How many locomotives do I actually control ?

[Cardinal51]

When I am hauling stuff and there are multiple engines in m y consist do I actually control the other engines as well ?

Does the sim simpy multiply the power out put of the lead engine by the total number of engines ?

[Kali]

It did in RW2; in RW3 you are actually controlling all of them, ie their different power setup does matter. Brakes, I don't think it matters other than brakeforce and whether they partially release or not.

[arizonachris]

The sim does seem to use the power from a DMU, but there is also that random failure on some routes. Helpers in the middle will actually help, too. On the tail end, I'm not convinced. Don't think the physics of the sim can handle that.
But, yes, you do control all the engines in a lashup/ consist from the lead engine.

[Kali]

They all power, doesn't matter where they are - there's no reason why rear units won't power if middle ones will anyway. Try using an EMU as a driving trailer with the engine on the back sometime.

[maxsdad]

In a related question. If I add some loose engines to the end of a consist that are not part of the scenario, do they automaticly turn on and supply power to the consist? Can they be used to add power to original consist?

maxsdad

[dfcfu342]

If you stick a DPU on the back of the train and apply the power on and off you can see the coupler stretch and compress so each locomotive does supply its own power. It still seams that only the lead locomotive provides dynamic braking.

But at least we're moving the right direction with each loco providing its own power.

[Kali]

In a related question. If I add some loose engines to the end of a consist that are not part of the scenario, do they automaticly turn on and supply power to the consist? Can they be used to add power to original consist?

maxsdad

Anything you couple to your consist will power, unless it's marked dead ( and I'm not even sure that sticks if you couple after the start ) or it's got some fancy scripting.

Dynamics can work down the train with a bit less fancy scripting.

[Machinist]

Kali is right a "dead" locomotive in the lashup doesn't have power, IIRC you can't even change to its cab (is like a car/wagon).

[Chacal]

Interestingly, once I coupled a helper to the back of a consist and it stayed dead. Couldn't even change to its cab. So I saved and restarted the sim, and the loco had power.

[OldProf]

Keep in mind that you can also take control of any one of the other locos.

[Cardinal51]

Keep in mind that you can also take control of any one of the other locos.

But that loco would still be used as""master" for all others, right ?

Half throttle on one loco would result in half throttle for all loco's, right ?

[Kali]

Yes. Well, you can do fancy tricks to make it not so, but usually yes.

[ex-railwayman]

Interestingly, once I coupled a helper to the back of a consist and it stayed dead. Couldn't even change to its cab. So I saved and restarted the sim, and the loco had power.

Ah, this is one of the quirks of Railworks 3, sometimes you have to come out of the game completely and start the scenario/freeroam again, then it should be OK.

I made the mistake in the early days of not putting a driver in a loco and couldn't understand why I couldn't click on it half way thru the route, so, I put drivers in all of my locos nowadays, irrespective of their position in a consist, and can go into any cab to operate the controls.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

[Machinist]

I made the mistake in the early days of not putting a driver in a loco and couldn't understand why I couldn't click on it half way thru the route, so, I put drivers in all of my locos nowadays, irrespective of their position in a consist, and can go into any cab to operate the controls.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

What do you mean by put "drivers"? The driver icon (white circle with blue driver)? or the driver character sitting on cab?

In a consist you can't add more than one driver icon, you can choose in each engine you wanna the driver icon, but cannot have two driver icons in the same consist. When you add a engine with a driver icon to a consist with a driver icon, this second driver icon goes out.

Once you have a driver icon in a consist (in any position) you can go into any cab to operate the controls, unless the engine is marked as "dead", as posted above.

Cheers,
Doc.

[ex-railwayman]

What do you mean by put "drivers"? The diriver icon (white circle with blue driver)? or the driver character sitting on cab?

In a consist you can't add more than one driver icon, you can choose in each engine you wanna the driver icon, but not have two drivers icon in the same consist. When you add a engine with a driver icon to a consist with a driver icon, this second driver icon goes out.

Cheers,
Doc.

Hmm, I meant the driver icon, and yes, you are quite correct, however, I can put more than 1 driver icon into a consist as I don't have all of the locomotives attached to the wagons, especially, those that are in the middle of the train, or, those on the end of the train, that way you can apply the driver icon to them, then join the locos up to the train when starting off, and you can then detach the helper locos at the end of the freight consist at any time, especially after going down a big grade, or, if you pull into a yard, you can split the train into 2 sections and you have driver-ready locomotives to play with immediately without having to save the scenario.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.