CP Train 200 part 2, v.2 - A career scenario for the DTG/Milepost Simulations route "Canadian Mountain Passes."
This career scenario follows the end of CP Train 200, part 1, and is a straight duplicate of the scenario found in your copy of Canadian Mountain Passes - with one major exception. The default player consist, which uses a GE ES44AC and the default JL stock that comes with the route, has been replaced with Searchlight Simulations' GE AC4400CW and JointedRail (JR) stock. What remains, for example the AI and loose consists as well as the timing of both the AI and player consists, is the original work of Gary Dolzall (Elphaba), and I claim no originality here - it's all Gary's.
To install the scenario simply drag the "Content" folder into your Railworks folder; nothing should overwrite. In your Drive/Career tab the scenario will file directly under the default one - the only difference is the period at the end of "part 2." To run this you'll need the 64-bit version of Train Simulator 2019 as well as the below items. If you have already downloaded the stock for Part 1 of this series of two scenarios, you already have all the stock you need. If not, please note that the freightcars are freeware downloads; the stock from the Digirails Forums requires registration, but the account is free.
From Steam:
If part 1 of this series of scenarios was a classic "riding the yellows" type of scenario, then part 2 is utterly different. Actually, it reminds me of when I was learning to fly a real plane - not a simulated one. The two most difficult things you must master when beginning your aviation career are a) taking off, and b) landing. Both require different techniques and, needless to say, you have to get it right the first time you solo ... or else. And so it is with this scenario: the beginning and the end are the two most difficult tests you must pass. The in-between is relatively easy!
At the beginning of this scenario you are sitting on a whopping 2.4% grade, waiting for an opposing stack train to pass you, and once it has passed you must start up your 57-car train while incurring no penalty points for ill-handling of the train. Because the Searchlight Simulations stock uses much more realistic physics, this job is much more difficult to do correctly than with the default stock.
Furthermore, the brakes were not correctly set, so when you jump in the cab the train is actually *moving backwards* and picking up speed. You must slow the train to a stop - again without incurring penalty points for rough handling - and then begin the slow, methodical and gentle forward movement so you can exit the siding as quickly as possible. Remember, there are time constraints you must make, so while you want to handle the train gently, you also do not want to waste any time.
Once moving you'll find the journey to scenario's end relatively painless, and your train will feel almost light as a feather. More on that in a bit. But, to get back to my aviation analogy, you will have to "land" that train on yet another murderous 2.4% grade, this time on a down grade. Proper use and feathering of the train brakes plus the dynamics is essential here. And of course you'll need to time your stop correctly while not sliding right through that full stop signal at the end of scenario, or all the time you've spent on it will slide right down that mountainside!
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Now for some advice on train handling. When you begin the scenario you'll find as you jump in the cab and the alerter is flashing that the train has begun, slowly at first, to roll backwards. The second the alerter stops flashing move the train brake handle to Full Service and the independent brake to 99% on. Then immediately open up the Couple button on the F3 HUD and begin to apply the hand brakes to first your loco, and then the first 8 cars of the consist. Do this with a few seconds between each application, otherwise you will incur a rough train handling penalty. See enclosed screenshot of the cab for perspective. You should aim to have the train stopped near the fir tree growing out of the side of the rock face; see screenshot.
You now have time to move the reverser to forward, to flip your Generator Field Circuit Breaker to on and your Engine Control switch to run, as well as your headlights (remember you are in a Short Hood Lead Leading Unit), number lights, any step lights you want and of course the DPU2's headlight to dim.
During this time the opposing stack train will be moving past you; when it is about half-way past you it is time to begin moving your train so that when your signal turns clear you are ready to apply some more power and exit. Begin by moving the reverser forward if you have not already done so, and apply notch 1 power. Also press the Lead Axle Sand Button to on. Pull both the Train brake and the Independent brake to full off. Now, carefully and slowly begin to release the hand brakes so that the power is gradually applied.
Once all this has been done there will be an interval of time before the train begins to move. Apply at most only notch 2 power and wait for the train to move. At first it will slowly move from 0.1-0.2-0.3 mph, then, slowly, it will pick up speed. You want to time this so that you are approaching the face of the signal at 2-3 mph such that it turns green just as your nose is within a few feet of it. After your lead loco has exited the siding at around 4-5 mph you can apply more power; I find that notch 4 is all I need to get the consist up to track speed.
Again, remember that what you want here is a smooth transition from stasis to movement all the while being on a very steep grade. The words of the late Juan Manuel Fangio, 5-time F1 World Champion, on race car handling are applicable here as well ...
"I learned to approach racing like a game of billiards. If you bash the ball too hard, you get nowhere. As you handle the cue properly, you drive with more finesse."
With a bit of practise and "driving with more finesse" you'll be able to move out just as soon as the stack train has passed you with no delay and with no penalties for rough handling.
I mentioned that you'll find the train, once moving, is light ... in fact quite a bit lighter than the exact same train that you ran in part 1 of CP Train 200. That's because I had to empty some of the loads on the train to be able to get it to move at all - there is just such a world of differnce between the default DTG physics and the Newtonian physics applied by Searchlight. Even with 5 AC4400CW's that 2.4% grade is bloody murder.
Now, I fully admit that this is not a prototypical scenario; just the handling at the beginning of the scenario isn't real world, and trains don't magically get lighter because they get stuck on steep grades. But I did what I had to do to replicate the same scenario that Gary offered, and it is a ton of fun to do once you get the knack. After you are done with this you can go back to prototypical scenarios ;-)
16 September 2019
