Understanding The Speedometer Hud (?)

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by LastTrainToClarksville, Jun 4, 2021.

  1. LastTrainToClarksville

    LastTrainToClarksville Well-Known Member

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    Yes, I know that lots of threads about this topic already exist, but I'm adding to their number because of something I recently discovered and cannot remember having seen it noted in the forums.

    First, this is the Speedometer HUD I'm writing about, pictured here in a German engine:
    Speedometer HUD.jpg

    My light-bulb moment regards only the Grade Indicator portion of this HUD:
    Grade indicator.jpg
    And the key question is, as indicated, the direction of travel of the engine. Here's what triggered my light-bulb moment: after completing the necessary steps to set up the engine, including moving the reverser to forward, I turned on AFB, advanced the throttle a bit, and set the AFB lever to the current speed limit. Although the slope indicator seemed to indicate 2.0% down, acceleration was very slow. That's when, for some illogical reason, I pressed the 2 key, which showed me the rear end of the train. Why not the front end? Then I remembered the previous session, which involved preparing this train by coupling its rack of freight cars to the front of the engine. This session, however, began with the driver already seated and looking in the direction of the destination point. In other words, located in what was actually the rear cab of the engine! So what? So everything: that's what!
    In this case, the rear of the train was headed up, not down the grade (which was, in fact, steeper than 0.2%)!

    Now, some clever forum member will immediately claim that the engine indicator in the Slope (grade) indicator should, in a case such as this, flip around so that its front is pointing uphill. And that's a valid notion -- however, it doesn't happen to concord with how this indicator behaves in TSW2. This is one of those "Istanbul, not Constantinople" issues in which accepting what is makes more sense -- while driving, at least -- than griping about what one thinks should be.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2021
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  2. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

    Ich protestiere! :)
     
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  3. OpenMinded

    OpenMinded Well-Known Member

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    :DFirst thing that came to my mind as well;). Unfortunately we don’t have any Diesels with the DB „integrated cab“ architecture driving around in TSW, yet. And the 182 didn’t have a Diesel, last time I checked…

    yokes aside, I, too, spotted this. And just like you, LastTrainToClarksville, I have just accepted the fact that it is the way it is. Happens as well on 112 services on HHL if you turn them around and drive them back…
     
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  4. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

    Because this is 'cabin-related' :)

    As for this mysterious indicator - this is common knowledge:

    Cabin # 1 is OK when we are going forward, and 'reversed', when going backward.
    Cabin # 2 is OK when we are going backward, and 'reversed', when going forward.

    going forward = the reverser in 'forward' position
    going backward = the reverser in 'reverse' position

    EDIT
    Thank you, thank you \o/
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2021
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  5. OpenMinded

    OpenMinded Well-Known Member

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    But was this ever being acknowledged by DTG to be a bug? Or is it rather a feature?

    Again, can accept it as is, however, still doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.
     
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  6. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

    This is how it was designed, this is how it works. DTG understands our dissatisfaction. Maybe they will change that someday :)

    EDIT
    True, this is confusing :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 4, 2021
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  7. sukihersch

    sukihersch Member

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    I think feature, afaict
     
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  8. Callum B.

    Callum B. Well-Known Member

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    What perplexes me is that the gradient indicator functioned as expected in TSW2020, where it would show the gradient relative to the direction of travel. In TSW2, it is fixed in accordance to the designated front-face of the locomotive, so if you are using the second cab, the gradient will appear reversed. I much prefer the older system and really am puzzled why it was downgraded.

    Cheers
     
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  9. mancunian#7861

    mancunian#7861 Active Member

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    I've often been puzzled by the gradient display too. I guess now I know. :)
     
  10. Lamplight

    Lamplight Well-Known Member

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    My guess is as follows: When you‘re standing still (especially while shunting), the TSW2020 indicator was ambiguous. You couldn‘t deduct from the HUD in which direction the gradient is upwards and vice versa. If you‘re doing a lot of back and forth in a yard, I think the TSW2 version is actually better.

    The real problem is double ended locomotives (therefore, unfortunately, almost anything that isn‘t a North American diesel locomotive) as the indicator doesn‘t flip when changing cabs (or desks in case of a Class 20). If that could be implemented, I‘d be happy, but I‘d keep the indicator staying the same when you‘re reversing for the above-mentioned reasons.
     
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  11. OpenMinded

    OpenMinded Well-Known Member

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    thanks for this attempted explanation! Sounds plausible.
     
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  12. LastTrainToClarksville

    LastTrainToClarksville Well-Known Member

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    Perché?
     
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  13. OpenMinded

    OpenMinded Well-Known Member

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    Because it’s not a diesel…
     
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  14. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

  15. solicitr

    solicitr Well-Known Member

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    A quick way to check is to open the 2D map. The icon for your loco always has the rounded end to the "front" and the square end to the "back."
     
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  16. OpenMinded

    OpenMinded Well-Known Member

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    Didn’t mean to argue. LastTrainToClarksville asked in Italien why you are protesting and I answered;) Thats at least how I have understood it… I liked his post as well.

    sorry, didn’t mean to cause confusion:o
     
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  17. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

    Yes. This is the best method.
     
  18. LastTrainToClarksville

    LastTrainToClarksville Well-Known Member

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    Oops! I'll edit my OP posthaste.
     
  19. LastTrainToClarksville

    LastTrainToClarksville Well-Known Member

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  20. breblimator

    breblimator Guest

    We had argued about this before. It doesn't even make sense. I think we all agree, it doesn't work well. This is annoying. Not everyone looks at this forum looking for enigmatic explanations. They should fix it.
     
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  21. sukihersch

    sukihersch Member

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    I mean for me it usually works fine with some quirks or niggles but I can see why they happen. I somewhat feel I prefer it the way it is than changing it to a 'direction of travel' based system as has been suggested (or as apparently was the case in TSW2020)
     
    Last edited: Jun 6, 2021

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