How Do You Drive?

Just a curiosity thing... what views do you use when running your trains?

I use Driver's view, Head out Right (looking forwards or back) view, and the Free Roam view for Brakeman and tail end work. I find this to be most realistic for a total immersive operational experience.

Photo:
Looking back down the platform before departure.

Peninsula Corridor / F40PH2C

 

I mostly stay in first person. I use the fixed external camera to hear the engine/motor noises. And the rear fixed camera if I'm doing yard work

 

First person or head out. Occasionally "3" view particularly on routes where signal heads are helpfully at the same height or line of sight as the objective markers.

 

Mostly cab interior cam but do use the exterior cam quite a bit, usually more on trains what are simpler to operate.

I also mix in the head out side a view for certain tasks or on steam trains, aswell as the roof cam on steam trains

 

I commonly go first person but if I'm going through a station I do it so that my train flys by as if its an actual camera.

 

On trains that don't use cameras for platform operations, I get up, open the cab door, and look (unless it is German because they have shunting stations )

On trains that do have DOO cameras, I position the 3 camera in front of the actual cameras.

Mainly I drive from the driver's perspective. (Except for Spirit of Steam and shunting where I will use the head-out camera more frequently)

 

I find the view out of the cabin quite useful

 

I drive every loco like I would in real life so stay in first person and use head out cam on the older locos when appropriate.

 

First person if the loco visibility is good (Class 47, 52, 465, BR 155 ... and alikes). Positioning the free camera in front outside at the LOS of the driver when visibility remembers that of a dungeon (all those cracker box EMUs in example). Shunting by switching from first person over head out to sitting on the buffer/coupler with the free camera when coupling.

 

Mainly first person. Freight activities I'll normally stop and climb down off the loco to switch junctions or couple/uncouple. Unless it's a mile long American Freight train! Then I'll use free camera.

 

Put it this way I don't drive as badly as Matt P.

 

Some locomotives you have no choice but to drive from the outside.
Class 20 long hood first for example. Try the first person view- you just face the wall

Does anyone know if there anyway to get a head leaning out view on PS4? I usually drive steam by positioning the free camera just outside the cab but then it clips tunnels and bridge abutments.

 

Yes, there is: Press R3 + left arrow and it will toggle you through the views. Depends on the loco, but usually it starts with head out view of the driver side, then opposite, then close up on panels ... and so forth.

 

Thank you !

 

Isn't there an immersion camera switch thingy on consoles? I've seen it on settings somewhere.

 

Hmm, not sure what you mean, aeronautics?! Immersion vs. classic view can be changed only in the camera control menu AFAIK.

While driving I use the immersive camera controls like this:

Press R3 - toggle between inside (drivers´) view and outside view from the free camera (wherever you positioned it)
Press R3 + Arrow Left - toggle between head out left, head out right, and then through several panel close-ups in the cab. Depending on the loco cab the sequences and the content of the views can differ.
Press R3 + Arrow Right - toggle between several camera outside views (front / back / free / static etc.)

I don´t like the "Classic" controls, but that´s a question of taste and getting used to it.

Obs.: PS4 and TSW2

 

This was added sometime in TSW2. I seem to remember something to do with consoles. I haven't found a way to utilise it on a keyboard so...

 

Press the arrow keys and it should work.

 

Nono that is different. I think this is a button (combination?) you press on a controller, but I don't have a controller

 

Mostly first person and when it comes to Metro North I end up doing the real procedure you actually look to the back by opening the side windows and pressing the buttons to open the doors right side behind the driver while left side platforms walk to the opposite side of the camp to access the door panel and open the windows. In real life this would be done by the conductor UK Australian Railway terminology Guard on 3rd 4th carriage 8 cars M3/M7 5th 10 cars & 6th carriage 12 carriages M3/M7.
German and future Austrian ÖBB routes I end up using a keyboard to access PZB buttons lights Cruise control pantograph

 

I mostly use first person view but if I'm driving one of the steam locos or I'm doing shunting/yard work I'll use the external camera as I can see better. I also use the movable external camera and place it on the steps of the loco/wagons when shunting so I can see the couplers better.

 

Mostly external camera, to hear the engine in all its glory

 

I vary my camera choice by situation and train type.

My default driving position is in the normal driving view and this holds true for nearly all German content, any UK train with a decent view out of the front and most of the US passenger train cabs.

For shunters/switchers of all kinds I drive mainly with an external camera both for a better view and for all of the coupling. Sometimes I’ll try to do everything from the cab or the head-out cameras for a challenge.

For UK trains with a poor view, and almost exclusively 375/377/387, I usually (but not always) enable NoseCam, the external (3) camera in front of the train at driver height but centred with respect to the track. I sometimes use this on other trains if I want to see the scenery specifically but generally only for the faster trains with a restricted view. I also sometimes use this for the ICE 3/3M models that haven’t had the internal reflections removed from the screen or at night when the tint of the screen makes it hard to see anything.

For most US freight, I use the front boom (2) camera and sweep around looking at and following interesting scenery items or looking at the magnificent loco I’m driving. This is because just the cab view at low speeds for an hour or more can become boring and the view is a little restricted and I love looking at the scenery whilst getting the external sound of the big diesels. I also sometimes enable NoseCam for those as well, and sometimes just the normal driver view if I’m feeling like being more authentic. For long trains I also sometimes put the external (3) camera half way down the train above a wagon and enjoy the nice view of the train snaking around in front or behind.

I also like to switch to free (8) cam occasionally to watch the train pass or go in or out of a tunnel. Fairly useless on a fast train because that camera starts off too close to the train and it’s gone before you see it.

 

They do be like that though. Why? Beyond me.

 

Mostly using the drivers view. The head out options are usually when reversing or shunting (freight operations only or as required with multiple units).
For the 37 I use the Left Desk view when driving as I can see the gauges better.