the injector actually do?

I use the automatic fireman, since to me it seems very unrealistic for me to be driving the locomotive by myself. Can you get the locomotive to perform better by firing it yourself, or is it just for the added challenge?

[Kali]

The auto fireman is pretty bad at it.

Dampers are the B key I think, but you can probably get better control if you pop up the F4 panel, or drag them up and down in the cab itself. They control how hot the fire is.

Injectors put water in the boiler by using steam to blow it in there ( technically I think it actually sucks it in but I can't remember that well ), so you need to turn the water on and then turn the steam on, and it consumes a little steam doing it so try and do it when you're not needing full power.

[ThaJuggla]

Appreciate the responses, guys/gals. I will give it more of a shot in just a few after my show goes off.

[ThaJuggla]

Griphos, them videos/tutorials links would still be welcome sights

[Griphos]

Ah, thanks for reminding me. I could just find these two. I thought I bookmarked a video, but couldn't find it. I'll look around some more tomorrow.

http://www.gtraxsims.com/tut/howtorun.htm

http://www.trainsim.com/faq/msts/steam.htm