If you are looking for a realist train simulation don’t purchase Sherman Hill. I am sorry I did. On a timetable run from Laramie Yard to Cheyenne you cannot control the train downhill at the 1.5% grade. Automatic Brake set for full. Train slows down to 38mph (but gains speed), there is no way to stop unless you use emergency. Train will slow using a combination dynamic brake and automatic. But not to a stop. Yes I bailed off the independent. Train finally stopped 5.3 miles from Cheyenne, 1.0% grade. So you basically have a runaway train.
I'm having the same problem on the 1.5 downhill even with air brakes and bail off, specially the manifest trains with 11000 tons and only 4 engines ? Seems abit underpowered to me. Maybe somebody knows something we don't?
The main trick is to not run anywhere remotely close to the maximum speed there. The faster you are going the more your momentum will overcome even the maximum brake.
Princess Entrapta is absolutely 100% correct. I couldn’t say it better. All I can add is that I did another run the other night to refresh my memory of what speed I was able to maintain going eastbound to Cheyenne down the 1.5% section. I found 25 mph was the absolute limit at which I felt fully in control. Usually I kept it even lower: 21 to 24 mph. Out of curiosity I checked to see if there were trains following me who would be affected by my slow running. There was only one, not too close, so I think in real life the UP dispatcher wouldn’t have been too upset that I was causing congestion on this important route. -AS
In real life no railway would have a 45 to 60 mph track speed and have to operate trains at 25mph, especially with 4 to 6 locomotives. The Federal Railway Agency would not allow trains to operate when they are not able to control (stop) using a full service brake within a reasonable distance. Trains must be able to stop within a CTC block. We don’t have this issue on the Sand Patch Grade. This is strictly a programming problem.
I think you're wrong. Just because there's a general speed limit of 60mph that does NOT mean you should go that fast with an 11kt train. The same goes for heavy trucks on downhill routes. Their drivers would NEVER max out the general speed limit unless they want to end up somewhere aside the road. It's the responsibility of the driver to adjust the speed according to circumstances. One thing you should learn pretty early on in any driving school btw.
The most common issue here is firstly speed has been line speed which may been too high. Secondly people will apply the train brake or dynamic brake. The bit people forget is if you are using dynamic and the train brakes you must bail off the loco brake if you don’t bail off the loco brake the dynamic will cut out meaning you’re only running the train brake
Indeed I had 11k tons 4 lead 1 dpu ethanol train, and managed fine the 1.5 dowslope. Crawled at 15mph at summit then no more than 30 on the descent. Had to add up to 17 pounds of air after a while. But it worked.
Try that or the 13000t grain service in the snow. There's one way on the route where you just stall out, nothing gets that bad boy up the slope.
That's simply not true. Track speed is a limit, not a target; and individual trains are absolutely restricted by a vmax which is calculated from train weight, length, available braking force and ruling grade- just like the Germans although it's much harder to get the reference material. And in Britain, Class 8 trains restricted to 25 mph nonetheless run mainlines with track limits as high as 90.
There's your problem right there- you were slowing down to 38? You should have crested the summit at 30, tops.
Why did you bail off independent? Setting this lever to 100% increases pressure in loco's cylinders above what auto brake can offer. Only on lead, but it's precious braking force...
When you have dynamic going and you add in train brake it cuts the dynamic if i recollect unless you bail off. Once you bail off the two work indpendently. The loco brake doesn't really do too much on the big trains other than hold it at a stand still
Yeah just keep bailing off occasionally. You'll know when to bail off as when you apply train brake you'll see the orange/yellow dynamic brake hud or the ammeter move. Good luck!
