Coupling Definition Query

I am in the process of refining the coupling definitions for my LYR Wagons. I want to provide both "chain" and "automatic" versions. However I have come across various combinations for the last two lines in the coupling part of the WAG file, as shown below

Version 1
CouplingHasRigidConnection (1)
Velocity ( 0.1m/s )

Version 2
CouplingHasRigidConnection (0)
Velocity ( 0.1m/s )

Version 3
Velocity ( 0.1m/s )

I thought "Version 1" was related to steam locomotive tenders, but have found it being used for wagons. Can anyone help to say which should be used where, and whether there needs to be different definitions for "chain" and "automatic" couplings?

Hi Alec,

Technically, versions 2 and 3 are the same in that they both mean a non rigid type of coupler.

Now to get confusing:

Technically, any coupler that has slack such as a chain coupler should be of the non-rigid specifications. As automatic coupler stock can also have slack sometimes using it with this type of coupler would be fine.

Bar couplers tend not to move so this is where a rigid connection would come into play.

However:

I use a chain/rigid combination with my coaches to stop them from bouncing too much under braking/hard acceleration. (I tend to make most of the couplers in my collection rigid as I hate noting more than having a train stopped at a red signal and then a minute later the train decides to bump me through the signal, or pull me back out of the station on a passenger run).

On some models, despite having the bounding boxes set up properly, the vehicles in the train bounce around too much (happens a bit when running a “top and tailed” train: powered engines on both ends rather than dummies), the only cure seems to be using a rigid connection.

So from an aesthetic point of view, make your coaches rigid and the goods wagons non rigid.

I hope this helps,

Justin

Thank you, Justin. Useful advice. Roderic

Many thanks for the description/application advice. If I have understood you correctly Version 2 would be appropriate for my LYR wagons and that this can be applied to both chain and automatic couplings.

There is no difference between Chain and Automatic.
It's the details that make the difference.
It's only there to stop you coupling vehicles that can't be coupled in real life.
All vehicles with buffers have chain couplings but Kuju caused the confusion by giving the GW stock Automatic couplings and making us choose.
In these early days most people, including myself, chose Automatic because it allowed us to use more of the default stock.

In CouplingHasRigidConnection the number can be 0 or 1 or none at all ( ).
It's the statement what does it.

I use CouplingHasRigidConnection ( 0 ) for coaches with buckeye couplings and wagons and coaches with screw or instanter couplings as these should not have any slack.

Don't be missled by visual appearance, MSTS only sees bounding boxes and gives the vehicle the space in the size line.

Use the guards van handbrake to take up the slack when stopping or slowing unfitted trains just like the real railway does.

Thanks Ian for the additional information.