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Learning to Drive

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Post  sbowness Sat 24 Jan 2015, 7:32 pm

Greetings

At the risk of committing a major faux pas/heresy by mentioning the other sim, one of the features of TS2015 that is earning plaudits is the TS Academy where a newbie like me can learn to drive a train.

I've had a hunt around to see if I can find anything similar for MSTS and OR without much success and the tutorials in MSTS are a little rudimentary, particularly when it comes to driving British diesels (which seem to be the easiest way to get going - steam seems to be a big step up from there).

What resources are available to help someone actually learn how to drive, please? I'm learning a few things as I go along but it would be really handy to find a guide or series of activities that help to train you as a driver. Particularly when it comes to braking.


Stephen
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Post  j3801 Sun 25 Jan 2015, 2:54 am

Hi Stephen,

With MSTS there isn’t anything like the TS Academy, however there are a few things around that you can do to learn to drive in MSTS. When you first load MSTS up you will notice there is a section called tutorials, these will teach you the very basics on how to get trains moving. There are Steam, Diesel and Electric featured in this section.

The key thing to remember with MSTS is not every engine handles the same (unlike the other game where physics is way off). Every class of engine is unique, even though you can use a similar driving technique some engines will fight back, others will romp away with a load no matter what you do.

The best advice that I can give is to pick a particular engine that you may like/that you are used to driving and do some explore runs on a route that you may know so that you get used to how the engine feels. Then when you get a new route take this engine and have a run on that route, that way you will be familiar with how the engine works and you will be simply learning the route.

As for a bit of a more in depth tutorial on driving a steam engine, have you read the one that I wrote? It is hosted here on the forum in the Helpful facts and links section (part 15).
As for braking any train, it depends on a fair few variables but I tend to start looking at about 1 mile/kilometre away from where I need to stop and start gently backing down (apply and release the brakes dropping approx. 10mph/kph at a time).

Justin


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Post  sbowness Sun 25 Jan 2015, 3:47 am

Hi Justin

Many thanks for the advice. I've run through the MSTS tutorials and they're a good start but, as you say, every diesel is different. I've found the DMUs without dynamic braking to be the most challenging ones so far, particularly down hill. I've not quite found that happy ground between a gentle slowing down and coming to a rapid halt. It's getting better, though.

As for steam, there seems to be a lot more to think about when driving so I'll work may way up to it, unless you think otherwise. I've taken a quick look at your tutorial and it looks like it will be very helpful when the time comes.


Stephen
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Post  casperdog Sun 25 Jan 2015, 6:50 am

Hi,
sbowness wrote:Hi Justin
As for steam, there seems to be a lot more to think about when driving so I'll work may way up to it.

Beating my own drum  , my Somerset and Dorset route will give an interesting introduction of steam loco driving. Very Happy

It is available as a DVD mini route or download (they are the same except for the mini route part). The download version is easy to install with no batch file or installer. You simply download, extract and copy/move the route folder into your MSTS routes folder.

One of the activities I made was 'First Day on the Mendips' where an experienced Driver and Fireman assist you in driving (by way of pop ups at strategic times) a short freight from Radstock, over the Mendips to Evercreech.

Learn to drive the S & D and driving every other route, with maybe the Lickey climb on Bristol to Birmingham being an exception, will be a piece of cake. Smile

Cheers
Clive


Last edited by casperdog on Sun 25 Jan 2015, 11:34 am; edited 1 time in total


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Post  sbowness Sun 25 Jan 2015, 9:18 am

Hi Clive

Sounds brilliant and just what I need. Look forward to it.

Funnily enough, I've just been watching the NRM's Railway Roundabout episode that features Lickey.

Cheers


Stephen
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Post  mikehendle Thu 29 Jan 2015, 11:00 am

Hi Stephen

My advice with steam loco's set it up to run with automatic fireman,then all you have to do is concentrate on driving,another tip Great Western\ Western Region steam loco's use the small injector I E the J key,and also set your dampers to 100% I think that's the M key.

You just wait until MES the steam version of MEP+ comes out,the steam loco's are set up to run as realistic as possible within the constraints of MSTS,and you will not be able to get to York with out taking on water,either at a station stop,or the water troughs.

Mike


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Post  sbowness Thu 29 Jan 2015, 5:50 pm

Hi Mike

Thanks for that. I'll give it a go. I've got a small pile of routes waiting for my attention including MEP. I'm currently working on East Coast Express, which covers off some of the same area, but will definitely move to MEP at some point as it covers the area where I grew up (Retford).

As an aside, and slightly off-topic, will MES have the crossing at Retford between the ECML and the S&LJR line on the flat (as it was before c1968) or with the newer underpass?

Cheers


Stephen
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Post  mikehendle Thu 29 Jan 2015, 5:53 pm

Hi Stephen
As far as I know both versions have the flat crossing at Retford
Mike


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Post  mikehendle Thu 29 Jan 2015, 6:14 pm

Stephen,
I have had a look at the schemetic map at Retford,and the flat crossing is the line from Gainsborough heading towards Worksop,a bit further south there looks like another flat crossing with a line comming from Saxilby and crossing at Tuxford at Tuxford there seems to be a line joining the ECML from the line comming from Mansfield.

MES is basically the same track layout as MEP+ with added additions like water troughs at the right locations,water cranes at station platforms,some sidings reinstalled and engine sheds and goods sheds added.

It was originally only going to be a stock and activity pack,which some how grew,so now you will all new steam loco's,all new coaching stock and a lot of new freight wagons along with a complete set of activities for the route.

Mike


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Post  sbowness Thu 29 Jan 2015, 7:17 pm

Hi Mike

Thanks for that. I look forward to seeing what it looked like as Retford was quite a big shed for what was a little town. I can only remember the underpass but I have the Marsden Rail DVD of Retford that shows what it was like before and also the building of the underpass itself.

I'll have to check my books (I'm just about to finish Lost Railways of Nottinghamshire) but I think the other junction as Tuxford is the old Dukeries Line that ran from Chesterfield. According to Wikipedia it's now the High Marnham Test Track and crosses the ECML on a bridge. It looks as if that's always been the case so it'll be interesting to see when I drive it.

Cheers


Stephen
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