So I’ve driven the Javelin on SEHS for the first time today but I’m not sure what those numbers are for that’s displayed above the speedo when your driving on the high speed section in Kmh? I guessing it’s something to do with speed limits but how is it supposed to help you? When it’s starts flashing are you supposed to get down to the speed it says right there and then or is it warning you that’s the speed limit coming up shortly and you have to start slowing? Also why when I’m raising the pantograph when I look outside via the external camera the pantograph hasn’t raised onto the over head lines. Is this a bug?
It is TVM-430 in-cab signalling and shows the safe speed to travel at. The number is always the speed limit you need to be at or under at the next signal flag. If it is lower than the speed you have been travelling at you have until the next signal flag to get down to below that speed. When the number is flashing it indicates a further reduction is coming up. It also flashes before the very first reduction happens. The speed limits generally follow the same reduction pattern. So say you are driving at 225, when the 225 starts flashing you know that a reduction is coming up. When the lower number appears, which from 225 will be 200, you have until the next flag to get down to that speed. If that number is also flashing, it means it will be followed by a further reduction, to 170. If when that happens the 170 isn’t flashing you know that you have until the next flag to get down to that speed and no further reductions will be coming. These numbers will have diamonds behind them. If they are just plain text in no diamond and not flashing that indicates it is the line speed and no reductions are occurring. It is best to start reducing your speed when you see the number start flashing and you know a reduction is coming, rather than wait for the new lower number to show up. This means you can reduce speed more smoothly and not have to brake heavily to get down to the speed limit in a short space before the flag, as you are already ahead of the game.
So when the TVM display starts flashing to tell you to slow down the HUD suddenly goes yellow without much warning before you get a chance to get down to the displayed speed but I’ve noticed you don’t seem to get an over speed penalty like you would on other routes. Is that correct? Does anyone know why the pantograph doesn’t go up and attach to the overhead wires? Also the Javalin seems to have a bit of a bug sometimes with regards to getting it going. On the Javalin introduction it went onto go slow mode for some reason and would hardly accelerate and I’ve also tried to complete Shopping Shuttle and when I swapped ends to go back it just wouldn’t move despite following the instructions to the letter. SEHS seems to be a bit buggy
Yes, it goes yellow to indicate that you need to slow down by the next flag. If you are still above the limit after the flag, that’s when you get the speeding penalty. The same thing happens if you are above the braking curve when using LZB on German trains. The good thing with TVM in TSW2 is that it always shows the speeds even if you don’t activate the system on the back wall of the train, but will only give you an emergency brake for exceeding the limit if you do activate it. It is used in the LGV route too, where you can go up to 320km/h in the TGV Duplex.
TVM signalling is great because it's so simple Static speed - go this fast Flashing speed the same as you're going - start to slow down, limit coming Flashing speed lower than you're going - speed limit in force from next signal All zeros - stop before next signal Just remember that if you hit the signal at more than about 10kph above the signed speed you're likely to get an automatic brake application which will bring you to a stop, so you really do want to bring your speed down promptly. Luckily signals are pretty well spaced, and you do get that early warning of the flashing current limit so you know you need to be slowing (or at least not accelerating further)
The pantographs should raise up and make contact with the overhead wires while you're on the HS1 section of the route. Make sure the train has come to a stop, and is put into neutral while you're switching power sources. There are two buttons on the left-hand panels, they're labeled CTRL and DC. CTRL - this utilizes the 25kV AC overhead wires. Stands for Channel Tunnel Rail Link. DC - this selects the 750v DC third rail for sections beyond Ebbsfleet. There are also two lights on the panel directly in front of the driver (you'll see them located between the big red emergency stop button and the KVB unit). They're labeled LINE VOLT and MCB/VCB. You can see whats going on with the power depending on how these lights are lit up. While traveling on HS1 between St. Pancras and Ebbsfleet, make sure you have selected CTRL and have pressed the PAN UP/SHOES DOWN button. You should only have to press it once, and you can confirm that the train is correctly configured if the LINE VOLT light is ON, and the MCB/VCB light is OFF, indicating that the MCB is closed. The train should be ready to go at this point. If you're traveling from Ebbsfleet to Gravesend and getting off of the HS1, then you should select DC and go through the same procedure as above. If you're arriving at Ebbsfleet going towards St Pancras and are about to get onto HS1, then it's a little different. You will have to press the PAN UP/SHOES DOWN button twice, just make sure that the LINE VOLT light is on and the MCB/VCB light is off. Also as a reminder, the Javelins do indeed have a decrease in performance if they're on the 750v third rail (they're receiving less power than on the overhead wires), and as a result you might find it taking a while to get up to top speed. However, the braking performance is the exact same and does not depend on what power source you're on. I hope this helps!
Hum I’ve done exactly as you say and still there is no pantograph raising to attach to the overhead lines when viewing with the outside camera function. The Javalin still works as it should though. Quite disappointed that the pantograph isn’t visually raising because that to me is a major feature of this train. Oh well.
Make sure you're looking at the correct end of the train, it may be that there are two and the one raising it at the other end
I know this might sound a bit obvious, but have you tried looking at both ends of the train? The Javelin has a set of pantographs at both ends of a trainset, but only one pantograph will raise per trainset. So if you're driving just one Javelin, you'll only see one pantograph. Sometimes you might drive two Javelins coupled together, and so you'll see two pantographs raised along the entire consist. I must've driven the Javelin at least a few dozen times, and definitely remember watching the pantographs raise and lower (they even make a noise too). Sometimes the order might be random, i.e. the ones in the lead cab car will raise, or only the ones in the rear cab car will raise.
You hit the nail on the head guys. I’ve just done a full run in the Trainbow coupled with another Javelin and the pantographs were working, one at both ends. I honestly thought all the pantographs along the entire train would raise but obviously that’s not the case. As you say it’s only certain ones and not them all. I feel a bit of a muppet not realising that tbh but that’s something else I’ve learned. Everyday is a school day. I am now wondering why all the pantographs don’t raise though? Is there a particular reason why all of them don’t? I mean why have all those pantographs if you only need one or two? Do you maybe need to use them all if you have more Javelin’s coupled together or maybe if one of the pantographs that’s in use malfunctions you can use another as a sort of spare? Thanks for your help everyone.
I would imagine there's a technical reason as to why the particular panto raises, probably something to do with drag co-efficients, wear on wires or transfer carbon etc etc I live 100 yards from where these things run, but it's on 3rd rail by then anyway
In a single unit, there is one bus line that runs through the entire unit. Both pantographs feed to this bus line. You can’t have more than one pantograph raised in a common bus line because then you would get power going from the OHLE through the first pantograph and then through the other pantograph back to the OHLE; in other words, a short circuit. If two pantographs did make contact with the OHLE at the same time… enjoy the fireworks. On 2 separate units, each unit is a separate bus line so one pantograph is raised on each unit. Some units (I think possibly the Eurostar ones) have multiple bus lines on a single unit in which case again, it would be ok to have multiple pantographs raised. The reason for multiple pantographs is for reliability. If one pantograph is damaged, you can then run on the other pantograph. If the Class 395s are like the Class 800s, the standard configuration for pantographs on a double unit is for the outer pantographs (very front and very rear) to be raised. If it is any other configuration, there is a speed restriction imposed: one inner and one outer pantograph = 100mph max. 2 inner pantographs = 80mph max. On a single unit, either pantograph can be used without restriction although it is usually the front pantograph as per company instructions.
One feature of the Javelin I didn’t realise it possessed was it’s ability to literally fly! I was playing SEHS and I admit I was breaking every speed limit there was in order to sacrifice speed limit AP for keeping to time AP and on approach to St Pancras station all of a sudden the railway tacks disappeared and I was literally flying over cliffs etc. Quite disconcerting when your not expecting this to happen I can tell ya
