What Is The Ideal Breaking Force For Passenger Comfort?

Discussion in 'Off Topic' started by Geth_2234, Mar 3, 2021.

  1. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Hi, I’ve been playing TSW 2 since release and I like to drive trains as close to real life as possible but I’ve been wondering recently if anybody knows what the optimum breaking force is for passenger comfort on the class 395 for example (obviously this varies depending which train your driving)? Also I know bus drivers and some of the buses in my area have devices fitted to them which informs the driver if he’s breaking to harshly, does anybody know if any trains have these fitted?
     
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  2. CK95

    CK95 Well-Known Member

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    Personally I go off the standard 3 step system which you typically find on British units, the notches generally provide 33% braking force for each subsequent position, so you can translate that into a smooth braking unit such as the 395.

    Step 1 is your light braking step at 33%.

    Step 2 is for intermediate breaking, and generally should be as hard as you apply the brakes when keeping comfort in mind, at 66%.

    Step 3 is your maximum brake setting, at 99/100%, and should only be used if you’re already at low speeds and need to come to a stop very quickly.

    Emergency braking is generally never used (unless in an emergency obviously).

    Generally my advice is to apply brakes at 1000m/900yd’s from your stopping point, at step 1/33% force, then adjust accordingly, I pretty much never have to go into step 3/100% braking, you should be aiming to approach the start of the platform at less than 30mph, of course that is when you're not going over 70/80mph, if you are then I recommend braking sooner and a little more aggressively.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2021
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  3. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Thank you! :)

    I'll keep this in mind.
     
  4. Olaf the Snowman

    Olaf the Snowman Well-Known Member

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    Nice consistent brake force, not using more than 50% brake, and always finish off (final impact) using minimum braking. If it’s a 300 yard platform, hit the station at about 35mph in 50% brake and it’ll come down nicely. If you’re approaching a red, hit the station at 25/30mph in initial braking and it’ll come down nicely.

    I recommend having a look at the clip below, some impressive station stops very similar to real life.

     
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  5. Olaf the Snowman

    Olaf the Snowman Well-Known Member

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    Yes, trains have on train data recorders (OTDR or OTMR) which records almost everything a driver does. The OTDR light in the cab should light up once the cab is activated, if not then you need to report it to maintenance.
    On some traction/companies, if your driver manager does a download of your train, it will automatically flag up any harsh braking and they won’t be impressed if you’re regularly using it. There is nothing wrong with harsh braking when you’re encountering cautionary aspects. If you’re doing 125mph and come across two yellows, you should use at least step 4/5 (60-80%) braking and maybe even full service if it’s short signal sections. But braking for station stops or drops in line speed, you shouldn’t have to use anymore than 50% braking. There are quite a few drivers who even try to do all their normal braking in initial braking (20/30% on variable brake units, step 1 on a 3 brake step unit, step 2 on a 6 brake step unit). And there’s no reason why you can’t run to time doing so.
    As said previously, hitting 300yard stations between 30-40mph is a sensible speed. There are a few drivers who still drive the ‘old school British Rail’ way who will hit stations at 50mph+ but that’s very aggressive which is poor for passenger comfort but also you run the risk of an overrun, a serious operational incident. Defensive driving is heavily stressed upon now particularly for new drivers.
    Just to give you an example, let’s say we’re heading West and stopping at Slough. If you’re doing 125mph, most drivers will tend to use step 3/50% brake as they pass Langley station (2 miles away from Slough). But either end of the bell shaped curve, a few drivers will use step 2/30% brake at the previous signal before Langley and a few drivers will use step 4/60% brake at the signal after Langley. It goes without saying, if you’re approaching a red or railhead conditions are bad (low adhesion), a more defensive approach should be adopted. If line speed is 125mph, I would suggest going past a single yellow at no more than 50mph.
    If you’re able to screen record and post it on here, I’d be happy to give any feedback: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/th...r-train-driving-and-i’ll-comment-on-it.35941/
     
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  6. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Thank you so much for that explanation, probably gonna be Saturday now but I will record a drive on SEHS probably and post to that thread.:)
     
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  7. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    Except on the New York subway, whose drivers only use full throttle and full service brake, nothing in between.
     
  8. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Interesting, I would love to go on one to see what they are like smooth the ride is for passengers.
     
  9. Olaf the Snowman

    Olaf the Snowman Well-Known Member

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    Have you travelled on the London Underground? Particularly lines that are Automatic Train Operation (ATO) such as the Victoria Line, they accelerate/brake very heavy. They aren’t designed for passenger comfort but they do the job being able to operate at a frequency of 36 trains per hour.
     
  10. Geth_2234

    Geth_2234 Well-Known Member

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    Yeh quite regularly I love travelling on London Underground, it is one of my favourite transport systems.
     
  11. tallboy7648

    tallboy7648 Well-Known Member

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    Since my train is usually empty with zero passengers at times I just use maximum break. I try to keep to the timetable and comfort is the least of my concerns when a train is empty
     
  12. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Trouble is, you develop bad habits! Best to drive and brake ‘properly’ whatever the occasion.
     
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