Runaway Train

[railduffer]

I have built a mine facility on my route with 5 tracks splitting from the mine entrance track. On the end of the yard these tracks converge into a reverse track. Four tracks are for loads and empties with the fifth track as a run around track. So I deliver the empties on two tracks for empties then make another runaround to hook to the loads. I switch cabs (2 locos back to back), and back into the third siding to pick up the first string of loads. When the couplers touch everything takes off like a drag racer. I mean Ba-am. After stopping I try to pick up the second string on yard four. The same thing happens. This occurs both with a Standard scenario and a Free Roam. What’s the deal?
Can anyone help me?

[artimrj]

Try different coal cars. I recall years ago that this happened to a certain set of cars, but it has been so long I do not remember which ones. The physics of the cars are messed up. Maybe someone else can help more.

[BoostedFridge]

Which freight cars are these specifically?

[GreatNortherner]

Hi,

One possible reason for this might be faulty coupler settings, but it could also be a bug that we encountered during the development of the RW&A Lakeside route. This is somewhat speculative, but our conclusion was that something seems to be broken in the way the physics calculate the train weight/interia/whatever when the loadable cargo is ticked and above a certain weight (~40-45 tons in our experiments). Most cars would have weight settings above this if their designer set their cargo weights realistically, so it's possible that this bug is widespread across many cars from different sources -- if our assumption about the nature of the bug is correct at all.

Also, we noticed that the compass direction of the tracks had an influence, too. The closer they ran to a straight N-S or E-W direction (or just one of the two, don't remember), the worse the effects of the bug got.

This may or may not be related to old bug or loadable cars randomly tilting left and right sometimes in long consists when their cargo tickbox is checked.

I want to emphasize that we have no proof about any of this, those were just our observations.

Bob's suggestion to try different cars sounds like your best bet. If the mid- to late steam era is what you are modeling, you could try the hoppers from the RW&A, B&LE or Cascadian route which come in empty and loaded versions which shouldn't show this weird behaviour.

Cheers
Michael

[railduffer]

OK. After extensive tests using different cars, locomotives and compass directions. I believe the answer is the direction. It must be a software glitch.
I will now proceed to rebuild my coal mine and yard in a different direction.
Thanks for your help everyone.