Random loco failures now?

[Kali]

I'll have to ask an engineer friend, but my guess is that the conductor would go back to the failed loco, reset whatever caused the trip (low oil, low water, etc.) and attempt a restart. How we could emulate that I really don't know.

Change cab, push the start button. Actually that might work for the DP ones; I've asked some questions about the scripting & the snow stuff froms someone who has a copy, but I never thought to ask about that.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Does this "feature" account for the many dead/stalled/standing trains one encounters in the Donner Pass scenarios?

I thought DP is a high density mainline yet I encounter only occasional traffic, and most of the trains seem to be standing. Have they failed, as there is often no exhaust visible?

What was the actual failure rate of SP's engines in that era? It sure must have been harsh operating conditions if those same engines first had to run through a scorching desert before climbing a mountain in polar conditions, experiencing a 100 degrees C difference in air temperature.

Most trains seem overpowered to me, so perhaps SP always sent a few spare engines up with the consist just to be safe.
Since there are hardly any passing sidings and few crossovers you wouldn't want your train to get stalled on the ascent. I think that due to those stiff grades and tight curves using lots of pushers wasn't an option? Pushing too hard and your whole train gets spilled all over the right of way if it isn't properly blocked.

As I am re-reading this thread I "heard" a GE dying, as a bell sounds when you start/stop the prime mover. Only because I was driving with my head out of the window I heard the bell sounding in the 2nd engine. Of course, in real locomotives you will see a warning light flash or in the modern locos you'll get a message in the dashboard's display. Now in TS12 you just notice a drop in power and have to look for the engine without smoke.

So AFAIMC RSC should either make their engines 100% reliable or provide us with proper indication and means of restarting/troubleshooting a failing engine.

[nigel]

So AFAIMC RSC should either make their engines 100% reliable or provide us with proper indication and means of restarting/troubleshooting a failing engine.

Yes, I agree - it could in principle be quite an interesting feature, but if all it means is you randomly find you can't complete a scenario you've been driving for several hours, and maybe don't even really know why, it's not much fun at all.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

My thoughts exactly! Especially since random engine failures aren't mentioned before you start off on such a long scenario.

So with 2 GE's in the lead, followed by 3 SD40's and another SD40 pushing that 100 car coal train, I had one GE fail, then a SD, but was still able to make it to the top. Albeit with full throttle and constant sanding. On the descent, should those dead engines still be able to assist in dynamic braking? I presume they wouldn't in prototype, but in RSC I don't know.
I am able to hold back the train with 33-44% dynamic braking, sanding only when the wheel slip indicator lights up. I applied the air brakes only when the speed was about to go ove the 30 MpH limit, 3-8% is sufficient. Because there is no readout of brake cylinder pressure I don't know if I am mishandling my train or not.

I put Kali's "stiff" couplers in beforehand, so there is less spring/slack action. No derailments so far, I am already 4 real hours underway.

What about these displays? Why aren't they working? Isn't RSC able to program them properly? The P42DC has nice readouts, all of RSC's mostly have "n/a" or are alltogether blank.

I asked several of the "bin hackers" but none of them wants to take up this challenge. TaD will give us more lighting options (for a small fee) but many of us want better engine physics.

[Kali]

Pretty sure you'll only get dynamic brakes from the lead engine anyway - I ran some tests a while ago and had to use consist messaging to make them work on trailing units.

I guess someone could do a child object overlay for the cab screens to add more working parts, but it's not going to be me doing that.

[PapaXpress]

Is there a way to add a helper as part of the scenario? So the engine breaks, it triggers a dialog to pop up saying "whoa, we're down an engine captin! I've radioed for help", the help being a set of SD40's that were also triggered (or you switched over to) and after a period of time hook up and you can move along again.

or is this a pipe dream?

[Machinist]

Is there a way to add a helper as part of the scenario? So the engine breaks, it triggers a dialog to pop up saying "whoa, we're down an engine captin! I've radioed for help", the help being a set of SD40's that were also triggered (or you switched over to) and after a period of time hook up and you can move along again.

or is this a pipe dream?

So far, with actual scenario's commands, a pipe and smoky dream!!!

AI Train can couple and work as helper, since your Player Train didn't move yet (same position when scenario started). Scenario creator could let a set of helpers each mile with junctions strategically set to the main line, and then (maybe) the unfortunate engineer coulda roll down backwards (if grade is in his favour, very bad luck if not yet) and couple to the CRU* consist.

Good random luck, mate!

* Counter Randomist Unit, 24 hours ready to neutralize enemy's excessive failure random atacks (announced by the retired Jack Bower, CRU's Marshall Commander).

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

(quoting PapaXpress)Is there a way to add a helper as part of the scenario? So the engine breaks, it triggers a dialog to pop up saying "whoa, we're down an engine captin! I've radioed for help", the help being a set of SD40's that were also triggered (or you switched over to) and after a period of time hook up and you can move along again.

or is this a pipe dream?
So far, with actual scenario's commands, a pipe and smoky dream!!!

AI Train can couple and work as helper, since your Player Train didn't move yet (same position when scenario started). Scenario creator could let a set of helpers each mile with junctions strategically set to the main line, and then (maybe) the unfortunate engineer coulda roll down backwards (if grade is in his favour, very bad luck if not yet) and couple to the CRU* consist.

I didn't quite get that, sorry. Your native language is German, right? Ich spreche ordentlich Deutsch, so we could continue this conversation in German over at rail-sim.de if you want.

What I want to now is wether it is possible to uncouple a helper engine 'on the fly', I could really use such a feature in the heavy coal train scenarios over at Toripony's COARW. It would be nice to have the Ronceverte helper uncouple itself at Tuckahoe, stop just before entering the Alleghany tunnel and then reverse through the crossover to the #1 main and down to its pocket in Ronceverte.

Moderator, perhaps this is better discussed in a separate thread?

[Kali]

I'm pretty sure that once you attach a consist to your player consist, it will eat any independence the consist had. I was hoping for slip-coaches and so on, but no go.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

You mean the "red" engine, the one you jumped into first? I can drop pushers in the train view but of course they just come to a stop and stay put while my player train continues.
I played a few UK scenarios where you are in the banking loco and once you pushed your train to its designed marker and uncouple the train stays put and you bring your banker light engine down to where it needs to go.

Perhaps, once (and if ever) RSC decides to add a multi-player function this kind of operation becomes possible. It would be great for those VORA sessions for sure.

I play Farming Simulator as well, and this game has a multi user feature. I.e. one person drives a combine harvester and others drive tractors and trailers to and fro, taking the harvest back to the farm or bringing it straight to the mil etc. Great fun, as you can sort of dress up and actually see the other player's characters and can have some interaction with them. You can all drive to a pub and have a virtual beer once the harvest is in.

Team playing depends greatly on team work and a positive spirit in all players for pleasure and a good result. So sessions are usually limited to friends and acqaintances. VORA's chief of operations wants all participating players to have passed some qualification for a purpose. You wouldn't want some player with ill intent spoiling all the fun.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Oh, Kali, you have been very proficient in hacking TS12 to implement prototype features in engines, cars and couplers.
Would it be wise to have Hawk make a sticky thread with all of your tips and findings? Now it is spread all over the board and cluttered with comments.

I am sure serious players greatly appreciate your efforts and would like to learn from you and implement their knowledge in their instalations.
It would also make it easier for RSC to sense what us users/customers want from them regarding prototypical operations.

It grieves me Donner Pass is a rather disappointing entrance into the US market for RSC. Anything that is a California hallmark still has a golden shine for most of the world and SP and Donner Pass are certainly one of them.
I really wish them to succeed and convince some of the best MSTS developers to start porting their excellent routes and trains over to TS12. I am afraid the current DP rather scares them away when loyal customers still aren't satisfied after a couple of updates the coming months.

[Machinist]

I'm pretty sure that once you attach a consist to your player consist, it will eat any independence the consist had. I was hoping for slip-coaches and so on, but no go.

Exactly, I've already tested it 2 month ago (and today again, out of couriosity in case something has changed) and when Player train couple to an AI train, AI train loses its independence, i.e., AI train is no more able to continue (or start) to execute its instructions.

[micaelcorleone]

Your native language is German, right? Ich spreche ordentlich Deutsch, so we could continue this conversation in German over at rail-sim.de if you want.

No, Machinist is not German.

[Kali]

Oh, Kali, you have been very proficient in hacking TS12 to implement prototype features in engines, cars and couplers.
Would it be wise to have Hawk make a sticky thread with all of your tips and findings? Now it is spread all over the board and cluttered with comments.

Well, it's not just me doing it! but perhaps a sticky would be a good idea if there's enough tips from everyone. Just don't try and get me to organise anything, not one of my skills.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

OK, I understand. It is up to Hawk to make a sticky.

Let's wait first to see how TaD's commerical engine enhancement pack works out. If it clashes with the throttle/engine/horn/bell and other hacks many of us have applied, then what?
Waiting for RSC to sort things out and provide us with prototypical engines I fear will be a very long wait.

Steam does not respect any user interference with core files, so I have done all of my alternations on a copy of TS12 that isn't under Steam. Keeping things synchronized is already difficult enough.

For now, I'll make all DP scenarios 100% reliable