Maybe I’m missing something, but on the Preston Docker scenarios with the class 20 I don’t see a way of communicating with the rear loco (like a banking engine). It’s just a big lump idling at the back adding weight and no power. Am I missing something- is there a way to communicate?
The locos in real.life would have been unable to communicate so if the rear one powered it was because it was crewed by another driver. Unsure if TSW replicates this (I think no?) I would think its more fun giving the 20 a workout.
In this situation if any assistance was required from the rear loco the crews would have agreed beforehand where they needed the rear engine to provide power, or the driver on the front loco would have toned on the horn (similar to the system on PFR) when power was required. This was pretty much Stone Age railroading in the UK, no such thing as DPU, banking comms, not even back to back radios or mobile phones.
It is intended that the rear loco is not be powered. The route is not steep anyway but it also provides you with a bit of an extra workout for the twenty!.
When I did this scenario I thought it was good that only the leading 20 was powered. As mentioned it gives a bit more thrash, rather than both 20s making it easier.
I drove all of the Preston Docker services yesterday, in one go including the waiting times, except I ran out of time before the last leg which I will drive tonight. It is impossible to keep to some of the timings, especially if you don’t exceed the 60 mph maximum speed of the loco, but it doesn’t affect the overall running of it. If you like setting up and shutting down locos then doing it this way is a treat as there is a lot of changing ends involved. There are a couple of lengthy waits which can be skipped of course if you don’t want to sit around waiting for the next part to start.
Thanks for the replies. I completed them all fine, but just wondered if I had missed something simple. I couldn't keep to the times either (without exceeding the speed limit of 60mph)
