Am I the only one always running minutes late whenever a scenario involves shunting? Even though I try to keep as close to the speed limit as possible, sometimes even overspeeding with less than a mph, controlling junctions from the map rather than walking to them. Then whenever you get your first timed objective you notice you were supposed considerably faster. I have no clue how I could've done all that shunting faster. Am I the only one having troubles with these scenario timings? Something gives me the impression DTG doesn't actually playtest these scenarios. Altough unrealistic timetables has always been an issue in DTG scenarios for Train Simulator as well...
Truthfully I don't pay much attention to the clock during switching operations. I'm usually too focused on watching for upcoming signals, staying within speed limits and, especially, getting the switches themselves thrown correctly. I've developed the habit of saving frequently during yard operations. Nothing is more frustrating than having a SPAD or going off path and having to repeat everything. I've yet to collide with anything, but I have had to push errant locos to another track to get by.
Switching jobs are my favorite TSW activities. Like Crosstie, I tend to completely ignore the clock while driving them; but then, I'm not a points maven anyway. I'd especially like to recommend the shunting sessions available on the Ruhr-Sieg Nord route with the DB BD 363 engine. These take place at night in the very well illuminated Hoehenlimburg yards. The 363 is a bit tricky to drive and I advise running through its tutorial a few times before attempting a shunting job. Although this is one of the many locos for which DTG has failed to provide a users' manual, but, as often happens, Jan Rudolf has come to our rescue by writing an excellent Ruhr-Sieg manual (m-u-c-h better that DTG's effort) that includes the 363. This masterpiece can be read and downloaded at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wKhdPTIp8EDm5VqyairtQaIx6KWwMBZ2/view?usp=sharing -- don't miss it!
Boston-Providence includes a number of scenarios that start out with you shunting together your consist, and then making a few passenger stops. As I'm apparently taking too long to do the shunting bit, I'm running late several minutes for the passenger stops. Wondering if it's just me doing something wrong, or there's a flaw with the way the scenarios are designed.
I just tried "Foundations" scenario again, just flying to switches with 8-view, driving 5,9 MPH to save time and I still got about 10 minutes delay. There is no way I can collect my consist 10 minutes faster than this!
I ignore the clock on shunting scenarios… <Ctrl> <6> turns off the score display as well. Since scores mean nothing to me anyway, find those scenarios much more enjoyable manually throwing the switches and driving safely as would be required in RL. Seems time isn’t that important on Foundations anyway.. took my time, had fun, was woefully late and yet still got a gold medal for whatever that is worth….
First time I was doing everything properly, walking to switches, couplers, etc and had 20 minutes delay, didn't bother, but the game crashed while waiting for ending screen So this time I did as fast as possible just to see the difference. I had to wait for PCS to reset though. 1 minute or so.
As I said earlier, I don't pay attention to the clock. But there's no way in the world that I would walk to manually throw switches or even couple/uncouple cars. Some switches might be up to a mile away and/or there might be up to a dozen in one movement. How can you do this? Throw a switch, drive a hundred yards, stop, disembark and throw a couple more, get back into the cab, drive another few yards etc. I see nothing wrong with using the external cameras and/or the 2d map to complete these tasks. It's part of the game, like banking com or cntrl+ or any other short cut that I assume everyone uses. Engineers do not work alone in isolation. There are yard workers, hostlers, conductors and dispatchers, none of whom are present in the game. So we use our mouse and keyboard to substitute for them.
An interesting rationale! I tend to switch via the 2D map, but sometimes get out and do it "myself". I seem to remember that there's a key combination that can be used to change points in TS; perhaps something like that will become available in TSW someday, too.
Yes, I just posed that question in another thread. Different players manage switching in their own way, so could potentially lose a lot of time. Some are very quick and adept at coupling/uncoupling, others have to creep along tentatively. I would have to assume that timetables take manual switching as the norm?
Does anyone really know what the "norms" are for switching in TSW2? Many of the tutorials for switchers/shunters include manual switching instructions. Likewise, most of the switching sessions/scenarios that I've driven include a "get out of the cab & change that switch!" instruction at some point; however, after that initial order the topic is never mentioned again and, very frequently, the first switch to be changed is not the last. Given this laissez-faire approach by DTG, I sometimes get out and walk, but other times use the 3D map; something about using the 8 key disturbs me -- perhaps it's the sensation of being in two places at the same time. I've been driving the BR363 switching scenarios and sessions on Ruhr-Sieg lately -- most for the second or third time. One characteristic that keeps leading me back to them is that stopping tolerances are very liberal (truly a necessity, given the throttle and brake characteristics of this engine. Rudolph's guide to this route includes a table of all the BR363 activities, by the way, in addition to all the rest of its very thorough coverage of this route. It can be read/downloaded here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wKhdPTIp8EDm5VqyairtQaIx6KWwMBZ2/view?usp=sharing .
I can't resist the temptation to post a screen shot of the 363 on Ruhr-Sieg, which reminds me of an old song made popular by Kate Smith: "When the Moon Comes over the Mountains": :