Does anyone else hate doing night time services and scenarios? I find them far too dark (which is probably a true reflection of real life) that it really spoils them. I like being able to see things, driving in pitch black is boring to say the least.
Do the night services on Peninsular Corridor. It’s practically daylight on those. I agree that it should never go completely black as it makes driving a real chore and doesn’t account for scotopic vision, but poor visibility is something train drivers do have to deal with. On NTP they took it too far, PC not far enough. It makes matters worse when doing night scenarios in the rain when the headlights light up the rain. It certainly adds to the variety of experiences.
I know it can be frustrating. I will usually do later services in summer season. I like seeing the sunset and eventually getting to night just near the end of my journey.
I generally love doing night runs, especially on the German TSW lines... because the trains have light sources so the head-light bounces off the catenary masts... which I find to be very immersive. Even the blue light on the top deck of the Dostos infiltrate your cab as you pass them... Have a glowing DB BR 155 desk in front of you, and the visuals are a real treat..... ;-) South London Network, at night, with lots of other EMU traffic, on TS1... is fabulous - and you can actually drive without a HUD because you get half a chance to see the speed limits and react. The sounds really come alive - and I would say this has been the most immersive experience that I have had in any part of TSW or TS1. There is something about the way the slam-door stock is lit on the inside, and the angles you see the sides of other trains as you approach them that makes my brain fire off some happy neurons...... ;-) As stujoy indicated..... NTP in TSW is a disaster at night because nothing in the background is lit, and there are no light sources from the trains (any of them), so you can't see speed limit signs or have any idea where you are without recourse to the HUD. The stations are lit... but the late pop-in (more easily noticed at night) means that you can't use them to judge stopping distance in time.... not even in the Class 101 at 60mph. NTP can be inky blackness for the whole route - although you do get an oddly pleasant welcome as you approach the warm lights of the Huddersfield shed, and a weird sense of relief when you reach Manchester or Leeds..... It's painful stuff though. That said - if you do enough runs at night, then you do learn the rhythm of the route... so you can sort of navigate it - sort of like how a sleep-walker is able to wander around the house..... ;-)
I love the night runs, once u learned certain routes its actually alright, ECW, GWE and TVL ive now managed to learn with no HUD at night
