PlayStation Any Of You Real Train Operators?

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by Sashco, Aug 3, 2020.

  1. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    Just out of curiosity, are any of you train operators?

    How does the sim world reflect to reality? I have about 3000km under my belt atm on the NTP and just started WSR route. I love the scenery and the Class 45/47 trains

    I am seriously considering applying and attending 1-2 years of schooling to learn how to operate trains for real. I am 37, I do consultancy work and am part owner of a company which I could probably retire from in a few years selling my share...but, I've reached a point where no longer stand to work for money and be engaged with deadlines, huge responsibility and so forth. Been doing this for the past 2 years and will probably have to continue for another 3 years in order to "partly retire". Just the idea of having to do this even for couple of more months is, to say the least, unthinkable!

    Driving these trains, sitting there by myself, in complete peace, admiring the nature and scenery..oh boy!
     
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  2. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    No one, huh...I guess I'll have to look into to do some re-schooling here, because I think this will be my next proffession. Loving this!
     
  3. Stockton Rails

    Stockton Rails Well-Known Member

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    There are actually quite a few real train engineers in these forums btw- I’ve run into maybe 4-5 of them in the last 4mos since I’ve been a member here. I would just be patient and wait for some of them to catch your note and reply.

    I know what you mean about being attracted to becoming a train engineer. At one point in my (stressful, maddening- but high-paying) high-tech career, I thought about what it would be like to be a train engineer- to travel and work a train for a living. Sometimes it seems like there has to be more to life than just earning the bucks and paying the bills. I never did become that train engineer unfortunately... the bills (and mortgage) got paid alright, but I’ll always wonder if I could’ve chosen a more enjoyable job and still managed money-wise.

    (After re-reading my note above, I have at least become a train engineer on a simulator thanks to the last 4mos I’ve spent with TSW 2020. I’ve definitely learned a lot, and still have more to learn... I’m looking forward to the rest of my journey as an engineer, with TSW 2 right around the corner)
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2020
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  4. TheTipsyRaccoon

    TheTipsyRaccoon Well-Known Member

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    I drive London Underground’s Metropolitan Line. I spent time on the Northern Line before that.

    Naturally as a tube driver I like the routes that involve stopping at stations every few minutes. The class 166 on GWE is my favourite, but I’ve been playing the routes in release order and have only got to Peninsula Corridor so far so haven’t yet seen it all.
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2020
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  5. Tay95

    Tay95 Well-Known Member

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    Its my current aim
     
    Last edited: Aug 3, 2020
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  6. L89

    L89 Well-Known Member

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    No I don't think I could ever be one as I have to wear glasses and probably wouldn't pass any eyesight tests (crucial for spotting distant signals and potential hazards). Playing TSW without HUD is a scary experience, so I don't think I would brave the real thing.
     
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  7. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    I've realised, over the years, I need freedom of mind. That's the most important thing. Having a job dealing with clients and delivery deadlines, producing hours etc. I feel like my inner self is repelling all of it like a magnet.

    I live a very modest life, with very little. I hardly own anything. I even contemplate of buying a van, turn it into a "home" and drive trains (long distant trains). I love being by myself, and what better place then operating trains, travelling and earning a living.

    I've thought about it a lot for the past 5 years tbh! I did send an email today and I think they have application deadline on March 1st next year.

    I've talked to my colleagues and am throwing in the towel. Most likely I'll keep working as a consultant for them and sell my share, instead of as owner.
     
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  8. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    I would love to do long distant trains! Maybe even cargo trains I think. I noticed from driving the Class 101 on the NTP that I didn't enjoy stopping all the time. I loved doing those longer trips and operating Class 45/47s
     
  9. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    I haven't played without the hub yet I do believe that the perception is different when sitting in a real train AND you are not chasing trophies in real life and medlas

    On top of that, operating even the older locos, such as Class 45/47, I found it relatively easy to maintain pace and breaks once I learned the route. Not to mention, as with anything, the more you practice, the better you get.

    Still, I haven't attempted without the HUD. I'll give it a go after 100% completion of a route. At that point I should have warned up
     
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  10. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    Also, forgot to ask, how do the sim compare to the real driving? Do the locos behave like the real locos? Or thereabouts?
     
  11. Stockton Rails

    Stockton Rails Well-Known Member

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    ...sounds like you’ve been thinking about this career change for quite awhile. And if this is something you really want to do, just make sure you do all of your homework on this option before you make the jump. It’s a big step... you don’t want to have any major regrets after already starting down that road.

    Hope this helps... thanks for sharing your story, and good luck on whatever you decide to do moving forward.
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2020
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  12. Thunderer

    Thunderer Well-Known Member

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    It's also a very competitive field to get into, a friend of ours recently became a driver on Northern Rail (at the same time that his wife became a guard on the same routes!)

    There were over a thousand applicants for 5 or 6 driving jobs.
     
  13. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    Thanks! Appreciate it!

    I guess I am bit lucky here. Throughout my life I've made choices which today allow me to take much higher risks than majority of people. As I said, I hardly have anything holding me back and I thrive in change. Even if it doesn't work out and I find it boring, I'll move on to the next thing ☺️ I got a pipeline of potentialities which have become much more achievable after putting the time and effort in this business! So many things appear to be possible now which I couldn't "see" before engaging with my business!
     
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  14. TheTipsyRaccoon

    TheTipsyRaccoon Well-Known Member

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    To be fair I hate the Class 101, it’s such a ball ache to drive, I much prefer more modern stock as well. The long runs I tend to get quite bored and switch off, which I’m sure wouldn’t happen in real life, but I just find the short runs more engaging.
     
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  15. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    I’m training as a train driver at the moment, the sim has its ups and it’s downs. Some of the systems are well modelled but real life driving is wildly different and not as rigid as it is in TSW.
    Running on green lights is wildly unrealistic for my toc :D
     
    Last edited: Aug 4, 2020
  16. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    So what you are saying is that signalling is easier in real life than on sim? ☺️
     
  17. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    The opposite!
     
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  18. Olaf the Snowman

    Olaf the Snowman Well-Known Member

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    I’m a high speed/intercity/long distance (whatever you want to call it) mainline driver in the UK. If you want to become a train driver then definitely apply for it. But you really need to think about your last statement: train driving isn’t all fun and games. Have you considered the shift pattern with shifts starting as early as 0300/0400 am, shifts finishing as late as 0100-0200am, night shifts, etc... Sure, to begin with it might be nice admiring the nature and scenery. But going over the same route day in, day out perhaps even several times a day if you’re a commuter/metro driver, not so fun anymore. It’s not like TSW where you can just pick any traction, any route you fancy. In real life, you may be operating just one traction on one route and that’s it for years and years. Ok, some companies may have a few traction and a few routes but there isn’t much variety as there used to be. Things were different in British Rail days where drivers used to have traction and routes cards as long as their arms but now at most companies, you’re only going to get very few. Factor this in with modern units being so easy to operate, boredom is one of the biggest challenges for train drivers today due to advances in technology. Driver Underload is a big thing and the industry are working very hard to combat this. In complete peace? Maybe, but you only have to ask some DOO drivers how peaceful it is when an undesirable pulls a passcom or an egress and you have to go back to reset it and meet said undesirable. Or how about when you’re stuck at a red signal for a few minutes and you have some furious commuters banging on your door.

    With regards to how TSW compares in real life: the physical handling of the modern units such as the Class 377 and turbo are fantastic. Some of the locomotives such as the HST are extremely poor behaving in the game very similar to a modern unit and they still haven’t fixed this after all this time. But where the game suffers most is with lack of traffic. Seeing green lights everywhere, even for intercity drivers in this day and age, is extremely rare. There are almost 20 trains an hour in each direction at London Paddington. Even if one train is a few minutes late, this can cause a ripple effect lasting for hours and causing hundreds of delay minutes. Here is part of a post I wrote some time ago which may help you to appreciate the ripple effect of delays.

    By extending the route to say Bristol Temple Meads, you’re able to appreciate the ripple effect of even a couple of minutes at delay at the start of the journey which can turn into 10+ minutes 100 or so miles down the line and can also affect other trains. Let’s say you’re following a late running service to Bath Spa and you’re late by a few minutes, you’re now out of path. So you get checked down to Wootton Bassett junction because a train from Cardiff/Swansea is being out out ahead of you even though you were booked in front. Then you get to Didcot Parkway and the Oxford train gets put ahead of you. And then you get to Reading, both main line (fast line) platforms are occupied because the train from Newbury has come into platform 10 and the Oxford is in platform 11. Once you’ve finally routed into the platform, you’re following behind a train Newbury which is only 90mph maximum because it’s a turbo and you’re following a train from Oxford. Oh wait, the Oxford train stops at Slough. You throw the anchors again at West Drayton because a Heathrow Express train cuts in front at Heathrow Airport Junction. You get checked down to the last signal at Paddington because you’re waiting for a train to leave. You arrive into Paddington 25 minutes late. Oh wait, that train is due back out in 10 minutes to Cardiff Central. Now if you want some more enjoyment, throw in a problem on the relief lines (slow lines) so that stopper trains are being put on the mainline and watch the chaos unfold.
    Anyway, I hope you can appreciate how even a small delay can cause so much disruption. Once you’ve lost your path, it’s very hard in such a congested timetable to get back into your path. The signallers will try their best to minimise the delay which sometimes means delaying another train by putting you in front- e.g. have the Oxford train sit at Reading until you’ve arrived, let passengers on/off and then departed which may mean you’ll get a better run between Reading and Paddington but the Oxford train is now 5 minutes late- or it may mean delaying you further by putting a train that should be behind you in front of you in order to minimise delays to other trains. There is no superiority anymore; once upon a time, a headcode ‘1’ meant you got priority in front of everything else but that’s not the case anymore.
     
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  19. Scotrail156467

    Scotrail156467 Well-Known Member

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    Not a train operator but I do dispatch
     
  20. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for that insight, it is an interesting read.

    I always fancied being a driver when I was younger but I didn't want to work Sundays!

    Having spoken to older drivers many echo your comments that driving on today's privatised railway is not as interesting as on BR, I get the feeling the camaraderie isn't so great anymore.
     
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  21. Stockton Rails

    Stockton Rails Well-Known Member

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    Last edited: Aug 10, 2020
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  22. Sashco

    Sashco Member

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    Wow, thanks for all the input. I'll have to jump on my computer to ask/answer some more here as I haven't checked the forums in a few days, but have been playing TSW nonetheless

    I ha e some things I'd like to discuss and can't be bothered typing on my phone
     
  23. George1862

    George1862 Active Member

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  24. ixofxiii

    ixofxiii Well-Known Member

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    Wasnt a train operator but I was a conductor on the NYC Subway. I did get a taste of operating a train once during training. Fun!!!
     

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