Hey, I have been looking at this streamed tutorial Which is absolutely fantastic, are there any other tutorials like that for other trains or routes/signals?
Not from DTG as far as I'm aware, but The British Ace - the prolific TSW youtuber - has made this guide for British signalling:
They were going to do an American signalling tutorial but that's not materialised - Matt didn't have it done for the stream. In my Cathcart Circle quick start guide I did an overview of signalling (mainly aiming for what's seen on that route though): https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2516020598 Also, here's a BR training video from 1989. It's mostly still relevant, however after 1991 shunt signals were changed to display two red horizontal lights when at danger, rather than one white and one red - this is seen on Tees Valley and Northern Trans-Pennine. Part 1 is most relevant for the game at the moment.
Doesn't look like we are getting that American signal tutorial as there has been no mention of it. I have stopped playing Boston and LIRR as I want to play it with the safety systems on, but have no clue what I am doing, and cant find anything on YouTube that explains it all. I have to admit that I am getting tired of DTGs bias towards German stuff (we have now had two German safety system tutorials, and nothing on any other country)...I like playing German routes with safety systems, but I would like to do the same on other routes.
I think the reason why DTG are focusing on explaining German signalling and safety systems so much is because of the complexity of PZB. It cannot be easily explained in a couple sentences like AWS or DVD can. There is an innate challenge to driving with German safety systems on because the driver must be intimately familiar with how the system works and how German signalling works (all the various types of signals, mind you). The challenge of using the Alerter on American routes is being able to stay awake long enough to acknowledge it. this is a joke I do see your point, however. ACSES and ATC are complex in-cab signalling systems which are barely covered by the game at all. Fortunately, I believe Brandon Phelan (the guy who created most of the Boston–Providence route) is currently working on a comprehensive guide for ACSES. Other systems like TVM-430 and KVB are covered in the appropriate manuals, and while the explanation for KVB does not go into great detail, it does give you all you need to know for operating the short stretches of track in which it is in effect. I do not think other systems, like vigilance systems (Alerter, DVD, or Sifa) or AWS, require dedicated video tutorials as they are rather simple. Cheers
I recommend looking into the manuals for the routes in the game. They contain a lot of information about signals and what they mean et.c, often related to the specific route the manual is for. Example is the Northern Trans-Pennine route where the manual contains a lot of UK rail signs. https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/...ht_Pack_Driver's_Manual_-_EN.pdf?t=1577184860 All manuals are available on the Dovetail site here, as well as via Steam.
Part of the problem with doing a tutorial on US signaling is that there is no one "US signaling." In fact, after mergers even a single RR may have multiple systems in use (CSX has three). So Peninsula Corridor, Sand Patch and NEC (not to mention LIRR) are all different and would each require their own tutorial.
Must admit I am rather confused by the Boston Line signalling. Currently spending a bit of time on the route pushing through Journey Mode. The line has a mix of fixed signals and also what appear to be balises set in the track. The speed shown on the ATC often conflicts with that on the HUD, the track speed is often lower. Does the indicated speed on the ATC apply immediately and if not how long do you have to reduce speed? When I enabled the actual safety system, started getting spurious SPADs and the alerter seems to go off even when the train is stationary? It’s quite a good route and a chance to get a bit of diesel thrash when you’re not sat in the rather dull cab car, but we really need some insight into that signalling system.
Although the current game implementation is borked, if the system is working think of it as being akin to, in Germany, the intersection of fixed speed limits on the one hand and the combination of Zs(3)s and PZB signaled limits on the other. In other words, the lower of the two speeds applies, since the traffic-imposed signal limit (ACS) may well be less than line speed (ACSES).
That's pretty much what I've been doing Bill, the problem being if you reduce speed immediately as "Indusi" would require it becomes impossible to keep time.
That's a good suggestion as far as it goes -- or went, since DTG became too lazy and uncaring to produce manuals some time ago.
