A very short instruction for beginners 1. This applies to the DRA / DCZ version of this locomotive. 2. This has nothing to do with the real procedures, but with the mechanics contained in TSW. 3. In my opinion, it is now one of the best trains in TSW, unfortunately causing frustration for many people. vocabulary a) Force Selector lever Provides tractive effort. The range is 0-120%. Cockpit indicators and HUD values are expressed in kN. b) Speed Selector lever A kind of cruise control. The ON position works as a dynamic brake if Force Selector is set to more than 0%. 0% setting means no tractive effort nor dynamic brake power. c) Train Brake lever The main 'blended/combined' brake for the whole train. It uses air (values in BAR) and dynamic force (Force Selector setting more than 0%). BC on the HUD is the Brake Cylinder (locomotive brake); BP is the Brake Pipe value. The OFF position is not for driving purposes in this case. It does nothing with the brake pressure. The Running position releases the brakes. Released means BC at 0 BAR and BP at 5 BAR. The Release position is a kind of forced release/brakes overcharge. Use it to unbrake the train if needed. stop & go procedure When approaching the station: 1. Set Force Selector to 0%. 2. Set Speed Selector to ON. 3. Start to slow down. You can use just a dynamic brake (Force Selector lever positive values determine the braking force). 15-20% values are OK for most purposes. Or you can go both dynamic and air (Train Brake). Indicated BP 4 BAR means 1 BAR reduction (it is 1 less than 5 BAR * which means brakes fully released). 1 BAR reduction is a lot of braking force. It is equivalent to ~15 PSI and it is enough to stop the train from 60 kph (35 mph) in about 200 meters on the flat track (0% grade). You want to be no more than 60 kph at the beginning of the platform. You want to start to maintain brake settings about 1 km before the station. Observe the HUD or in-cab indicators. BR 143 is laggy and it takes time for the tractive effort (kN) to go negative (braking). When stopped at the station. 4. Open passenger doors. 5. Set the Train Brake to 1 (do not go below that value because you want to stand still). 6. Set the Force Selector to 70% or more. It depends on track conditions. ~70% is about 30kN load per axis which is OK for a wet track. On dry, you can go full throttle. 7. Close passenger doors. 8. Wait for the brakes to be fully released (BC 0, BP at least 5 BAR). Use the Train Brake lever Release (HOLD it) position if needed (if BC values are greater than 0 BAR, somehow). 9. Set the Speed Selector to OFF then set it back to the designated speed. If the HUD 'notch' indicator bracket is still red, repeat step #9. And remember, the BC has to be ZERO! 10. Do not scare to turn the HUD OFF This can be handy too: "buchfahrplan" Tool For Dresden – Chemnitz | Dovetail Games Forums PZB, SIFA! GL & HF \o/ BR o7
Nice guide. Why is that necessary? 1. Set Force Selector to 0%. I just leave it 100% all the time, even when braking.
Because taps have to be at 0 before you start braking, otherwise you damage the traction engine. Also you never start from a stop with 70%. Thats too much. You start with 30-40% until 5kmh, then up to 60% until15-20 kmh and then you can go to 80-100% depending on what you carry. Always remember that you damage the couplings by applying to much power at the start. Here is a link to a How to use the BR 112 and 143 how they have to be used in real life: http://users.fini.net/~bersano/Alle...he 112, 114, 143-Bedienungsanweisen(2005).pdf
That is amazing Thanks for sharing this. Is such a document also available for other locomotives/MU we have or could have in TSW, e.g. TRAXX, Vectron, Talent 2, Flirt and so on?
https://de.scribd.com/doc/194445105/Bedienungsanweisung-ES64U2-V1-7-De Here you go with a manual for the ES64US aka BR 182.
60 kmh is rounded to 40 mph 55 kmh rounded to 35 mph since there are Riesa-Dresden DB BR 143 1k-4k Metric ton freight trains PZB Mode U.
Ok i call this thread to our official "manual" thread when it comes to german traction . Here one for a tsw future product from tsg the br232. It starts with the fault guide and from around page 86 the instructions / operation begins: https://de.scribd.com/document/530734825/1-Betriebsanleitung-BR-232-Gesamt-CTHS-03082021
That's for some modernised version of the 232 though, right? The cab looks nothing like the Ludmilla cabs I'm familiar with. Thanks for sharing
Yes it looks like the modernized loco. Probably the original manual is to get as a book version. Did that with the british class40, since there wasnt a pdf to find. I got a book version of the vulcan foundry. Has nice details and infos of the vacuum type. Made a pdf scan of all the pages.
Here the one of the 146.1 /.2 http://users.fini.net/~bersano/Alle...rainz Loksim ProTrain Zusi Eisenbahn.exe).pdf The link makes problemns on my phone, just use google and you will find it.
The manual was only valid for the two ADtranz locos 232.02 & 232.03. They were modified 242’s. I have personally never seen Ludmillas with this cab. I would assume that these were probably the only ones ever to get this modification. The DB has certainly not got any of those, as far as I am aware, at least.
I read it and for the Engine Room Switch that's the battery start button in game. DTG should take a look at this because Battery switch is inside the Engine Room with the Banking comm switch.
Thats true, its kind of a grey zone the thing with engine rooms. Great plus to skyhook to actual making one. With the US locos dtg comes away from them like the gp9 and sd40 from clinchfield, which is in my opinion a huge disappointment. For dyn. Billboards they take the ressources, but cut it away from simulating train features... Here is to say many british locos have them in the engine room too, for example on the cl.47 the main battery switch is inside the engine room together with a panel where you can select also traction cutout etc. My opinion is, the engine room doesnt need to be an accurate replica, but a simple room to put the switches there, like they are in the real loco.
Absolutely agree with you only Eurosprinter DB BR182 MRCE BR182 ÖBB1116 1016 DR BR243 250 212s have the Sifa and Battery switch in the Engine room. In the case of DR BR243 212 & 250 Engine Room has Sifa PZB Battery Brake modes and Pantograph switches. On Riesa-Dresden it's very important to use the correct brake mode for DB BR143 when pulling Freight because it spawns with Passenger R Brake settings.
After playing a bit in journey mode on DRA, I decided to only do timetable runs in the 143. I started from the top of the list with the early morning ones. I have to say, it is such a cozy place to be in at night with the good night lighting that this route has and the warm desk light the loco has plus the green instrument lights. I can't stop playing it. In fact, I love the loco so much now that I am looking to get one for my H0 layout. It might be the feeling of the old engines that had more soul and felt more alive than the current all screen, digital, cold LED lights that we see in the new generations.
Love these locos with quirky controls as you need to concentrate more. Like the difference between shift and automatic before you get used to them in driving.
Official training videos BR 143/243 of Deutsche Reichsbahn. It´s in german, of course. Yet, maybe it helps a thing or two on this topic. Part I Part II
There is a full-length version Hilfesterung disables the AFB which is the speed selector. Freier Auslauf is the middle buttons the speed selector.
Ok here the actual db ludmilla 493.0232 anweisung. (The adtranz modernized version is posted above). https://vdoc.pub/download/richtlinie-4930232-triebfahrzeuge-der-br-232-bedienen-3vnalrnmdbug
Regarding number 5: because the DB BR 143 has quite an aggressive traction lock that requires sufficient time between brake release and applying traction, I always set the "brake bridging" button to the "Anfahr Bremse" position once stopped. It is the 2nd button from the right on the lowest row of the right panel, to the right of the door open/close switch. This button keeps the train brakes activated and overrides the train brake lever. Once the button is on, you can set the train brake lever to the release position. After closing the doors, switch the "brake bridging" button to the center position and set the speed selector to the desired speed. You won't have to wait for the traction lock to disengage because you even can apply power while the button is still holding the brakes. At steep inclines, you can prevent rollback by setting the speed selector before releasing the Anfahr Bremse, but don't wait too long to prevent damage to the locomotive. As others pointed out: keep the force selector in a low enough position when departing to prevent wheel slip and coupler overstress.
But can't you achieve that simply by setting the speed selector to a lower speed than current and letting the system shift from traction to braking on its own? Admittedly, there is a fair time lag, but for station stops you have a long time to prepare. (This of course wouldn't apply to "surprise" slowdowns like adverse signals) Besides, I prefer to use dynamic brakes together with air for deceleration; air alone is too "grabby."
I keep returning to this because the 143 is definitely not a loco you can just jump into without any thought after staying away from it for a few months. Can get very frustrating if you don’t know what you’re doing.
No. I mean, yes, in theory, but no. What happens when you do that is that the loco thinks it's been overspeeding and will hammer on the brakes as hard as possible, resulting in sudden, sharp braking. Always brake using the driver's brake valve or by using the proper procedure for accessing the electric brakes (speed selector to off, force selector to 0, speed selector to on, carefully increase the force selector to the desired level of braking). As with pretty much all German locos, the 143 already does blended braking on its own when you apply the air brakes. No need to mix yourself.
I believe that the idea is to set the force to zero while you are bringing the throttle/AFB down to zero. Then, you can dial in the dynamic braking with the force lever. It is somewhat equivalent to the 10 second pause on US diesels between throttle and dynamic braking.
and that's why I said: You take the speed selector down to off before you start braking. That's the procedure taught in the manuals and training videos you can find online. The thing with the 143 is that the force selector is really just your throttle/dynamic brake lever. With it being set to zero, you set the speed selector to "on" thereby enabling the loco to brake. Then, you carefully increase the force selector again and the loco starts braking with maximum braking achieved at 50% on the force selector.
Setting the force lever to zero is not a common driving technique IRL as far as I am aware. It's been a while since I last drove the BR143 in TSW so it might be that this is a necessary game technique but IRL you would press "Freier Auslauf" ("free rundown") which is the silver button on the right side of the speed selector (not modeled in game unfortunately). I have been told that using this button runs the tap changer down more quickly than using the auxiliary control buttons. However, setting the speed selector to zero will do the same thing (fast tap servo speed). The tap changer changes by 1 notch each 0.8 second using auxiliary control and 1 notch per 0.5 seconds with the speed selector/Freier Auslauf. The reason why drivers use "Freier Auslauf" instead of setting the speed selector to zero is that you can actually notch down the tap changer with the speed selector at a non-zero speed this way. Also, if you keep the force lever at 100% and brake with the brake valve the E-brake effort should rise equally fast as the brake cylinder pressure would if you were braking with pneumatic braking only ("Bremse Überbrückung") since the effort is directly corresponding to the "Cv" pressure ("Vorsteuer-druck" or basically control pressure). Again, this might be a game thing where you have to slowly increase the force lever not to get a sharp increase but IRL this is not necessary.
That's exactly the reason why. We're talking about using solely the electric brake (by having the speed selector in "on" with the force selector in any position but 0%). Then, the e-brake seems to brake quite harshly if you don't adjust the force selector carefully. It might be done differently today (you're the person with the inside sources, after all ), but in the old East German training films, they instruct you to use the electric brake by: having the speed selector in off, the force selector in 0%, then set the speed selector to on, then increase the force selector to achieve the desired braking effort.
In game, however, reducing the speed selector to zero immediately (well, for a given value of "immediately") begins full service braking. In the absence of the run-down button, you would have to zero the traction control before reducing the speed selector. (This complex dance also would likely overrun the PZB braking curve and result in a ZB) What I have been doing, prototypical or not, is to leave the traction control alone (except to compensate for weather conditions), initiate braking with the speed selector (i.e. set it to the desired speed), add air brakes as needed once the system has transitioned from power to dynamics.
Yeah, that's why I have taken to putting the force selector to zero before messing with the speed selector. Really, the more you drive the 143 (and get into the real handling techniques), the more obvious the lack of the Freier Auslauf button becomes.
What I usually do is to move the speed selector to "Off" with the mouse. That way I can move it so quickly that it won't go into electric braking. Also maybe these features (that seem to be implemented from my test yesterday on the DRA BR143) would be helpful. There are two rocker switches above the speed selector. These select different traction programs. 1. Freier Auslauf. This function will run down the tap changer as soon as the target speed is reached and stay at zero. This is super useful when running between closely spaced stations since as soon as the target speed is reached the tap changer automatically runs down and you don't have to worry about pressing Bedingter Auslauf (IRL) or moving the speed selector to zero/force lever to 0 (ingame). 2. Nur Fahren (traction only). This function will prevent electric braking from being used. This can be useful if you are running up a long ascending gradient and don't want the locomotive to start braking if you move the speed selector to a lower target speed. Example: you are running up a gradient at 120 km/h and are anticipating a lower speed restriction some distance ahead. Rather than braking you want to slow down by coasting so you press "Nur Fahren" and then move the selector to the lower target speed. 3. Nur Bremsen (braking only). Opposite of Nur Fahren, the locomotive will only use electric braking and no traction. Again this is very useful for going down descending gradients where you don't want the locomotive to run up the tap changer if you increase the target speed. This function is probably more commonly used since it protects against overspeeding. Let's say you are running down a 1% gradient at 80 km/h and the rear passes a 100 km/h speed limit change. You could now just increase the speed selector to 100 km/h and let the tap changer start notching up, but that would quickly accelerate you to 100 km/h (and maybe even overspeed depending on the force setting) and then you'd have to start braking again to not overspeed. What you can instead do is press "Nur Bremsen" and then increase the speed selector target to 100 km/h and let gravity accelerate you more slowly. Perhaps the acceleration is so slow that you reach 100 km/h when the gradient levels out, and if not at least the locomotive is "primed" to start braking immediately upon reaching the target speed. 4. Löschen Sonderprogramme. Should be the same rocker switch as "Freier Auslauf" and this position will cancel the current program.
I think you mixed up Freier and Bedingter there I've actually got a query about the Bedingter Auslauf. How often is it generally used in real life and how effective is it in real life? Whenever I try to use it in TSW, it seems to get stuck a little short of the target speed and it stays in taps 1 or 2. The only way I got it to work reliably was on a slight downward gradient (where the loco can reach the target speed even in tap 0).
Oh sorry, yeah replace Bedingter with Freier and vice versa in my reply. I would say that Bedingter Auslauf is used quite often in real life when the stations are 2-3 km or less apart, at least based on what I have heard from real life drivers of this locomotive and the 112. EDIT: I deleted what I wrote earlier since it was incorrect. I just found accurate information. Bedingter Auslauf makes the speed control circuit work quite differently compared to normal usage. Instead of ramping down the tap changer to settle at the target speed (with little or no overshoot), when Bedingter Auslauf is active the tap changer runs up to maximum (that the force selector allows) and then stays at maximum until the set speed is reached, at which point it runs down the tap changer equally quickly as if you had pressed Freier Auslauf. It will therefore overshoot the set speed. Let's say the distance from the original station to the next station is 2 kilometers. With a typical RE train you might only get up to 100 km/h (or even less most likely) before you have to start braking again. What the driver can do in this situation is to depart with the speed selector set at 80 km/h and Bedingter Auslauf active. The train will accelerate to 80 km/h and then the tap changer starts to run down, depending on how light the train is it might reach 100 km/h or settle out at somewhere around 90 km/h and then the train is ready to begin braking immediately.
That makes sense. Thank you very much for double-checking. With the change in the speed control, I can indeed see it being very useful in real life and that way, it doesn't fall into the pitfall that the TSW Bedingter Auslauf falls into. I have to say, the Br 143 never ceases to intrigue me. The number of complex processes they managed to put into an 80s loco build in the East ... fascinating.
Recently gave these starting/stopping procedures a try, and I’m very pleased! Getting this thing going and stopping it again no longer feels like an unorganized composition of multiple selectors, brakes and so on. A major issue remains, though: Running at line speed between stations… especially in hilly regions with lots of distance to cover like Ruhr-Sieg Nord. I’d like to run at or slightly below the speed limit, but this whole AFB and force selector system makes that difficult. If I crank up the force, it over-accelerates (which leads to speeding). If I decrease the force, there doesn’t end up being enough dynamic break force when going downhill, which (you guessed it) leads to overspeeding. Have you guys found a way to reliably make the train run at the same speed without having to press multiple program buttons and change the amount of force each time the track gradient changes?
Set the selector to whatever notch fits under the speed limit and leave it. Don't try to custom-fit within 2 km/h.
First of all, many thanks for this, it helps me a lot. I was curious about the same thing TimTri said above. speed limits are multiples of 10kph, and the speed selector goes in 10kph multiples as well. So, you're saying instead of putting the speed selector at the limit, go 10kph lower, as to avoid speeding when going downhill? I'm trying to complete the journeys on DCZ, and this loco has trouble with 2.4 to 2.6 gradients.
ANYTHING has trouble with 2.4 to 2.6 gradients. Just assume you'll slow down. On a route like DCZ, you can diddle with the speed selector if you want, setting it to the limit on the uphills and below it on the downhills. Note also that the traction force lever will increase or decrease your speed a bit (but not enough to compensate for 2.6!)
Sorry I didn't explain it better: going downhill, even on milder slopes (1.2), the loco doesn't brake to keep under the limit. It looks like AFB, but it's not. If I deploy the brake, the speed selector disengages, and I need to drop it to OFF then back up to re-engage.
So, another silver in the 143. There are some services on DCZ where you need to stop a lot. I think we stop at every station on the route, and sometimes it's very close, 1-2 km between stations. If this was an S-Bahn, sure, it wouldn't be a problem. But DCZ has such slopes that it makes it very difficult to keep good time all the way. I find myself in one of two situations: either I ignore the overspeeding and make all stops in time, or I micromanage the speed, keep to the limit, but incur penalty at the arrival time. Either way, I ended up with silver, some 300 points short of gold. Incredibly annoying.
Maybe double check that the timetable isn't tighter than it is IRL. Also, maybe you are relying a bit too much on the speed selector? The BR143 speed selector is not as sophisticated as AFB, but even with AFB 2.6 % gradient is probably close to it's limit (I don't know what the rated max gradient is on a loco like the 185 IRL so it could technically be within limits). What I would recommend on a steep gradient is this: Set the speed selector set point to 10 km/h below the speed you want to hold, then reduce the force selector value until the speed is held constant.
For the German users, there are two incredible BR 143 training videos from the days of the German Democratic Republic on YouTube! The first video mainly covers the basics, shunting and freight runs, while the second one talks more about passenger operations. They talk about how to use all the different controls and programs in all kinds of situations (accelerating, braking, gradients, stopping on a slope etc.). It’s actually quite informative, and they’re not even that long, clocking in at about 30 minutes total. For example, they always used the pneumatic train brake for station stopping, with the option to increase the electric brake force by setting the speed selector to 1 and putting the force lever at around 30%. The programs are used essentially whenever a gradient comes into play. Definitely recommend watching the videos!
I did lots of services with the DB BR 143 today and am now having tons of fun with it! Wrote down all my thoughts/tips in my TSW3 notes document and thought I’d share the relevant sections with all of you. Hope this helps DB BR 143 Summary: Keep the Speed Selector 10 km/h below the speed limit; if you keep that speed buffer, there’s honestly no need to mess around with the different Programs, the Auxiliary Control or manual braking (not even on the steepest downhill slopes); this buffer is built into the timetables, no delays to be expected Set the Force Selector to 80% (Dresden-Riesa + Dresden-Chemnitz; can alternatively also go to 120% with slight wheel spin during acceleration) or 120% (Ruhr-Sieg Nord); may need to reduce during bad weather (or not, regular max value 120% works quite well in practice) When braking for a speed limit, just reduce the speed selector early enough and let the electric brakes do the work; can first set speed selector exactly to the future speed limit and only move it down a notch (to create the 10 km/h buffer mentioned above) 100-200m before reaching the limit When braking to a stop, first turn off the Speed Selector and then only brake with the Driver’s Brake Valve (very strong brake, no sliding during bad weather even at full application); can brake comparatively late when approaching a station (healthy margin at 500m when doing 100 km/h); hold Driver’s Brake Valve in Release to reduce braking force quickly if needed When starting from a standstill, hold Driver’s Brake Valve in release to speed up the release of the brakes (and thus deactivation of the traction lock); perhaps be a bit careful when starting while facing down a steep gradient, may need less than 120% force and/or more than 10 km/h speed selector buffer to speed limit to avoid overspeeding When shunting and/or driving very slowly, using Auxiliary Control may be better than the speed & force regulators depending on the situation Keep in mind differences between older and newer versions of the loco (brake key, brake bridging lever, more realistic acceleration/deceleration and different brake HUD on newer version)
