Feature Suggestion: Loco Remote Control (br 363 Etc.)

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by gregorby, Sep 11, 2020.

  1. gregorby

    gregorby New Member

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    The Idea: An essential feature of "modern" German shunting locomotives is the remote control ("Funkfernsteuerung") which means that the driver has a box to take with him, that allows him to control the loco from outside the cab while doing coupling or standing in front of his pushed train.
    In TSW 2 this could mean that you have a switch to activate remote control (as in real life) that causes being able to control the train while walking around (maybe with activated HUD).

    The reason: This equipment is today's standard for shunting locos. That includes the locos of the V60 family, which are still in use (BR 362 and BR 363), the V90 family (e.g. the BR 294, the most common type), the few BR 298 (the shunting version of th BR 204) and the new Voith Gravita (BR 261 and BR 265).
    In terms of Gameplay this could push the immersion a lot! Walking around and standing on a front wagon would bring much fun and realism to these duties (as long as we don't have a Multiplayer that gives us a second player walking around, coupling and so on for us :) ) I know that we can use the "number-3-cam" to teleport our selves in front of the train, but that is not the same experience. If it would be the same thing you could also say that it is possible to walk through the Train Simulator.

    After all I think this would be a really cool feature for the upcoming DB BR 363 (if it's not to late yet) or other shunting locos you may build in the future.
    Thank you for reading this and taking it maybe into consideration (and please excuse my english).
    I thought about this for a while and I hope that I didn't told you too much you already knew, that it is no to late or that you are already working on it.
     
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  2. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

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    This technology also exists in the US as well, but IDK to what extent, I know that any BNSF equipped for it have specific decals labeling the unit as a remote controlled loco.
    TRIAD System.jpg
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  3. JGRudnick

    JGRudnick Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, CSX has RC locos as well, identifiable by an orange flasher, one on each side of the cab.
    Here's my local RC unit. I'm not sure what the arm protruding from the front of the cab is I don't think it has anything to do with the RC operations, but I could be wrong.

    Many of CSX's yard units are equipped with this feature, but these units usually frequent a single yard, and rarely ever see the mainline.
    [​IMG]
    For example, 1515 here almost never leaves the CSX yard in Niagara Falls. It has been here since 2010, and has been RC operational for even longer. I have never seen it do anything other than switching, except when a there aren't enough MP15DC's or AC's available for switching local industries in Niagara Falls. It handles the switching duties in the yard, hooked up with whatever may be there that day. I've seen SD40-2's, GP38-2's, and GP40-2's. It works with a crew of three, two with rc boxes (operators A and B). One will be controlling the locomotive, the other two work the switches and uncoupling levers. The switchman with the second box is a backup, in case the first one fails.

    CSX's yards in Buffalo, NY each have at least one rc loco that handles most of the switching duties, as does most of CSX's yards across its system. Before CSX started closing hump yards, RC units were commonly used to shove cuts of cars over the hump.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2020
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  4. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

    Do you know the reason? I like such curiosities - forgive me, I ask :)
     
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  5. JGRudnick

    JGRudnick Well-Known Member

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  6. AlexKall

    AlexKall New Member

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    I really do hope they add this eventually, especially on the 363 as it even have the control box in the cab, taunting you. Locomotives have been radio controlled at least since mid 1960 so it's def not something new and I think most locomotives can be retrofitted today, even really old ones.
     
  7. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

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    An excellent idea and if Austrian routes come to the game only the ÖBB 2070 has it since the Electric shunters in Austrian German they're called Verschublokomotive the classes 1063 1064 & 1163 lack those features. This will be useful for marshalling yards Deutsche Bahn Rangierbanhof in the forums it's abbreviated as Rbf like München Laim on HMA and proposed Austrian routes Verschiebebahnhof Vbf Wien or Innsbruck so you don't have to manipulate the switches in United Kingdom Rail terminology points. Second optio isn implement the feature found in Ruhr-Sieg Nord Hagen Hbf or Hagen Vorhalle which is the switches are controlled centrally then you use the shunter remote control to shunt trains.
     

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