PC Stalling On Sand Patch - Solved By "borrowing" Two More Gp38

Heading up Sand Patch Grade fully fuelled with "borrowed" locomotives by paul.pavlinovich posted Aug 27, 2020 at 9:57 PM

So, playing TSW2 - in the scenario fully fuelled (or some name like that) I kept stalling just after the big iron bridge. Locomotives were setup properly they just couldn't do the deed. I restarted the scenario and followed the instructions and set up the locos as per the manual. Once I got the track clearance I moved the train forward a few feet then stopped it. I uncoupled the lead locos and nipped over two tracks and coupled up to the train there. I uncoupled the now string of four gp38 locos and pulled forward a little, stopped again and set up the two "borrowed" locomotives. I returned to the container train and hooked up and departed once the air was up. Problem solved. Still had to work pretty hard to summit in mostly run 8 with sand on all the way but got there. It makes me think that four locomotives just were not up to the deed.

I'm sure no one missed the "borrowed" locomotives .

Paul

 

Unfortunately you didn't configure the rear locomotives properly. Provided instruction is not complete. You missed banking COM activation. It's a yellow button with DISP lettering on the device next to horn lever. Turn it on in both leading locomotives of the two pairs.

 

I take it that this is for Sand patch Fully Fuelled ? Yes I also stalled on first playthrough of this scenario, there are alot of bugs.
In the end the Loco's should be setup as listed below. I setup from the rear trail engine working forward as running 1mile back and forwards really is a pain.

So the correct setup should be (according to the wiki): https://train-sim-world.fandom.com/wiki/Driving_the_SD40-2,_GP38-2_and_GP40-2

Locomotive 1 (LEAD):
MU-2A valve -> Lead or Dead
Cutoff Valve -> Freight
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control & Fuel Pump: ON
Radio -> On

Locomotive 2 (TRAIL):
MU-2A valve -> TRAIL 6 OR 26
Cutoff Valve -> Cutout
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control & Fuel Pump: OFF
Radio -> Off

Locomotive 3 (Should be setup as a lead train):
MU-2A valve -> Lead or Dead
Cutoff Valve -> Freight
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control & Fuel Pump: ON
Radio -> On

Locomotive 4 (TRAIL):
MU-2A valve -> TRAIL 6 OR 26
Cutoff Valve -> Cutout
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control & Fuel Pump: OFF
Radio -> Off

[It is quite obvious that this scenario was ported from TSW and very little QA was done on it before it was placed into the game].

 

Yeah I found the DISP button accidentally!!

Indeed yes. Interestingly when I put on the extra two locos I borrowed, out of curiosity I did hit the DISP button in the lead loco without knowing what it did so that is why I did end up with six locos powering. You can't finish the scenario if you turn up with six locos and did play it again with the proper four a couple of days ago and you can certainly finish it.

Paul

 

Note I'm not saying what you've said is wrong in the slightest, but I play with a more real world configuration that also works. Note your quoted wiki config actually won't work in TSW2 unless you press the DISP button in at least the lead locomotive and have the radio on in both the lead and trailing #1 (3rd loco).

My setup is slightly different and more reflective of actual driving behaviour and is as below - differences in green
Locomotive 1 (LEAD):
MU-2A valve -> Lead or Dead
Cutoff Valve -> Freight
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control & Fuel Pump: ON
Radio -> On, DISP button pressed

Locomotive 2 (TRAIL):
MU-2A valve -> TRAIL 6 OR 26
Cutoff Valve -> Cutout
Brake Handle -> Handle Off (locomotives without a driver in them would in reality have their brake handle and reverser handle removed and locked up in their cabinet)
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control OFF & Fuel Pump: ON (the scenario would work either way, but this is realistic)
Radio -> Off

Locomotive 3 (Should be setup as a lead train): out of interest while it has to be this way to make the scenario work its just plain wrong from a reality perspective, it would only be this way with a driver in the seat and the brake pipes not connected between the banking locos
MU-2A valve -> Lead or Dead
Cutoff Valve -> Cutout
Brake Handle -> Handle Off - yes I know the game will work either way, but if we looked at this from the perspective of real trains, with Westinghouse if you had two brakes cut in you would get all sorts of horrible pressure gradients in the train that would make you fail and likely snap couplers as both of the engine automatic brake valves would be trying to control the brake pipe - now if the brake pipes were not connected between the banking locos and the train you could realistically run this way but with only two locomotives you'd probably still only use your own independent brake as it would easily control two locomotives and is more responsive than the automatic brake
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control & Fuel Pump: ON
Radio -> On, DISP button pressed - I'm not sure if you need this - I intend to play the scenario again without doing this to see if you need to or not

Locomotive 4 (TRAIL):
MU-2A valve -> TRAIL 6 OR 26
Brake Handle -> Handle Off
Cutoff Valve -> Cutout
Engine Run , Generator Field ,Control OFF & Fuel Pump: ON
Radio -> Off

Interestingly from a reality perspective all the locomotives except the one occupied one would also have their doors closed and locked but this doesn't matter in the game. If you didn't do it you'd end up with riders in them as they'd much prefer a nice comfortable cab to hang out than an uncomfortable freight car.

 

Today I finally cracked Sandpatch Grade “Fully Fuelled” on Xbox 1 at the fourth attempt. First attempt failed when the train stalled at the onset of the first serious gradient. Underpowered, excellent advice from this forum provided the correct setup for two double banked engines working at distance in tandem. Second attempt started well but deteriorated when I got too close to the train in front, yellow signals turned to red and stopping on a gradient followed by failure to restart notwithstanding sand and a lot of coaxing. Third attempt also started well, slow speed initially until the train in front was at least two signal blocks ahead and I regulated speed to keep it there. Steadily climbing up to the Summit using full power (throttle at 8) and never slower than 11 mph. Then disaster struct 2.9 miles before the destination, gradient now 1.9. Serious wheelspin, having climbed all the way up I was now going down in reverse with brakes squealing just like the Grand Old Duke of York. It stopped eventually with engine and train brakes full on but there was to be no starting it again. The Westinghouse system was now playing up and the train system was not pressurising. Fourth attempt went better. Reasoned that the only to avoid wheelspin is to reduce torque (lowest possible revs to maintain ability to accelerate on the steepest gradient) and increase friction between wheel and rail by using sand. So, all the way up practicing keeping the speed at 10 mph with minimum throttle. It worked out that when speed reached 11 mph at throttle 6 drop back to throttle 5 and when the speed dropped to 9 mph increase to throttle 6 again and that worked out all the way up. That reduced torque by nearly a half! Knowing from previous experience that within the game the wheelspin trap was set at 2.9 miles to go, when I got down to 3 miles to target, I turned on the sand. Press and hold X on the keyboard if you have one leaving you free to juggle the speed with the other hand and that worked a treat until the gradient suddenly eased and I could stop the sand. The rest was a breeze.
Now for another attempt to get DB G6 Diesel Shunter working on Rhine Ruhr Osten. It worked once but proving very elusive now. Deleted and reloaded several times without success. Any ideas?

 

Good on you for finishing Fully Fuelled its a bit of a challenge.

As for the G6 given your on XBox 1, try getting rid of any other German content apart from RRO and the G6 to avoid any layers from getting in the way. The game still works on XBox 1 but its limited by memory and compute capacity so gives you a reduced experience compared to 9th gen consoles and PC. If that doesn't work hit the Support button at the top of the forum here and log a ticket, the support people are pretty helpful.

 

Part of the problem is that DTG have tried to come up with a unified game abstraction for two rather different things: helper MUs with (invisible) live crews, as here (and necessary with a unmodernized Dash-2's), and Distributed Power which only exists on modern engines like the AC4400 and SD70ACe. The setups should be different, because with a helper/banking comms setup the lead cab of the trailing MU is a driving cab, whereas under DP it isn't.

Anyway, one thing that IS consistent in both setups is that the lead driver controls the auto brake for the entire train, so the valve should definitely be Cut Out and the control in Handle Off in all cabs but the lead (this is not true for the indy/loco brake, however).

 

I suspect the current MU setup is for the reasons you mention but also because they've not fully modelled and have not done the coding for the screens or DPU. Controlling DPU properly needs the screens to be working so you can manage the locomotives. DPU can slave to your loco "easy mode" which is great for loping across a prairie or other flat ground, but once you start climbing you're going to want to fence your DPU and manage them separately or in groups - shortly after you crest the top of a summit on a mile long train you're going to be placing your lead locomotives into dynamics setup in preparation for heading down but your mid train and rear DPU will be pushing in notch 8, as the mids clear the crest you'll want to get them into dynamic setup (front locos are probably in dynamics by now) and keep the rear's pushing in notch 8. This to avoid breaking couplers from over stretching the train.

I suspect that DPU would also simply be too much for many people (a bit like PZB is too much for many people) and would be left to the more serious players. I would love to have it, but that's just me . Currently when I want to manage DPU properly I go play Run8 .

Paul