MLWAudio/Searchlight Sims' GE 7FDL Stream

[BNSFdude]

Hey everyone, I'll be hosting a stream at 4:30PM Central demonstrating the new GE 7FDL16 sounds while running a scenario. I'll be answering questions and such about it as well.

https://www.twitch.tv/dpsowoody/

[OpenRailer90]

https://www.twitch.tv/dpsowoody/v/55434561

Here is the video stream. Sounds are excellent, will definitely buy once released. An HD texture upgrade would be cool just like what AP did to the SC Class 37 for Wherry Lines.

Really interested about that BN SD45. Looks like a new model, not a DTM repaint.

[BNSFdude]

To redo the textures would basically mean remake the entire model. I don't have the patience to do that.

[GSkid]

The sounds were great! I do have 3 questions....

#1: In the Twitch stream you mentioned the turbo sound should kick-in at notch 3. Is that when the turbo kicks in during real life operation of a 7FDL-16 and is the lag very noticeable by the operator?

#2: Were the muffled engine/outside sounds in the cab fairly accurate to the sound isolation in the real life loco or does it need more tweaking?

#3: With your SD40 sound pack you captured the slight lowered pitch of the turbo that is characteristic of when a load is introduced in notch 1. Does a GE make as much of a characteristically distinct sound when a load is introduced in notch 1? I've never paid that close of attention I guess.

[BNSFdude]

The sounds were great! I do have 3 questions....

#1: In the Twitch stream you mentioned the turbo sound should kick-in at notch 3. Is that when the turbo kicks in during real life operation of a 7FDL-16 and is the lag very noticeable by the operator?

#2: Were the muffled engine/outside sounds in the cab fairly accurate to the sound isolation in the real life loco or does it need more tweaking?

#3: With your SD40 sound pack you captured the slight lowered pitch of the turbo that is characteristic of when a load is introduced in notch 1. Does a GE make as much of a characteristically distinct sound when a load is introduced in notch 1? I've never paid that close of attention I guess.

The turbo isn't really noticable on the real deal until N3 and it starts pulling amps. What you heard was me not having it dialed in to reflect that.

The inside cab sounds were recorded from in the cab, and are played in the game 1:1 to the recording levels. GE's are very quiet, despite some rattles and squeaks.

A GE will thump a bit more from the exhaust when N1 is introduced. I hadn't quite set that up yet.

[bpetit]

Can't wait!

[OpenRailer90]

Will you find a way to implement locomotive bin files without crew members present? There are several Dash 9 repaints that have ND variants.

[BNSFdude]

Yeah, that really isn't hard to do, but certainly not a priority at this stage of development. We just got the script to do what we intended it to audio and physics wise. Once we make a couple final changes with the audio it'll be time to do the graphical updates like MFDs and such. After that's all said and done it'll be off to Mike Rennie to have him implement the CCB-II and 30CDW brake scripts.

[eyein12]

Will you find a way to implement locomotive bin files without crew members present? There are several Dash 9 repaints that have ND variants.

just delete the path to the .xml file within "driver" childobject in the engine.bin file. and then rename the locomotive name to include _ND and then it will give you no driver. The developer doesnt need to do it can be very simple to implement. Unless the driver is part of the original model geometry.

[bnsfsubdivision]

A quick preview and commentary on some of the features.

[GSkid]

A couple comments about the video...

First.... I was unaware the RPMs were so high for notch-2 and up in real life.

Second.... can anybody tell me the real life purpose behind the 45-second delay in the dropping of RPMs when reducing down the throttle from notch-8?

[BNSFdude]

The RPM numbers are all information I gathered while running with Loco Monitor open on one of the IFDs.

The purpose of the engine holding 1050 RPM is to bring the oil temperature down (especially for the turbo) after being worked hard.

[TheTeenageFoamer]

All I can say is

[GSkid]

The RPM numbers are all information I gathered while running with Loco Monitor open on one of the IFDs.

The purpose of the engine holding 1050 RPM is to bring the oil temperature down (especially for the turbo) after being worked hard.

I really do appreciate you answering my question Anthony. I'm not saying you or the people that gave you that explanation are wrong. I'm not an absolute expert on engines (although I took auto shop class in high school and once worked at an auto parts store for a few years), but that explanation does conflict with my common sense logic.

If the engine is maintaining the same amount of RPMs and thus producing the same amount of heat in the engine block for those 45 seconds, how can the oil temperature go down in the meantime? I suppose you could reduce the temperature of the combustion by reducing the turbo's boost pressure via opening up of the wastegate. But if they were employing that method, doing so reduces horsepower and under the same amount of load from the traction motors should logically result in a drop in RPMs. Unless of course the load was somehow reduced as the turbo boost was reduced.... then I can see the 1050 RPMs being maintained.

Also... merely reducing the RPMs in an engine would reduce the oil temperature by default due to less heat being produced by the engine. So delaying an engine RPM ramp down to me seems like simply delaying when it enters a lower notch at which the engine runs cooler. So consider me baffled as to what the 45 second delay really accomplishes or how.

BTW... although it's still a WIP, I've been sufficiently impressed that this is likely a must-buy for me.

[BNSFdude]

Big engines like these don't have waste gates. The boost is directly proportional to the amount of labor and thus exhaust pressure present.
The engine may maintain 1050 RPM, but as the load on the prime mover is reduced as you notch off, the boost is reduced too.