Hi there, I'm trying to make a 3 cab 158 based on a real life formation (pictured below) and although the couplers are the same and are compatible it wont let me flip the last 158 around, instead the option is greyed out and will force a normal orientation
The most likely case here is that the couplings are set up asymmetrically (different) and the formation designer is simply not seeing it as a viable option to flip the vehicle as the couplings then wouldn't match. I've made a note to look into it, and if that's the case i'll pass the feedback to Skyhook. Matt.
Thank you mate, not the end of the world of not, it is an incredibly specific and silly problem. Have a nice one!
The couplings are asymmetric on the Sprinters. The cab-end couplers are equipped for fully automatic coupling. The inner ends are equipped for mechanical-only automatic coupling to either the inner or cab ends of another Sprinter vehicle, and with jumper cables to connect to sockets specially provided on the cab end for these 3-car configurations. The jumpers have to be connected manually, so technically it is a different coupling type. This may well be a configuration that Skyhook have not (thoroughly) tested to work, even though it is permitted IRL.
If you are on PC, the 158 can be modded so a 3 car version is possible: It seems to work properly, though I haven't thoroughly checked it. I don't know if it is completely accurate to real life or not
It's not, because your consist is made of three DMSL cars, and the middle car (MSL) is not there (and EMT afaik never had it, based on AP not delivering an EMT MSL for their comprehensive TSC Class 158/159 pack). Also the livery is broken in your consist from car 1 to 2. The existing three car units by other TOCs have a continuous livery. So your consist is a 1+2, but not a real 3 car consist. Seems EMT only used 2 or 2+2 consists. SouthWestTrains are using 3 car trains, featuring that MSL (Motor Second Class Lavatory) in the middle which blends with the livery correctly (and doesn't have a driver cab)
Yes, there is a native 3-car version of the 158, which includes an intermediate motor vehicle with no cab. It was not built in large numbers; there are presently 16 such sets in service. The very similar Class 159s are also 3-car sets, of which 22 were originally built, with some more being converted from 158s later. (The differences are in the interior, not mechanical.) But like other Sprinters, the 158 can also be operated in a 2+1 configuration, where one vehicle of a pair is attached to a complete pair. I don't think this is a common configuration for the 158, but it is possible. Wikipedia implies that a further 5 3-car 158s have been formed in this way, and numbered from 158950 upwards. I assume, given that this is supposed to be a permanent formation, that they have been painted to hide this fact.
