So how do these things work realistically? Is it like two locomotives on one train or are you just basically commanding the engine from the back of the Train?
More like the latter. Locomotive at one end and a Driving Van Trailer (DVT) at the other end so you are able to operate the train at both ends. In the UK, there is something called Time Division Multiplex (TDM) which allows the Locomotive and DVT to ‘talk’ to each other. Electrical signals are sent via a jumper cable throughout the train which allows the train to be operated from the DVT end. Uniquely, the HST is the former where you have essentially a locomotive at either end of the consist. Both are able to provide traction power and both can provide Electrical Train Supply (usually the rear power car does this). The power cars are able to ‘talk’ to each other via a jumper cable which runs throughout the whole train. The jumper cables provides signals between cars including the following: engine speed (I.e. when you notch up or notch down power); traction power; direction control (I.e. forward or reverse); brake control (I.e. when brakes apply, the E70 control unit on the rear power is also operated to reduce brake pipe pressure from both ends thus reducing time for brakes to apply); fault indication, etc... If you have a power car with the engine out/off, you essentially have a very, very heavy DVT!
Basically the cab-car eliminates the need for two locomotives on a train. The cab-cars are powered by electricity from the HEP (Head-End Power) of the locomotive. Power is transferred through cables that run the entire length of the train. When the engineer increases power for example from the cab-car, a signal is relayed to the locomotive's engine computer to throttle up a notch. That is about as simple as I can make it, hope this helps!
Like I said at the start, it’s like the latter (“you are commanding the engine from the back of the train”) The cab car is essentially a DVT so the train can be driven from that end. It doesn’t provide traction power or Electrical Train Supply (ETS) because as in the name, it is a ‘trailer’ vehicle which means unpowered (no traction motors or engines). The Locomotive at the other end of the train is providing all traction power and ETS. Also, just think about it logically, can you hear any engine sound coming from the cab car end/trailer end? Likewise, if it was electric, there be no pantograph on the cab car end/trailer. As I said before, there is a jumper cable that runs throughout the train which allows the Cab car end to ‘talk’ to the locomotive whenever you use the controls from the Cab car end. Wouldn’t really say it eliminates the need for two locomotives but more to do with all the messing about involved with uncoupling the locomotive from the coaching stock, running it around the coaching stock and then coupling up at the other end. (I.e. shunt).
Interesting. And the MP36 is still an active unit I think right? I thought I heard somewhere they were eventually getting replaced by that charger locomotive.
The MP36 units are still active at the moment https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Peninsula_Commute_locomotives Peter
Interesting! But I have an annotation regarding the Gallery Cab Car in PC. If you drive the loc and set the brake to apply and then to neutral, the brake releases automatically after a few seconds to a lower braking-force. If you drive the Gallery Cab Car, this effect doesnt occur! So it makes a difference, to drive/brake this train by loc or the DVT! What is the explaination for this? The brake system is still the same but the control is different. So why?
Aah, it took me a while to understand but I think I’ve got it. Assuming you mean lapping when you said Neutral. It’s a bit of a difficult concept to understand so without going into too much details, the brake cylinder pressure decreases because it is supplemented by dynamic braking but the braking force will remain the same throughout. This is called blended braking. Notice how once you’ve started braking from the locomotive, after a few seconds you will hear the engine revving even though throttle is in idle. This is because the traction motors are now acting as generators for dynamic braking thus you will see negative amps registered on the ammeter. I can go into more detail if you wish. The key is though that braking force will be exactly the same throughout. One thing to note is the brake cylinder pressure you are looking at on the gauge is for that vehicle only. I.e. if in the locomotive, that brake pressure is for the locomotive only and if in cab car, it is only for the cab car. Braking is still going on for the entire train but it fluctuates slightly depending on vehicle loading, wheelslide protection, etc.... So if you are in the locomotive, when you get blended braking, the brake cylinder pressure will drop as the dynamic braking occurs directly in the locomotive (I.e. traction motors and resistors on top of the locomotive). However, in the cab car end, even though there is dynamic braking occurring on the back of the train in the locomotive, it will not register in the cab car end gauges as cab car gauges only show braking for that vehicle which is obviously only going to be friction braking as it’s an unpowered vehicle (i.e trailer vehicle). But if you use free camera to see through the locomotive at the back, you will see exactly what I described in the first paragraph. Controls are exactly the same with regard to the brake system (automatic and dynamic braking). If you want me to go in more detail, I can although it can be confusing.
Ya, all this makes fully sense and I understand! Instead I thought, that different brake-systems are preset at each car. But the differerence is only (the) conditioned in the respective view. This makes TSW really much realistic and complex, more than I thought! Otherwise I just noticed, that the brake-system can be changed by the square-button- so wich system is supported to a train. I have to try this, until then I use(d) always the preset brake. So I was wondering, that I couldnt use the "Bx-Brake" in the AC64 in NEC. I wanna figure it out. Because I'm german, I often dont know the right words for any settings. Please correct me, so I can learn it for a better understanding. All the different braking-systems mean to be a science by itself. Thats would be an own thread worth. I'm always open for more details, because learning forces fun! No one said it wouldt be esay ;-)