Furloughed Driver: Hi

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourself!' started by esgtee, Jul 20, 2020.

  1. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    Hi,
    New to the forum and only started playing TS when I got furloughed from my job as a trainee train driver in the UK. Using TS to practice the skills I've been taught, revise and get into good habits before returning to the cab with my instructor!
     
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  2. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    Hi and welcome, just a word of warning that the physics of locos and trains is not very accurate. Keep that in mind and good luck with the training.
     
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  3. Driver170

    Driver170 New Member

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    I’m a qualified driver here in the UK. I would say - Do not use this simulator in anyway for Training. Stick with your School and driving instructor and learn out on the Iron road.

    good luck
     
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  4. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    We can't stick with our instructors or training school as all trainees have been at home since March. We're still not back yet.

    We have DVDs of our route, we have our class notes and practice tests on Rules & Traction. But when I've only driven 10hrs of handling, the sim is still relevant to maintain good habits (DRA at reds, running brake tests, etc.). I don't want to forget the basic routine stuff having been at home for 6 months.
     
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  5. car147

    car147 New Member

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    As an ex Signaller, Driver 170's advice is good.
     
  6. DTG Jamie

    DTG Jamie Staff Member

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    Hi esgtee, welcome, Good luck with your training. What locomotives/units are you learning to drive?
     
  7. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    Thanks DTG Jamie. I'm training on Class 350s. Well, when it resumes again.
     
  8. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    Hi mate, same position as you (trainee on hold - not furloughed though but just waiting) but on 450s (and lots more). Hope you're back to normal soon but yeah I reiterate 'Do not use this for training', rules and procedures only. Even the routes may be close but won't be exact.

    That being said it's been beneficial for my risk triggered commentary, defensive driving and application of the rules during our time off so far.

    Nice to hear of someone else in the Desiro Family!

     
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  9. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    I hear ya. I'm not using it to replace handling training. No way. It's just a way to make practising rules and procedures a bit easier to visualise. Endless slides on A4 can get a bit dry sometimes.
    Weirdly as I was 'driving' my route on the sim, I was surprised that I could already identify where the PSRs aren't correct, with only 10hrs experience with the real thing.
    Ah the big Desiro family! We have family abroad as well then. Does that make us cousins or brothers-in-law? ;)
     
  10. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    I can totally agree with your point about the slides, it's much better to make sense of when you're doing it! My training group even started trying to put together scenarios for ESW and TBW, it was quite impressive but definitely can't wait to be back in the cab. Do you know when you'll be back in the cab yet?

    Haha that's very good news, means the route learning was going well! We had the same revelation on our route too - especially when we tried to use our maps for it!

    We very much do, far and wide! I think depending on your TOC it's 50/50, I'm in the same family as the first blue TOC, but we also have ex-350s from the green TOC, it's a small world!
     
  11. Doomotron

    Doomotron Well-Known Member

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    Both.
     
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  12. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    No idea on our return date. Had thought we'd be back by now. Our group has been getting worried about job security because of the rail franchising ending. But we have been reassured by various parties we're ok.

    Ah, so our ex-350s had minor surgery to make them into your 450s then?

    I was in Belgium last year on holiday, and travelled on Desiros for local journeys. They look completely different (photo).
     

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  13. Doomotron

    Doomotron Well-Known Member

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    There are a few routes in TS with Desiros, just in case you haven't gone through the store yet:
    • Portsmouth Direct Line (original and Waterloo-Portsmouth) - the original isn't very detailed and only has two trains, neither of which are good, but the newer one is a lot better and comes with the 450, 444 and 455.
    • West Coast Main Line: Trent Valley - made by Thomson Interactive, this route (I'm told) is very good, and I think the 350 it comes with is very detailed, except for the sounds.
    • West Coast Main Line South - DTG's new (and apparently terrible) new route comes with three variants of the Class 350, which I believe is based on the PDL Class 450.
     
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  14. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    Fingers crossed it's not too long for you! I'm waiting on an instructor but they're at least working out bubbles at the moment so there's progress.

    I think so, no pantographs out here!

    They look incredibly different - I imagine they're all wildly similar under the hood. I'm just glad it's all modular, made learning the traction tonnes easier!
     
  15. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    Since you haven't been assigned an instructor, have you been out handling with a random DI yet?

    And no shoes up here! I think our /1s have shoe gear tied up on the bogies or removed.

    Ah yeah I guess you have to know 444s, 450s, anything else? We have relatively straightforward /1s, /2s, /3s or /4s. My DI can drive older traction and diesels, but not me hehe.
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2020
  16. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    Yeahh went out with a DI over half a year ago now and did my handling on Desiros, 458s, 455/456s and 707s. That was the last time I’ve driven though!

    Ah you’re missing out, the DC portion of PTS was much more straightforward than the AC portion!

    My depot signs almost everything but hopefully the new trains we are getting will cut down the requirements. Are you just Desiros or will you end up anything something else too? Hope you get the chance on the older stuff, two handles and 3 step brakes make them a lot more fun!
     
  17. esgtee

    esgtee Member

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    Are you being assigned a different instructor then? I should be keeping mine upon return. Since I've only learned with Desiros, I found the 455 on Train Simulator a little odd with separate brake. I'm sure it's a bit like getting a different car. Just sold my petrol manual for an electric, so controls are somewhat different, no clutch, no gear changes, no noise! And you can coast in it too

    How is DC more straightforward than AC? I think DC scares me lol, stepping over a live rail.

    I'm just trained on Desiros. When a 319 (similar to 455/456) has been diagrammed, I've had to sit and watch while my instructor drove. Ah yes you're getting Aventras. So are we, AC only version. I think by the time I'm qualified, 319s will have been replaced by them.
     
  18. guardupfront

    guardupfront Active Member

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    We do our handling with an instructor from the training school to do our practical handling (and to ensure that we have done the basics already before we are handed over to the depot) then we are released to depot to pick up an instructor from our depot to do our driving hours - but there's a bit of a backlog and so I'm just waiting for one to become available at my depot.
    Yeah it's a whole different style of driving - I'm sure you've seen on the 319 - initial brake in step 2 and then feathering it up and down from there, it's a bit less control but once you are used to it it's not so bad! Yeah, it's just like that! At the moment at our end, you could drive 3/4 different driving styles in a day! Every class has it's quirks and it's techniques.

    DC is very much a 'rail bad, don't touch it and it can't hurt you' mentality, but the fact AC is such high voltage it can jump is terrifying! I think you have neutral sections but we have substations and conductor rail gaps, but we only see AC lines at one station and I'm definitely happy it's only one!

    Ah yeah, that's totally fair, is that because the 319s will be gone before you're out and about so there's no point getting to know two handle driving? Yeah, yours look nicer! Hoping ours come in soon as it'll cut down the number of traction courses I would have to do but they're still ironing out some creases in the cabs so can't see them coming into service this year at all at this point
     

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