Instead of getting a random percantage when applying and releasing brakes I'd like to be able to control braking in 5% or 10% increments.
It should be the same on the sim as it is on that particular unit/loco in reality. So for example, an HST has brake steps. The Driver can only apply the brake in one of the 5 pre-set positions. A class 47, on the other hand, has no steps. The brake handle can be placed in any position, and nudging it an extra millimetre will give a fraction more brake. Some Drivers prefer a stepped brake, and some Drivers prefer an unstepped brake. Generally speaking in the UK, in the early days of diesels brakes were unstepped, then gradually there was a change over to stepped brakes. Now, with the most modern stock, there’s a move back towards unstepped brakes.
The unstepped brakes need a way to control the speed at which you apply them while using the keyboard. Maybe a key to apply them faster and another key to apply them slower. Or maybe a key to apply them slowly, and shift + same key to apply them faster, etc ...
There was this beautiful third party program for TS which would map axis to power and combined brakes (or even AFB, dynamic brakes only etc). I can perfectly run a train using the keyboard because all german locos have power and brake steps but I really miss using my throttle quadrant.
