found this map on Google of the Neutral sections between Preston & Carlisle. Figured it might help a few people get a rough idea of where they are Located
You’re welcome! So far it’s helped me a lot, especially on the non stop runs, Preston directly to Carlisle and Back. As for the stopping services, it’s a little harder to comprehend because not each service stops at every station, so it’s a matter of adding the miles between the station n board and that stuff and calculating when you will get a neutral zone
I'm very much a HUD on player, not really into route learning in the strictest sense. However, I realised that the neutral sections were probably never going to make it to the HUD so set about learning them. I've found it quite rewarding; there are only 12 so not too much of a task. I think I generally know where each are (with the emphasis on general!) from visual clues & HUD info Preston to Carlisle 1. Approach a farm & village on the left followed by a couple of football pitches, pass over 2 foot crossings then there's your warning board (WB). 2. WB just before the signal for Morecambe South junction. If you run down at the AWS magnet you'll be okay, certainly from a standing start at Lancaster. NS as line comes alongside from Morecambe. 3. WB about 1.5 miles (-ish!) from 90 mph speed restriction at Oxenholme. Watch your speed, especially if calling there. 4. Near the end of Lune Gorge, a left hand curve onto a long straight. Right hand curve and WB near the end of that. NS after signal and bridge. 5. WB on bridge over motorway before Penrith. NS after station, under a footbridge next to farm buildings on right. 6. NS just before final signal into Carlisle. WB is only about half a mile before, but shouldn't be a problem if you're managing your speed well. Carlisle to Preston 1. NS is not long after leaving CAR, under a bridge, alongside some sidings and near the 75 mph limit start. Run down passing under the bridge. 2. WB at start of straight following a right-left chicane (which itself follows a long straight), just over a mile from 80 mph limit through Penrith. NS just before 80 mph. Watch your speed, especially if calling at PEN. 3. WB near end of steepest part of Shap descent, going past some rocky walls near sides of track. NS around 100 mph mark. Power should be off anyway from descent and speed can come down/or level out nicely for the 100 mph if you time it well. 4. WB just after Oxenholme, under a bridge, then easy to spot. NS just after passing loop. 5. This WB I have a little difficulty in remembering (somewhere near where you can first see the sea if you're looking), but if you're not running down by Hest bank signal box you really ought to be! NS is alongside track running to Morecambe at M North Jn. 6. WB another one with not much visually going on, there are some bridges over the line and it's between the last two bridges. Luckily you can always check the HUD as NS is 9.1 miles from PRE.
That guide was made by Dalek_Sec_93 in the Train Sim World Community Discord server, he’s one of the mods there. He does brilliant guides! If anyone wants to join the server, here’s a Discord link: https://discord.gg/train-sim-world-community-774983112597569588 It’s a great, friendly community to join
I’ve only just bought this route so have no idea what this is about… but I’ll have a guess so do correct me if I’m wrong. In these sections you’re supposed to coast and the throttle will not work whilst in these sections? What’s the run down procedure or is that the needles moving to the bottom of the displays? Are you supposed to approach at a minimum speed to carry you through? What if you’ve got a freight train or Pax train? Is there a difference as freight is 60mph. Where’s the ‘line indicator’ in the cab.. I can’t see anything marked as such. Is there a marker for the Shap section itself? I was expecting a slow steep climb and fast descent. I’ve done a run up and down but on the up route the train while it was moving, (other issues I had I’ve posted elsewhere but I’m wondering if these neutral sections won’t allow the train to start again if it stops in one of these areas), was going like a scalded cat.
Approaching a neutral section you shouldn't apply power at all, doesn't matter what speed you're going or what you're carrying. As long as you're going fast enough that you don't stop inside it of course. The 'LINE' indicator is to the right of the ammeter (the needle bars).
Get the manual for the route which will tell you everything you need to know. It can be found on the Steam page for the route, the Just Trains website, the Guides section of the Dovetail Live website, and there’s probably a link on this forum somewhere if you search for it.
Did a scenario full run with multiple stops to let faster trains through… faultless and one of the best runs in the game to date!
We need a nice Class 25 in game that can trundle out from a suitable holding point to Thunderbird a stuck train out of the neutral section.
So this can happen IRL? A train can actually block a track? My knowledge of the intricacies of how the rail network functions (and route knowledge after just 3-4 runs) is thin to say the least, but having a system that allows a train to not work seems a tad weird. Unless they’re on a fairly steep gradient which would make some kind of sense
I think it was a fairly rare occurrence but given some neutral sections are sited in challenging positions - after a station, stop signal or low speed junction not inconceivable to happen.
As they know the length of the neutral section, it’s not hard to work out what the minimum speed would need to be for a train to clear that section without power. A simple work around would be to have a second trip that measured the speed of the train and if it’s under X mph, therefor not fast enough to clear the section, override and allow power to be applied for at least a set distance to another pair of trips that would recalculate the trains speed, which by then should be fast enough and thus allow the train to have enough speed to clear the section. It’s no different to the old fashioned speed traps that plod used to use.
i did it coasting at 5mph with a freight, waiting for a signal. got stuck in a dip so couldn't roll back or forwards out of it. a class 25 would of been a most welcome sight for some assistance.
That also sometimes happened with third rail gaps in the Maurienne Valley (Savoy) until conversion to AC overhead in the 70's. They had poles to remedy that situation, but using them was particularly risky...
i have also got myself marooned in neutral sections before, i find the helpful use of Tab and then spawn an 08 to self rescue then delete the 08, not exactly cannon, but It's either that or abandon a run.
In real life to get out of a neutral section the process is: 1. Lower and re-raise the pantograph. This allows the loco to attempt to re-gain power even though it hasn’t passed the second set of magnets which follow the neutral section (effectively it’s a re-set, causing the loco to forget it’s in a neutral section). It usually works, because the section of wire which has no power is much shorter than the distance between the magnets which start and end the neutral section - so the likelihood is that even though you’re in a neutral section, the exact bit of wire the pantograph is on is actually live. If you’re unlucky and the pantograph really is on the short dead section of wire, then: 2. Release all the brakes on the train and try to roll out. You only need a few metres movement to get onto some live wire to be able to go back to option 1. If there’s insufficient gradient and the train won’t roll then: 3. Call the Signaller and request a rescue loco. Whether option 1 works on TSW I don’t know, but it’s saved many a real Driver’s blushes over the years.
There are quite a few in the uk. The well known ones of England and Scotland, England and Wales. Northen Ireland and Ireland and some of the lesser known ones such as the North South boarder that runs through Watford gap. There is one between Devon and Cornwall, Liverpool and Manchester, Newcastle Sunderland. You could also go for County boarders between Lancashire and Yorkshire. Many of these require neutral sections to keep us all happy and to moan about exactly where they are.......
