I, too, find the presence of the same old scenarios disappointing. However, the timetable sessions I've tried are very good indeed, especially those devoted to switching. Since neither of the other two TSW2 routes particularly interests me, my opinion of TSW2 Sand Patch will rise or fall with this route.
I tried hard all the scenarios / services on TSW1 I will not do the same here. It's very boring, low speed, and not a lot of events during scenarios. Btw the ambiance / graphics is nice to drive
I think you mean services (now awkwardly called timetables); as far as I can see there are no new scenarios. Contrarywise, the TSW scenario that required the use of spotter buttons may well be missing from TSW2 -- at least, I haven't found it yet.
I have been doing the journey on the Sand Patch Grade and having a blast. The progression and mix of different activities are nicely mixed to make it interesting. With the addition of adhesion, driving a loaded coal train down the long grade is challenging especially if you have not ensured your MultipleUnits and DistributedPowerUnits are set up properly. Of course different horses for different courses, most passenger routes I find tedious where handling a long heavy freight with just adequate motive power is intriguing. The addition of adhesion factor has made Sand Patch Grade my favorite route of this release.
I like the Sand Patch Grade on TSW2. I had finished all trips from TSW1. I have finished about 50% of those same trips on TSW2. I agree that adhesion has made a difference. Wheel slip going up the mountain, or wheel slide going down the mountain, have made the same old trips more difficult. Especially in bad weather. I also agree that TSW1 Sand Patch Grade was boring and tedious, but with the added level of difficulty, I am enjoying it more than before.
Hi, I have a question about downhill drive with AC4400CW. When I use dynamic brake the train speed jumps +/- 3mph in second. Is it normal? I drive grain train G089 (5800t) down to Cumberland with two AC4400CW and it was very strange behavior. Instead of continuos speed change, it jumps up and down, whitin one second you get over speed limit and back - 23>26>23 without chance to apply auto brake. Dynamic on this train don't have power to mantain line speed(25/30mph) but, if you go slower (15mph) it can, but speed also jumps from 14 to 18mph. Is this a heavy train physics bug? I drive also helper return with two AC4400CW and there was no problem with speed jumping at all. If dynamic brake was applied, speed goes continuosly down and than rise again when I turn it of (SET-UP). Is it correct that this service use passenger speed limit (X799 service, no via journey).
Yes, this is the coupler slack action that you're experiencing. Since the locomotive is applying a braking force, but the wagons are not, the couplers will bunch up together like a loaded spring and then push back against the tension. It creates a very slow and heavy slinky effect. When the train increases in speed suddenly, that's the force of all those wagons pushing you forward, and when the train suddenly slows down, it's the expanding force between the couplers pulling the locomotive a little back. This is completely normal and realistic. No, this is incorrect. On CSXT railroads, a light engine has a max speed of 30mph. A train (two or more wagons/locomotives) can follow track speed. So even if you are two freight locomotives, you must follow freight track speed. On Sandpatch Grade you should be following the freight speed limits, not the passenger ones. Only Amtrak may run at passenger speeds, even if it is a heavier train than just two freight locomotives. It may differ on other railroads, however.
Is there a driver trick to compress all couplers (train) to avoid this speed jumping or reduce this coupler slack action? Once all the coupler springs are compressed and oscillations are damped than I can drive downhill without speed bumps.
Yes, be very gentle and gradual with your dynamic braking. Be proactive, so if you notice that the downhill grade is getting steeper, apply a little more braking even if you haven't started speeding up yet. That will give time for the momentum of the train to shift. Increase it by a little bit, wait 5-10 seconds, then increase it a little bit more, and so on, until you find a nice braking setting that will keep you coasting at the right speed for the grade.
So, this heavy downhill runs are about smooth and safe drive and line speed isn't any target. DTG have in description that it takes 90min to complete, but it takes me 125min to get down to Cumberland. Also climb to Sand Patch from Garrett where line speed is 35mph can't be reached with just two AC4400CW and 5800t train. Only 28-24mph at those 0,8%-1.2% can be achieved. Have to try Powering America 2 where train have rear DPU if slack is lower.
This is true. If DPU fencing were simulated in TSW then the practice would be to increase the DPU dynamic brakes slightly more than the lead units to lightly stretch the couplers. In the days before radio-controlled DPUs, helper units on the rear would be manned and communicated through the radio in spoken word. AFAIK that is why the radio is called the "Banking Comm" in TSW, even in the AC4400CW for some reason. I've found DTG's scenario completion estimates to be way off for any freight-related activites. Some yard activities take double the expected time if following yard speeds. And yes, it is common for heavy freight trains in North America to not reach their maximum permitted speeds on steep inclines. Sometimes the yard crew is not so benevolent with horsepower per ton.
Does anyone else have issues with the Scenarios specifically Y-104 and Y-105, the brake cylinder does not want to move to zero when moving the automatic brake to release and cut-off valve to "freight".
I tried the Fully Fuelled scenario, the first time I came to a grounding halt and finally decided the two locos at the back can't be working. As I couldn't find anything about it in the manual I looked on the Forum and got a lot of help in setting them up. I was really plesed when I finally made it to the top, it was a long haul, I uncoupled the rear two Locos and made my way to the destination it told me. Then I came across a red light between me and my destination. The red light never went out, I checked to see if another train was coming and there was none. I saved the game and crossed the red light, yep your right I failed and went back to the menu. Not sure if its a bug or I'm doing something wrong, a long ride for nothing!
1. This is a bug. 2. Try not to: save/load/reload-last-checkpoint in scenarios... I know... 3. Passing at STOP signal = perma-death sometimes. Re-loading the mission wont help. 4. Restart is the only option. Good luck PS: Fully Fueled is extremely unlucky!
I just feel compelled to address the issue of saving and resuming activities. As a PC user, I've always felt free to save and resume activities and cannot recall ever having had a problem as a result. Running activities on the CSX in TSW2, the horn sound has sometimes dropped out; saving, quitting to the main menu, and resuming the activity restores the horn sound without causing any complications.
I am PC too, but I have such problems. It's OK in Timetables, but some scenarios are less forgiving. It is a prevention rather than a theory of 'always'. UPDATE I probably did one of these long scenarios, on the occasion of TSW2, three times (and TSW1, TSW2020...). It was long ~7 hours. You can do all of the SPG, but it takes a little patience.