Hump Yards

[railbard]

Just to have rolling stock physics that reflect real life would be enough . BTW I am all in favor of prototypical "pumping up the air" times, and brakes that don't let you immediately re-apply them after letting them off without that period of pumping them up again.

But I don't think we need to add all prototypical practices (airbrake test immediately before heading out or going down a long grade anyone?). There are numerous little prototype activities we don't do in RW (or MSTS, or many model railroaders) because they just don't add much to the experience.

You have to draw a line somewhere or else it all devolves into too much work and not enough fun.

[SMMDigital]

Another possibility this would open up would be "gravity switching". There are two industries on the NSAND that can be switched in this manner.

[Kali]

I guess you won't have had through-piped stock over there - air-piped basically means what it says, there's an air pipe going from one end of the vehicle to the other, and that's it. It means you can couple the vehicle anywhere in a consist, but it won't contribute anything to the train's brake force. Some of our goods stock had vacuum auto-brakes and air pipes in the period we were switching to air-brakes.

What we really need is the ability to drain the air reservoirs on the cars, but there's no way of doing that. That would conveniently solve a lot of other issues with RW brakes too, thinking about it. Having some brakeless switching-only stock wouldn't be too much of a hassle really, it's not often you go hump shunting and then take the entire consist down the main line in the same scenario, is it?

[Csxgp38-2]

That's a good idea Kali. Maybe have the normal car (US Covered Hopper 1) and then (US Covered Hopper 1 D) For drained brakes.